Frankie & the Heartstrings at the Oslo

Since Sunderland-based five-piece Frankie & the Heartstrings released their third album last week, they’ve not had a night off. Tuesday night is no different, as they play a slick and energetic set at the Oslo Hackney.

The band comes out bouncing to an audience that is clearly already fond of them: with a sound that draws comparison to Dexys Midnight Runners, and an onstage presence reminiscent of every band your dad liked in the 80s, the Heartstrings’ brand of jaunty indie-pop captures the attention of the room for a full hour.

Hunger has the most instant impact – an obvious fan favourite and the title track from their 2011 album, it has a good portion of the room singing along from the opening bars. The current single, Think Yourself Lucky, is also a highlight, and has the kind of hook that BBC Radio 6 Music will salivate over. The brass section – two hastily hired locals, summoned by the power of Twitter just the day before – adds a certain sense of adventure to the set, and while their faces may suggest a lack of rehearsal, they make a good go of their part in the show.

A significant portion of Frankie & the Heartstrings’ appeal is their broad approach to the industry: they own and run Pop Recs Ltd in Sunderland and still manage to release new material at a steady pace. Their record shop plays host to gigs as well as being a coffee shop and gallery. Their involvement in their community makes them a pillar of the Sunderland indie-rock scene and, while the rewards might not be the big bucks, they are evidently well-loved. The band has a number of dates lined up across the UK in the coming months, and if tonight’s show at the Oslo is anything to go by, you can expect to leave warmed and energised with some pop hooks stuck in your head well into the next morning.

Cath Willcox
Photos: Andrei Grosu

For further information about Frankie & the Heartstrings and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Think Yourself Lucky here: