Folk at its Finest: Gently Tender and Naima Bock co-headline EartH show
Heart-filled sounds and soulful oozings of compassion filled Hackney venue EartH on Friday night, as Gently Tender and Naima Bock delivered a co-headline show that showcased folk at its finest.
The night of music was opened by emerging folk artist and guitarist Sam Grassie, who was joined by his flautist father for a floatingly beautiful set of songs, including traditional slides and jigs. As they instantly filled the space with refreshingly otherworldly sounds layered with intricate guitar melodies, it became clear that this was a night of musical talent not to be missed.
Next up was indie artist Naima Bock, whose sounds draw from the music of her childhood years, which were spent in Brazil and London. Following her time as the bassist for British rock band Goat Girl, the co-headliner debuted her solo identity in late 2021 with sober, reflective track “30 Degrees”, following with her album, “Giant Palm”, the next year.
Bock kicked off her set with a peaceful, soft tune which, despite an unamplified guitar, brought the audience to a complete, captivated silence. From the outset, the Glastonbury-born singer’s vocal gift was dizzyingly evident: if you dream of a world of sonic comfort and enchantment, a performance from Bock is the place to find it.
The arrival of her large band in the second song soon set the tone for the rest of the set, marking the transition into an orchestral marvel that was perfectly complex yet soft and comfortable. Elevated further by strong beats from drummer Cassidy Hansen and energetic saxophone sections, Bock’s voice rang out with a quality of lilting sensitivity, which was layered with expertly harmonised vocalisations from those on stage.
Across bouncy, hearty beats and more pared back, acoustic folk tunes, most pleasurable was the evident synchrosity between Bock and her band, with instrumentalists often enjoying passionate solo moments that showcased their remarkable musical abilities as well as uniting to perform powerful choral swellings.
With a heart-filled sound that is cathartic and palpably soft, Bock is creating ravishingly transportative sounds that make her one to watch.
Closing the night, London folk-soul group Gently Tender delivered a masterful set that was oozing with comfort. Balancing toughness and vulnerability, the group took us on a journey examining human emotion and resilience through a series of heart-filled tracks both old and new.
Taking the stage with confidence, the group’s steadiness was ever-present from the get go, when they launched into “Home Anymore”, a strong rock ballad that opens the band’s long-awaited debut album “Take Hold Of Your Promise!”.
Front man Sam Fryer proceeded to lead the group through a patchwork of old and new tunes, delivering confident, angsty vocals injected with a layer of vulnerability, while instrumentalists and lifelong friends Pete Mayhew, Will Doyle, and Adam Brown piled powerful vocalisations and impassioned beats over each track.
Throughout the set, moments of reflective sensitivity were scattered between heavier rock tunes across mellow tracks including “True Colours”, which enjoyed lashings of soft vocals from indie artist and keyboard player Heka.
Following a succession of choral arrangements and new tracks including the group’s latest release, “Country Folk”, the crowd appeared to be invited into a night of soothing compassion, acceptance and softness, as concertgoers joined together to flock to the front of the stage in a demonstration of public warmth that beautifully echoed sentiments from the commencing track, “Love All The Population”.
In their live shows just as much as on their latest releases, the soulful, brooding softness that Gently Tender delivers is nothing short of compassion-fuelling folk-rock excellence.
Photography by Emma Last.