T in the Park review: Noah and the Whale, Radio One stage

THINK indie-folk, and several big names come to mind. Laura Marling, Emmy the Great, Slow Club – all of whom have been associated with Noah and the Whale at one point or another.
Noah and the Whale. Picture: ContributedNoah and the Whale. Picture: Contributed
Noah and the Whale. Picture: Contributed

The twee set from Twickenham have established themselves at the centre of a world filled with credible contemporaries, catchy modern folk-rock tunes and laid back albums - a vibe that would have been more than welcome early on a Saturday evening at T in the Park.

As they took to the stage however, the charming charisma that trickles through their tracks seemed to be somewhere else.

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Maybe it was the growing clouds, darkly threatening to rain all over Saturday’s parade, or perhaps it was the band, methodically ploughing through their first track, but something in the atmosphere felt slightly damp.

By the time they manoeuvred their way into their second track Give A Little Love, atmosphere still wasn’t in full force. Excitement seemed unable to trickle down from the first few rows, and as the temperature in Balado started to fall, this performance seemed to be doing little to warm up the crowd.

Technically, the band were faultless. Perfect vocals, stunning solos which merited short yet spirited cheers, and a drum beat loud enough to sound out the news that this band were well established, well rehearsed, and well within their rights to play a big slot on a big stage on a Saturday.

As the performance went on, the clouds remained but the atmosphere perked up considerably. The crowd cheered along amiably for the upbeat Give It All Back, the simple, smart Blue Skies earned a raucous applause, and the terrifically performed Tonight’s The Kind of Night was the highlight of their set.

By mid way through their set, hands were in the air and the masses were cheering as you might have expected.

It was clear from the crowd that this band’s obvious talent was fully appreciated, even if it did take a little while for the atmosphere to warm up on a cool afternoon in Balado.

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