After an almost two-year-long wait, Nottingham-based trio Amber Run finally had their return back to the live stage and brought their astounding mix of indie-guitar riffs and soulful ballads to Camden’s Electric Ballroom. Starting the night off with the electrifying ‘Carousel’, the tone was immediately set for a fun run down memory lane, with the band serving a fairly even split between their three albums and their latest EP ‘The Search (Act 1)’.
Jumping from one rocky guitar hit to the next, the trio didn’t fail to add a couple of touching moments to their setlist, which reached their peak with a stripped-back performance of one of Amber Run’s most heartfelt songs – the moving ‘Amen’. Introduced by lead singer Joe Keogh with the mention of his parents, who were also attending the show, and the death of his grandfather while the group had been on tour, it came to no surprise that one or the other tear was shed amongst the captivated crowd.
Just like their music, the group used the emotive depth of the evening to keep up very personal and intimate energy between themselves and their audience, which had much to cheer for between singer Joe Keogh’s stunning vocals, Tom Sperring’s deep basslines and keyboardist Henry Wyeth sophisticated whirlwind notes. Supported by their guitarist Michael Blackwell, who heightened up the night’s spark by making the stage his own with countless guitar solos, and drummer CJ Evans, who made everyone’s hearts beat in unison, there was a continuous flow between moments in which you could have easily heard a pin drop to the floor and the ones that had the crowd turn into a choir – another stellar highlight of the night, which had the room full of music-loving strangers become one thanks to the trio’s 2014 debut song ‘Noah’.
Drawing the concert to a close with their uplifting, guitar-heavy hit ’Spark’, the trio used their last few minutes up on stage to the fullest, successfully sending everyone into the night with full hearts and sore throats. From the very first note up until the last bass stroke, Amber Run knew what they wanted to get from their latest show in the UK’s capital and were sure to not leave before reaching their goal of once again uniting their fans through the utter joy of live music and the love it brings to our all lives.
Written and photography by Laura Weingrill
GEM Magazine 