What's going on in Cambridge

Johnny Flynn and The Sussex Wit

So clearly the summer of folk has well and truly taken hold. These days Itchy are shocked if we go to see a band and there's not at least one banjo involved. And we bloody love it. There's nothing like a bit of fiddle to get you prancing through meadows barefoot, and that's exactly how we plan to spend our summer.

According to his PR, that's how Johnny Flynn spent his childhood. The ultimate country bumpkin. This may or may not be true, but it's a lovely image and goes well with his floppy blonde locks and ruddy cheeks. Itchy made a maiden voyage to the Electric Ballroom to watch the lovely young man charm us with his musical talents last week, and would happily do so again every week, given the chance.

We were so pleased to hear the gorgeous songs from his first album A Larum, which we have adored since first listen, mingling with new tracks from the impending Been Listening, on which Johnny makes a more ambitious, bigger, and even more rousing sound. The old favourites Tickle Me Pink and Leftovers got the crowd rowdy and the fresh ones left us entranced. Kentucky Pill, the new single, is an instant winner, as are Been Listening and The Water, which on the album is a duet with Laura Marling, but it seems one of the (male) members of The Sussex Wit does such a good job of the girl's part Marling may be redundant any second now.

However he spent his youth, Johnny is a talented chap. He is master of so many instruments, showcasing them all beautifully with his stunning song-writing skills and bundling them all together with his glorious voice. He is humble but charming and clearly enjoys his stage time in the most endearing of ways. A joy to behold, one way or another. And we've never even heard him mention that his brother was in Robson and Jerome. How modest.

Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit had support from Dry the River, who were also great.
Download the free mp3 of Johnny's new single Kentucky Pill here

www.johnny-flynn.com

Email to a friend