Today's idea - Nu-folk Communion Gig

Communion, the musical collective formed by members of Mumford and Sons, typifies, according to the likes of the Independent, the nu-folk scene blossoming "in recent years in London and around the country built on like-minded musicians supporting each other and putting on gigs together."

Tonight's gig brings a mixed bunch with the headline act of Pope Joan and support from Rob the Rich, Cha-Cha, Kyla La Grange, and Common Tongues.

Pope Joan, you may recognise from their splatterings all over the cover of The Source magazine. Brighton-formed, and banding about "as part of the new wave of exciting and experimental British art-pop" they describe themselves as "ambient walls of processed guitar noise, furious drum lines and quirky 8-bit synth keyboards are all underpinned by an incredibly demanding pop sensibility."

With a slight personal aversion to anything resembling 'Rob Da Bank', the bands are all suprisingly and nicely good. Rob the Rich, if you investigate their MySpace are a jolly, enthusiastic and lightly brash sort of music gaggle, and perhaps my favourite of the lot.

Kyla La Grange, another name that sounds barely reminiscent of 90s rap culture, is unsurprisingly anything but. A gorgeous blonde sort of lady, says about herself: "Sometimes i can't sleep because there are songs in my head. I love people with smiling eyes," whilst citing Cat power and Leonard Cohen amongst her many influences.



Poppier but pleasing are Cha-Cha, sniffing shoes in the above video. "A fellowship of individually talented songwriters, initially brought together by a phonographic love for The Virgins, The Strokes, The Police and Phoenix, have finally emerged from their London hideout to introduce themselves. Having crafted what the self-confessed perfectionists describe as “a cross between dirty pop hymns and offbeat disco rock”." Their description seems to match them pretty accurately.

Lastly there's The Common Tongues. "Superman ain't saving shit" they say. Intriguing, although they've no songs on their MySpace.

Everything, save perhaps the unheard Common Tongues, makes this gig sound like a brilliant, non-too-pricey Sunday night good quality folk gig. The gig follows on from the first ever Communion compilation album which was released on March 1st, and can be found for aural tasting at