Hush at The Royal Albert Hall

Back in August ‘08 I posted something akin to a slushy love letter to a song that I had heard from little-known band, Orphans & Vandals. The song is called Mysterious Skin and it remains firmly in my top 10 tracks of 2008. Much to my dismay however, Orphans & Vandals did not become the overnight success that I had predicted, but rather seem to be something of a slow-burner. This, I have decided, can only be a good thing. Rather than becoming the next band to fall victim to the turbulent trappings of superstardom, Orphans & Vandals are slowly winning a mounting fan-base that will stick with them for longer than the time it takes to sign a contract. The only issue that I have with this refusal to play nice within the world of  indie-scene whoredom is that we never get to bloody hear them, much less see them.

Imagine my delight, so, when I discovered this:

Orphans & Vandals will play alongside ‘beautifully peculiar’ violinist Roxy Rawson in support to Ivor Novello Award nominee, Ben Onono, on the 24th February ‘09 for Hush at the Royal Albert Hall. Hush, which takes place within the intimate confines of the Royal Albert Hall’s opulent Elgar Room, has played host to such highly acclaimed acts as Absentee, Hot Club de Paris and Slow Club. Hush was designed to give emerging artists the opportunity to play at the historic Royal Albert Hall and also to give the venue itself a chance to transcend genres and generations by appealing to a younger and more eclectic crowd.

Headliner on the night, Ben Onono, is best known for his work in the dance music industry and has collaborated with the likes of Fatboy Slim and Bob Sinclair in the past. In 2008 Ben was nominated for the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Songwriting for co-writing the hugely successful ‘It Just Won’t Do’ with DJ Tim Deluxe. Born in Cardiff, Onono moved to West Africa as a child where he cultivated his musical tastes. As a classically-trained pianist, Onono’s latest album sees him return to his roots with sublime acoustic melodies that incorporate a twist of electronica resulting in a sound that span continents and gives a fresh perspective on world music.

Roxy Rawson has been closely compared to Joanna Newsom and Regina Spektor (and there’s more than a hint of similarity to 2008’s media-darling Florence and the Machine, in her vocal cords). Rawson is set to join the burgeoning list of LadyPoppers expected to make waves in the music industry in 2009. Her classic violin and piano training and her capricious attitude to songwriting combine to produce a playful yet polished collection of songs that are just off-kilter enough to separate her from her peers.

So if you find yourself in London on the 24th February, my advice is to snap up a ticket to Hush. At just £10.00 (£7.50 in advance) you’d be mad to miss it. Further information and tickets available here.