Preview - Noah And The Whale @ The Sage, Gateshead 10/03/09

The Sage - an ‘international home for music and musical discovery’. This fantastic venue is entirely dedicated to music of all varieties; jazz, country, and even classical. So having a recently popular indie band such as Noah And The Whale to play is quite a statement. It shows that this band can’t be just like any other outfit, dishing out pop song after pop song, there is a lot more to them, i.e. genuine musical talent. Noah And The Whale have a definite feel to their music, when listening to their album Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down I realised it has a lot of depth and sentiment to it. With carefully constructed lyrics and violin-clad harmonies it’s folksy and jolly in some parts, and dark and acoustic in others, broken up by the odd irresistible country-esque indie track. It takes a few listens to really appreciate it, but once you get to know and love the charming melodies, seeing this band live must be an absolute treat, a sing-a-long for want of a better phrase. With such an array of tracks this gig promises to deliver a varied and blossoming performance, and well if they’re playing at The Sage then they must be good, ukuleles and all.

Preview by Marzena Dabrowska