The HMV Next Big Thing Festival 2010 is showcasing many great up and coming bands and artists, with sets from the likes of Ellie Goulding, Johnny Flynn, Mystery Jets and Ou Est le Swimming Pool, spread across 6 venues over a week and a half. Each gig typically showcases three acts, and last night was the turn of The Boy Who Trapped the Sun, along with Alan Pownall and Joshua Radin (look out for reviews of their sets coming soon).
The Boy Who Trapped The Sun (real name Colin MacLeod) hails from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, one of those places that is so Scottish you probably haven't even heard of it. Discovered in Aberdeen, Colin gave up being a salmon fisherman and moved down to London, where he wrote some hauntingly beautiful music. Being half Scottish myself (with hebridean roots and having grown up in Aberdeen) I am a tad biased towards my countrymen I will admit, but in this case with very good reason.
The Boy That Trapped The Sun played a beautiful acoustic set, accompanied by a cello and female vocalist. Featuring songs from his upcoming EP "Home" (due for release in the UK 1/03/10) and his previous EP "Watermark", this was a performance from the heart. Most of Colin's songs were written after he moved to London from Scotland, giving his music a wonderful coming of age feel, tinged with a melancholic homesickness that is haunting at times.
Not knowing Colin's music before the gig I will freely admit I was there to see other acts on the bill, but his confident and soulful music really captured me and held my attention through his set. His stage presence is big, even when sat behind a mic balancing a guitar on his knee. It seems like Colin has far more experience of being on stage than would be expected for one so new to the industry, as he laughed and joked with the audience like a pro. Despite the crowd clearly being at the venue to see the other artists he received a wonderful reception
He is certainly an artist I would go and see again, and one I would tell my friends to see too. Look out for an interview and review of the Home EP coming soon.
Lying To Get On Your Good Side
Watermark is out on Polydor now, and available from Amazon and iTunes.
