Music: This Is The Kit
Published 7 Jun 2012 11:30
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ALL KITTED UP: This Is The Kit's Kate Stables on banjo.
IF earthy, ethereal bands are your thing, then look no further than Arlington Arts Centre, in Newbury, on Friday, for a fine selection of soothing tones from musicians This Is The Kit.
Their sound might best be described as gentle rock-infused folk, and Kate Stables, lead vocalist, who also plays guitar and banjo, explains: "It's exploring language and music and an experiment in writing and composition.
"I don't separate it from other things. I don't necessarily call something folk, pop, or rock. It's not that easily tidied away. A lot of people say we do folk because I play the banjo. It's not traditional folk. It's very interpretable - it's just people music."
Having set up home in Paris with her husband, multi-instrumentalist Jesse, who provides a subtly beautiful backdrop to Kate's sweet sounds, she explains that they are rarely at home and now only use Bristol as an English base while they take their magical, melancholy music on tour for much of the year. She said: "We are influenced by who we meet and who we work with on our travels and doing different projects.
"We already knew amazing musicians in Bristol and it started there. We're not that much in Bristol, it's our base when we're here - it's more our friends are there. Then me and my partner went exploring Paris and ending up staying and having a daughter, so we're settled there now."
Although Kate writes the music herself, the duo prefers to work with a number of artists wherever possible to create projects, rather than music with a singular narrative structure.
This time round, This Is The Kit will be joined by Rozi Plain and Reading-based Parisian duo Overland Inn. She told us: "The project changes shape as to where we are and who is available. The main part for us is to make stuff and share the creative process with other people. The more different people we work with the better.
"It's always amazing how many people are up for joining in the project. We live in tricky times where it is hard to be a musician and we just do what we can to get on."
Doors at 8pm. Tickets are from www.arlingtonarts.co.uk or by calling 01635 2442496.The band also play South Street, Reading on Thursday, July 12. Call 0118 960 -6060.
This article appeared in Slough Observer 07 Jun 12
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