Willowen/Bob Fletcher
April 10, 2012Chaplins Bar, Boscombe
Tonight the warm welcome at Chaplins Bar in Boscombe extends to “Willowen” a three piece folk band who built up a name for themselves around local venues around the Dorset area during a short tour last winter, after a short hiatus, they return refreshed with new enthusiasm and some new material they excitedly want to perform.
Support act Bob Fletcher has borrowed Willowen’s Violin player Jasmine Watkiss tonight to add a interesting addition to his solo set, actually Bob and Jasmine are 50% of his band called the “Bonsai Pirates”. The two of them create a exciting vibe in this intimate venue and perform a great set of songs with includes some audience participation during a song which has the lyric “Tom Jones, Beatles, Undertones and the Rolling Stones” which everybody gladly joined in. Bob is an excellent front man who produces some quality fun lyrics and engages well with the audience getting people involved in a very comfortable way. During a song called “Waving My Arms At The Ocean” Bob and Jasmine are joined for an impromptu rap by Joolz who adds another interesting quirk by rapping in French. The set is really enjoyable and goes by far too quickly ending with some Pirate Folk much to the delight of the audience.
Willowen are made up of three talented youngsters who just initially wanted to make music together, Jonny, George and Jasmine have forged a solid bond together with the right chemistry that has brought about something unique. Tonight the band perform songs from their debut EP “The Orange Moon Beach Party”, some of the lyrics could seem to be a bit far out, a little bit 60’s psychedelia perhaps mixed with modern day observations and experiences. There is no one obvious influence and the band really don’t have a specific image, they are just themselves. The songs are performed simply on an acoustic guitar, Cajon and a violin, the bands local(and some further a field) following are here tonight in fine voice, the band seemed humbled at such a great turn out. The new songs arrive in the form of the bizarre “Monster (In my paddling Pool)” and “The Story”, both fit in perfectly with the rest of the set. An abandoned version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” due to equipment problems makes way for George and Jonny to perform an impromptu jam which they don’t really want to end as they were having so much fun. If you want some thing different and totally original go see “Willowen” on one of the dates on their extensive summer tour, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed, as by tonight’s showing their journey has only just begun.
Set-List
Pink Sky
Right For Her
Drowsie Maggie
Monster(In My Paddling Pool)
It’s Own Sound
The Story
Impromptu Jamming
Hippy Vampire
Night Beach
Dan’s House
http://www.facebook.com/willowenuk
http://www.facebook.com/bobfletchermusic
Download Willowen’s “Orange Moon Beach Party” here for Free:
http://willowen.bandcamp.com/
Review by Dave Chinery (Chinners)
Pictures by Pat Chapman