Americana Fest UK is run alongside the Americana Music Association UK Awards and has celebrated its second anniversary in 2017. I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to go and check out this mini festival and luckily it didn’t disappoint.
10. The variety
First of all what I quite enjoyed about the mini-festival was the variety of music on offer, there was blues, blue grass, country, americana, acoustic and more. The music from the various artists worked well together and didn’t feel forced. I loved how the evening’s mood changed which act and how it all happened organically.
9. The quality of talent
I can’t stressed how talented all the musicians were on the night. From brilliant instrumentalist to great lyricists or even vocalists; the acts, which appeared at Americana Fest UK were all bringing something special and all had different styles.
8. Unplugged
Something that I really enjoyed at Americana Fest UK was the unplugged room at the Moth Club. Artists, which performed here were stripped bare with often only a guitar and their voice to captivate the crowd. I was mesmerised by the artists I saw play here and the living room setting made this all the more intimate.
7. The location
Americana Fest UK has grown in 2017, spreading from one venue to three. The three venues in the heart of London, Moth Club, Oslo and Paper Press Vintage were perfectly suitable for the event; some were more intimate than others but all felt unique.
6. The atmosphere
Even though Americana Fest UK was spread across three venues these were only minutes apart and it was fun to cross paths with the crowds checking out different bands. The people at the festival were all cheerful and really got into the spirit of things, which was wonderful.
5. The Music
Of course the night wouldn’t have been anything was it not for the music. The combination of atmosphere, setting and talent was magical and it created the perfect cocktail, which leads me to the next few acts.
4. Henry Senior Jr
Henry Senior Jr played at the Moth Club and really got the crowd going with their intense sound. Everybody was dancing to the sexy music, which didn’t even need vocals to put a smile on everyone’s face. Henry Senior Jr’s music was described to me as ‘sex music’ and the description fit. It was sexy and fun all at once.
3. Wild Ponies
Wild Ponies come hailing from the USA and play country music beautifully. The duo’s style is traditional but powerful. The night wasn’t complete without a mention of American politics and the band even dedicated one of their songs to vice-president, Mike Pence.
2. Flats & Sharps
One of the highlights of the evening included the electrifying performance from Flats & Sharps. The Cornwall band blends bluegrass, folk, country and pop and alternates between vocalists and that way keeping things interesting. Flats & Sharps not only gripped the entire floor they also surprised everyone by collaborating with legend, BJ Cole.
1. Amythyst Kiah
The star that shone brighter than anyone else (in my opinion) and one of the reasons I absolutely wanted to go to Americana Fest UK 2017 was singer and song-writer, Amythyst Kiah. The young artists from Tennessee was stunning and gave an unforgettable acoustic performance. Kiah’s unplugged set was captivating and the small venue couldn’t have been more suited to her style. My personal favourite was the strong vocal on track, Myth.
There you have it folks, my top ten favourite things about Americana Fest UK 2017. See you next year…
