|
The captivating, indeed mesmerising Yo Zushi plays to a hushed audience. He’s won the Dazed and Confused Magazine's Re:Creation prize but remains as modest as when he played the Oxford Folk Festival last year. For a final number he offers us the choice between “something you all know and can sing along to or one of my own”. “One of your own!” is the overwhelming response. He seems surprised but I’m not, every moment is to be treasured. More from Yo on these pages next month. From the sublime to the raucous with Morrison Steamfayre in their finest Oxford performance to date. They seem to get tighter and more confident show by show and would certainly give The Coral a run for their two pounds in a paper cup. Debut single, Busker's Day Out will be released on April 17th via indie label, Blue Flowers. Such is the buzz about Jamie T that fans have followed him from London to pack out The Corner Room. Yet he’s such an unassuming fellow his rider is a can of lager and he’s “too scared to go on Popworld”. The first time Marc and I met him was at an Ordinary Boys industry gig last spring, wearing a shell suit and a Burberry baseball cap, claiming “I don’t know about all this guitar stuff, I’m into hip hop and drum and bass”. FFWD a couple of months to the summer where we chance upon him supporting The Mystery Jets at one of their secret Eel Pie Island gigs. By then he definitely gets it albeit in his own idiosyncratic fashion. Jamie writes witty songs about real life and strums his bass like a rhythm guitar. Tonight he’s morphed from a boy following indie trends to a man who’s confronting the style industry head on. Most importantly he has truly found himself musically, its his honesty and refusal to conform that fans adore. Drawing on the lyrical skills of his rap influences, his work is made up as much of performance poetry which you’re compelled to listen to as it is of anthems you’re compelled sing along to. Not that that stops the audience shouting the words to live favourite Sheila from the bottom of their hearts and lungs. He played songs from new EP, Betty & Her Selfish Sons and for a low key encore covered Billy Bragg's New England. “I thought he was good but also a bit pissed. A bit like Jamie Oliver doing the Artic Monkeys but forgetting that he was meant to be playing the guitar as well. I'm sure I will be proved the most incorrect fool The Earth has ever produced”. (Tim Bearder) You’re just jealous his hair is high enough to rival your new ‘privet hedge’ look Tim. Yo Zushi and Morrison Steamfayre next play in Oxford at the city's Folk Festival in April. | 
