LIVE: Brown Horse

It’s not always easy to get Geordies to travel, but for Alt-Folk outfit Brown Horse, they flock to the coast in their masses. After a stunning acoustic set of local indie riser Melanie Baker, BH take the stage at a bustling Tanners Bank and dive straight in with angular guitars and tightly wound rhythms.

Perhaps the most striking discovery is their effortless synergy, the complete alignment of each instrument creating a rich sonic palette and an overarching sense of cohesion. But although Brown Horse are so distinctively one, they are more than the sum of their parts - Wherever your gaze wanders, there is something new to uncover. Whether it’s Emma Tovell shredding on the lap steel guitar, Rowan Braham bending the accordion into unexpected shapes or Patrick Turner’s striking vocals, nothing about Brown Horse is even close to generic. 

Throughout their captivating set that blends cuts from new album ‘All The Right Weaknesses’ and debut record ‘Reservoir’, the band manage to conjure up something magical: An immersive atmosphere that invites to let go and get lost for a while. Standout moment: the smoothest guitar change in history as a string snaps mid-song and Turner swaps to a new one whilst singing, not breaking a note or a sweat. That, my friends, is Rock’n’Roll.                      

As Rock as Folk can get, Brown Horse are more than beautiful melodies and aching harmonies, their songs are poignant, powerful, hit a mark. But wrapped around evocative lyricism, is just enough white space and creative freedom for the band to “rock out”, have fun, and flex their skills on various instruments. With so much talent under one roof, it’s only a matter of time before they’re playing the big venues and festival stages.