REVIEW: Hunter & The Bear

“Hon, I’m not so sure that I’m in the right place? Am I meant to be parked up in a field?”

Hey, it was a fair enough text. I mean it’s not every day you accept an invite to a Tuesday night gig to watch a band billed as ‘the next big thing” and then find yourself on a farm in the middle of nowhere.

But sure enough, my fab friend Hannah was indeed parked up in the right place; a field in the grounds of the stunning Eggbeer Farm and the brand new location for The Loft Barbers Live Sessions.

Booking London-based Hunter and the Bear, for this gig, had prompted the search for a larger venue for the renowned sessions; the result being the most stunning medieval, candlelit barn complete with bar, hay bales and only 20 minutes from Exeter.

First up, playing to a packed audience, the unbelievably mesmerising voice & guitar rifts of Anna Pancaldi, filled the candlelit room with the most haunting of sounds. She was truly breathtaking; her beautiful, understated personality shining through every word and note played.

Such was the appreciation of her audience, that her simply stunning acapella version of Nightingale, hushed the room to a silence unlike any I’ve heard and resulted in a memory that will stay, forever, with every soul in that room. There was not one person in that room, that night, who wasn't aware of how truly intimate her performance had been. Yes she was there as a support act but make no mistake; Anna Pancaldi could captivate any audience, on any stage, at any time.

Anna’s session was followed by a short break during which the trance like audience were treated to the most incredible, canapés from Dawlish based La Cantina. The fabulous melt in the mouth, slow cooked, pulled pork rolls were to die for and worked perfectly with a complimentary glass of Prosecco. Just amazing and all on a school night too!

Next up were the boys themselves: Will, Jimmy, Chris & Gareth. Bounding onto the stage, wakening the audience from their hypnotic state, the boys hurtled headlong into the first of their tracks; Burn It Up. The upbeat, unplugged, rock melodies, were literally bursting with energy and passion and all but lifted the rustic roof from its beams. With the base pumping through my veins, my heart racing, lost in the moment, it was all but impossible to keep still. The energy in that room, was simply incredible.

Moving seamlessly from one upbeat, passion filled track to another, the boys owning the stage, the intensity in the room grew to the point that the change of pace to the slower, acapella sounds of Wounded; a beautiful track written from the heart, for a friend of the band, was almost a welcome relief. Front man Will Irvine took the lead, guiding his three band mates through a heartfelt tribute to their friend; the raw vibration of their combined voices & lyrics reaching the very soul of that ancient room.

The mid session guitar and drum solos from each of the guys were worthy of standing applause in their own right. It really wasn't hard to understand how they’d brought their audience to its feet at their recent gig supporting Eric Clapton. The boys are unbelievably skilled; mesmerising, intense & just plain awesome!

Quite simply, with their unique blend of venue, the hottest music, complimentary, to die for, food & drink and that inner knowing that you’re a part of something really freakin’ cool, the Loft Barbers Live Sessions have nailed it. The short drive outside of the city is absolutely worth it and I for one, can’t wait for the next gig!

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Reviewed by @Tracey__ Alison

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