The Melodic at XOYO

It’s a drizzling, windy evening in London for a change: those warm, sunny spring days we experienced a couple of weeks ago already seem a thing of the past. Yet it only takes a cosy venue like XOYO, some friends to spend quality time with, maybe a drink and the weather related misery easily goes away.

When quartet The Melodic hop on stage they do so in a quiet way. The band get their instruments ready and, without any small talk, start playing. At first everyone is a bit puzzled, pleasantly surprised but still unsure if the group has the right stuff to entertain a crowd.

Soon heads begin to nod showing growing curiosity. The set is short and balanced, mainly comprising up-tempo songs but including a couple of more slow tracks; most of the songs are a mix themselves, setting off with a gentle melody that halfway through builds up in a fast-paced rhythm. The Melodic’s repertoire is made of tunes that get into your heart for simple but thoughtful lyrics that tell stories, sounding like poetry translated into music. However unfamiliar the public is with the band, however inaccurate the impression they have, this is a general feeling that draws all souls together. The venue looks more and more like a fiesta, with more bodies waving, to the point where a few people jump around in circles with evident enthusiasm.

Cold and rainy London is far away in everyone’s minds, a South American country taking over with its contagiously happy, carefree atmosphere. Songs like Ode to Victor Jara, paying homage to the Chilean folk singer-songwriter, confirm this and give a precise name to the exotic influence that characterises the band’s music.

The performance is now without its flaws, but nevertheless energetic and passionate, even featuring two guest musicians playing the violin and the flute. The guitarist and co-singer introduces On My Way with a joke: “Let’s be quiet” he says, hoping to trigger a different reaction –  only backfiring by the audience going silent. But not for long – the gig rises to a crescendo that sees the band saluting a fully warmed-up crowd.

Rita Vicinanza

For further information and future events visit The Melodic’s website here.

Watch the video for On My Way here: