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Fanfarlo at the Oakford (C) Adam Ososki

15.02.09 | Fanfarlo | Oakford Social Club | Blagrave Street | Reading

Sometimes the best bands are found in the smallest of places. Sometimes these bands turn these small places into a magical cove of wondrous music, where a mariachi trumpet duets with a forlorn clarinet, where the tinkling squeak of a glockenspiel skips along with a bashing snare drum, and where the upsurge of melodic harmonies and poetic lyrics is so great that you are left speechless.

Such is the effect of Fanfarlo on a Sunday evening Reading crowd at the intimate Oakford Social Club.

The six-piece, fronted by Swede Simon Balthazar, name David Bowie among their fans and have no record deal - yet they're supporting Snow Patrol on their UK arena tour.

So it's an odd sensation being able to watch a band who, in their slacks and T-shirts, are cramped on a small stage exuding enchantment with every note, looking like urchin troubadours (apart from the Mark Lamarr-a-like on bass) and who we all collectively know are going to be huge.

I try to chat to the band briefly before their performance. They'd just eaten and a curly-fringed Simon is engrossed in a large hardback book - he looks up politely and shyly but has no real interest in chatting.

And even afterwards I try to chat to violinist, mandolin player and backing singer Cathy from Belgium, and she too is polite but unforthcoming.

Evidently this band calmly communicate via their songs, belting out a chorus of songs that sound as though Ed Harcourt, Arcade Fire, Beirut and Calexico have convened to melt into one.

Their debut album Reservoir is spread out before us over half an hour. A rabid screech for an encore leads them shyly back to the stage, with Simon smiling and softly saying that they'd like to play another, but "we literally don't have any more songs to play".

Nevertheless they play another solemn beat-studded gem. No surprise that afterwards the crowd throng towards the CD table, the only place where you can currently buy their debut album.

I am listening to mine as I type, and it's going to be played into oblivion.

Find out more about Fanfarlo here: