A cold wet and dark Monday night, but a trip to the bright lights of (The Cambridge) Las Vegas, well the bright lights of the Cambridge Leisure Park for a evening’s entertainment from King Creosote, Jon Hopkins and Withered hand was a must. 

In the (previously mentioned) lovely intimate Junction 2 venue, the evening kicks off with the return to Cambridge (“it’s all a bit fuzzy”) after 20 years of Withered Hand. Yes, alas Woolworth’s and its photo booth are no more but, that does not detract from some great songs “stripped naked” down to voice and acoustic guitar.

 

All of Darren’s songs have ’sing at the top of your voices’ sing-a-long lyrics and his fun interaction with the crowd means the night gets off to a great start.

 

A short gap and then it's the turn of King Creosote and Jon Hopkins to delivered a serious, powerful and sublime complete run though the album ‘Diamond Mind’. No talking from the stage or audience, the song are delivered with much grace and patience.

 

Being such a small venue you can hear every change in pitch as Kenny sings, every piano note played by Jon. As each song fades gently away, the audience is still to the very, very last note, so that they can capture every moment. Really, it’s just a stunning 30 minutes.

 

Once Diamond Mine is completed, the reverent spell is happily broken and the fun begins.  A “muck around” though some ‘greatest hits’ over the next 45 minutes is superb. Much humorous banter between songs with on the road stories and more. A cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s 'The Only Living Boy in New York' even appears during the set.

 

It’s like watching two separate concerts and the evening is rounded off with the affable threesome at the ‘Merch desk’ more than happy to chat with everyone.

 

Ahhh .. see .. Monday nights, can be special!

 

Pete

 

 

 

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