The Bonfire Band at the Albion

By Elin Berta

Monday September 5, 2011

Based on two Sunday evenings at the Albion in Hammersmith Road, I have to say it might be one of my new favourite ways to spend my Sundays. With a pint and some slices of their delicious veggie pizza combined with some nice live music, I’m there!

This past Sunday it was the Bonfire Band from Hackney that took the small stage by the fireplace.

Starting off with bass player Will Heath letting everyone know the band was exhausted after performing the whole weekend, so exhausted that Mr Heath himself had lost his voice, I wasn’t really impressed.

That kind of statement is definetely not going to make the crowd more excited about a gig. And unfortunately, you would have noticed it even if he hadn’t mentioned it. But at the end of the first set, as the pub started to get crowded, the band seemed to forget about that. And with some dry British jokes on top of that they had won the attention of, it appeared, everyone. Maybe a lot of regulars had come at that time as well, as it seems the Bonfire Band play at the Albion the first Sunday every month.

The band has a couple of regular pubs they play, with different lineups, but at the Albion yesterday it was just three of them delivering nice bluegrass with insightful lyrics thankfully performed with a British accent. Ben Faulkner on guitar and harmonica and Adam Beattie with his banjo took turns with the singing, but assured that Will Heath usually did most of the singing, and that he has (had!) the voice of an angel.

Maybe it was the Guiness that they had during the break that did the trick, or maybe the first set was just a warm-up after a busy weekend, but the energy already during the first song at the second set was as if a whole new band had come in.

I was actually a bit sad having to leave before they finished. But as mentioned, they play the Albion every first Sunday so there will be more chances. And since the pub has live performances every Friday and Saturday I will be back pretty soon anyway, if just to enjoy the atmosphere and some pizza. But I do hope Mr Heath will have his voice back the next time, since I’m really looking forward to hear how an angel sounds.