2013 has certainly been one to remember for George Barnett. Having released two records in 2012, the album 17 Days and the E.P Where The Devil Sleeps, 2013 always seemed to be the year that the 19 years old, fresh faced, multi talented singer songwriter was destined to tour till his hearts content, getting his name out there more than it already was and showing his up tempo, drum heavy indie tracks to audiences all over the UK.
Photographer: Francesca Paolozzi
But I doubt even George himself expected 2013 to go the way it has done. Upon hearing Get Lucky by Daft Punk earlier on the year, George uploaded his own version of the song to YouTube, where he would play every instrument, synthesisers, as well as sing. Quite a lot of work it sounds, but it definitely seemed to be worth it, with the video nearing the eight million play mark. He has received praise from all over the world, praising his talents and some revealing they enjoyed his version more than Daft Punk’s. Not a bad way to make a name for yourself.
Tonight we are at the Garage in London, just off of Highbury and Islington station. One of those delightful little venues that has more character and history than the Emirates Stadium, it is dark, quaint, and a bit of a sweatbox. So, a perfect venue for a night of music, one which contains three of the brightest up and coming singer songwriters in the UK. Barnett is sandwiched between Orla Garltand, an equally fresh faced singer from Dublin, who warms up the crowd with her youthful energy and upcoming single Roots garnering a cracking reaction from the slowly building crowd, and Frank Hamilton, famed for his One Song A Week performances last year, who is also celebrating his birthday by playing his biggest London show to date.
By the time Barnett and his stage band The Ninth Wave takes to the stage, the crowd has moved up to about one hundred and fifty strong, with people still pouring in off the windy London streets. People are scattered around the room, grabbing another drink at the bar, admiring the decor of the place or rushing for a quick inter-band toilet break, heads are turned when this young lad and his entourage set themselves up. With Barnett sat at his keyboard, they are off and running, and within seconds he has got out his seat and is barking into his microphone. The enthusiasm this lad shows is out of this world, and with an energy that seems to never be running dry, the following half an hour is one that the crowd will remember for a long time to come.
One of the brightest parts of Barnett and The Ninth Wave’s performance is the amount of diversity on show here. Second track Cassi has a 90s pop feel to it, with the keys allowing for a bouncy backing tune whilst Barnett sings about people he’s encountered throughout his life. “I’ve seen the sights, I’m on that page, life and times, day and age, I’ve seen the sights, I’ve passed that stage”, he sings, showing a wiseness and maturity that most 29 year olds would struggle, let alone a 19 year old. But then as soon as you’ve finished enjoying the dance pop, he can shoot straight into Light A Fire, complete with it’s grunge-era riffs and bellows of “Higher and higher, show me how to light that fire”, an anthem destined to be at the heart of many indie nights up and down the country any time soon.
Photographer: Francesca Paolozzi
As his set comes to a frantic end with recent song Animal Keeper getting an airing, Barnett shows no sign of his relentless energy stopping. He bangs aggressively on his trusty cow bell, as he roars through the track which seems a hybrid of dance pop, indie and a dashing of hip hop, there is no ground left uncovered. There are times tonight that his music sounds like a merging of Kasabian, Razorlight and Kanye West strangely enough, as he goes through the motions of his music that is surely going to take him far.
