Gig Review: Los Salvadores, The Chambers, Folkestone. 25/11/10
Thanks to Operation Stack and a quick detour to Googies, Folkestone’s splendid arts cafe, we’re running a little late. By the time we rock up to The Chambers, support act Didi Bergman is coming towards the end of her set, which is a shame because from what we do catch of her acoustic folk she sounds pretty good, she has a nice voice and certainly the audience seemed to like her.
Anyhow after a brief wait and a very expensive beer Los Salvadores take to the stage. The last time I was at Chambers the band were situated right at the back of the building almost hidden behind some arches. Tonight the location is a little better as the stage has been set up in front of the back bar. However the tables, which are all taken, haven’t been put away and create a bit of a barrier between band and audience, as well as taken up floor space in a quite small and busy room. Los Salvadores have been through some personnel changes since I last saw them a couple of years ago, I think only founding members Gareth and Marf were in the band back then, but their folk sound remains fairly unchanged. Or does it…?
My memories of my previous Los Salvadores gig maybe a little hazy thanks to time and alcohol, but when I told my friends about the upcoming gig I described them as sounding like the Levellers, which I’m pretty sure they did! Tonight, though we all agreed they are playing folk, the origin of the folk is a point of discussion. As well as the obvious English and Celtic influences, some of the songs have an east European slant (but I absolutely WILL NOT mention Gogol Bordello), while others sound like they have a South American flavour. Either way all of Los Salvadores are exceptionally skilled musicians and they play a tight and pleasingly loud and passionate set (main vocalist Gareth is so passionate in fact that he spends the entire gig singing with his eyes shut!), certainly the pissed crusty dancing down the front is enjoying it! The three singers do a cracking job, all three have great folk voices, especially new member Vicki, and the harmonies work really well. Of the instruments on stage it’s not often you see a French horn but the oddest is the ‘drum’. It’s the size of a large suitcase and looks like a wooden box with either a mic or some pickups inside and it’s played by sitting on it and slapping it between your legs – that can’t be easy! Sadly time flies by way too quickly tonight and in just under an hour the band are done. Unfortunately due to the location of the stage it’s impossible for band to leave and then return for a triumphant encore, but an eager crowd demand more so they awkwardly fake packing up and then launch into a lively rendition of live favourite ‘The Drinking Song’. And then they really are done. Los Salvadores were superb tonight, I could happily have listened to another hour, but the gig is over and even worse the bar is shut!
Mark Cousens
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