four day Hombre @ Royal Park Cellars
By Danny Martin
There's a vibe in the air tonight, a tangible, swelling excitement that seems to accompany the Hombre lads everywhere they travel. Graciously most of the pack-out crowd crammed intimately together in the Cellars tonight make the effort for opener Gary Stewart, whom we were informed played last Wednesday to a paying audience of two!
Described by his management as "the best acoustic singer/songwriter to come out of Scotland" Gary blends a soothing, harmonious voice supremely with urgent, driven acoustic rhythms. His self-penned repertoire is tight and plentiful, lyrically superior to your average "guy with a guitar". Gary without doubt has the raw talent to pave his musical way, however the acoustic solo path is notoriously a hard one to walk, talent aside. The chasm between local gigger and the next David Gray or Damien Rice is vast and fraught with obstacles. To succeed is to find a different angle, a path not already treaded, virgin snow. In a band so many avenues are possible because there are far more variants. Solo-acoustic musicians are considerably more caged in and to progress must find a unique way to break loose. I wish Gary all the best, he provoked and engaged the otherwise impatient "Hombre" crowd last night for 40 minutes, his closing gift been a tremendous rendition of "Mrs Robinson" ... excellent.
Three years ago on a dark, dismal December evening I traipsed along to the Love Apple in Bradford to see a local band called Goad whom at the time had vague whispers of greatness surrounding them. Goad were supporting that night and after a 40-minute set which neither inspired or impassioned, up stepped five Leeds lads we were pleasantly informed were called four day Hombre, an eagerness glistening in their eyes. What followed was an hour of the most perfectly formed, contagious pop/rock music I had witnessed in a long time. I left the Love Apple that evening certain I had been a part of the beginning of the next big thing, 2 CD's in hand including a live E.P. which is stunning and still graces my CD player occasionally to this very day.
Since that day I have watched from afar as FDH have embarked on laying the foundations for what surely promises to be a long and successful musical career. They have lended support or headlined with the likes of JJ72, Snow patrol, The Coral, the Supernaturals and The Hiss to name a few. In 2002 they dropped a copy of their latest demo into Steve Lamacq who had championed them from the offset, they were rewarded with 10 days on the Onemusic Unsigned playlist on Radio 1 which strengthened their growing fanbase and encouraged newcomers to jump on board in their droves.
Tonight is the Hombre Homecoming, a chance for them to blow away cobwebs and reward loyal fans before a jaunt down to London Village to play at Barfly. Lead vocalist/guitarist Si has laryngitis, which unfortunately means they are forced into pulling the gig after about 40 minutes, but none of the compressed sweaty crowd seemed to care. For the 40 minutes we were treated to was Hombre at their callous, blistering best.
Their music is infectious and riotous, flowing and in places beautiful. Si and fellow vocalist Rich collaborating both vocally and musically to create radiant, dynamic harmonies which skip through your soul. They are tight and accomplished beyond words, a band for whom the groundwork has been done; the light is visible at the end of the tunnel.
As always Hombre's set is a veritable patchwork. Memorable oldies meet new kids on the blocks. Slow melon-collie vocals collide with colossal, brazen riffs and hooks. Probably the finest description of their sound is by the band themselves..."Simon & Garfunkel mugging Mogwai". A genius description this reviewer would be proud of had it been his own!
The crowd in my eyes was inspirational, and the Hombre boys can be very proud they already have such a hearty, earnest following. Even when Si's vocals were descending rapidly onto gravel level the crowd raised their game and urged him on, panting, gagging for more. They end with "Single Room", which under usual circumstances is merely astonishing; tonight it is majestic.
four day Hombre never falter or stall, they never let up or flinch. They are consistent in all areas and quite mesmerising live. The burden loaded on their backs is immense but they carry it with ease. They truly are a band who deserves everything which is unfolding for them, reaping the rewards for their hard work and ambition. As for tonight, well tonight they were the band which left the Cellars crowd speechless.
