By Beth Dean
On Friday the 29th of September, Amber Run completed the second stop on their tour, the Bournemouth University student union.
The band’s first ever performance in Bournemouth caused a lot of excitement, with the venue being sold out more than a week before. Frontman Joe Keogh saved the introductions until later, as the band wasted no time in breaking into their first song.
The atmosphere was very chilled in the former firehouse. The venue is quite an intimate one compared to others that the band will be playing throughout this tour, and the crowd was able to dance around freely with a pint without the risk of someone knocking them over. The accompanying lighting with the show added to the atmosphere, particularly the dark blue wash when the band was playing one of their slower tracks ‘Haze’.
The set was short but sweet, with the band being called back up to stage by fans and performing 3 more songs from their earlier albums. Keogh joked around with the crowd, responding to a girl who called him Jon Snow with quick comebacks, giving the whole gig a very relaxed and personal feel.
The whole show went down without a technical hitch, and I was shocked at how similar the band sound live to their recorded material. The power in Keogh’s voice, combined with harmonies provided by bassist Tom Sperring and guitarist Will Jones was as soulful and clear as they are when you listen digitally, a rarity, particularly with songs this challenging.
The band made themselves available after the set at their merch table, chatting to fans and taking pictures. It was a perfect way to end their first visit to the city, and I predict that they have gained new supporters because of it. They previously stated when announcing this tour that the purpose of it was to visit new cities and ‘introduce new folk to the Amber Run family’. Mission accomplished lads.
