The Big Moon
Celebrating a decade since their formation, four-piece alt-indie band The Big Moon was born and bred in London with the dream of hitting the big leagues someday. They achieved this with the release of their 2020 album, Walking Like We Do, pieced together from songwriting that encompassed frontwoman Juliette Jackson’s navigation of being pregnant with her first child. Alongside band members Soph Nathan, Celia Archer and Fern Ford, the group continues to build its presence in the industry, accompanied closely by their loyal and ever-growing fanbase.
Against the backdrop of a clear blue summer’s day that turned slowly to sunset and later an uninterrupted night sky, the surrounding setting of The Big Moon’s appearance at Somerset House’s annual Summer Series was perfect. The band made their way onto the stage met by loud cheers from the crowd and opened the show with their 2022 single, Wide Eyes.
The fairly stripped-back stage setup was a nice touch that didn’t distract too much from the group, but as the show progressed, it may have benefited from more elaborate graphics on the screen backdrop to add an extra something to the simplicity of the performance. The band pleased attendees with a diverse mix from their discography, from newer music to dipping into the “good ol’ classics”, the latter including Silent Movie Susie and Cupid.
The Big Moon had an evidently relaxed and confident presence, interacting with crowd members and cracking jokes in-between tracks. Within the group themselves, they had an undeniably synergistic energy, leaning into each other on guitar solos and at one point gathering round the drummer to dramatically end the track Don’t Think.
As the sky darkened, The Big Moon called on the audience to help slow down the mood by taking out their flashlights for Waves, with frontwoman Jackson sitting down at the front of the stage and performing a heartfelt rendition of the track. This clearly connected well with the crowd, and a lovely image of hundreds of lights swinging in time accompanied the number. This slower track stood out from the rest, shaking up the set list slightly from a few songs in a row that were similar to one another and perhaps needed something different thrown into the mix.
The night was a bright addition to the Summer Series, an interesting insight into the band’s personality for newer listeners and a warm welcome back for the die-hard fans who have been with them every step of the way. The London-based group continue their headline gigs across the UK before heading to Europe for an autumn tour – make sure to keep an eye on what they’ve next got in store.
Emily Downie
Photos: Mike Garnell
For further information and future events visit The Big Moon’s website here.
Watch the video for the single Silent Movie Susie here:
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