Fatherson @ Clarks on Lindsay Street, Dundee, 17 Sep

Performing to a packed-out Clarks on a drizzly Monday evening, Fatherson appear reflective as they celebrate the release of their latest album, Sum of All Your Parts

Live Review by Amy Kenyon | 20 Sep 2018

Singer-songwriter Zoe Graham appears on stage, and without introducing herself begins to play, fingerpicking the strings on her guitar and gently rousing the audience’s attention as the chatter from the bar diminishes, almost entirely. She addresses the crowd more directly through her music and through lyrics which resonate with a maturity that surpasses Graham’s perceived age and paired back performance style. She uses an effects pedal to layer up different sounds, enabling her to harmonise with her own melodies beautifully. Her vocals are laid-back and jazzlike by nature, her sweet-sounding tone allowing us to cling to the warmth of summer for just that little bit longer.

Graham says that she only writes music when she's "sad or as an act of revenge" but her music is sweet and anything but bitter; it's reassuring in the sense that it reminds us that beautiful things can come from heartache. Graham delivers an understated yet powerful performance, readying the audience for a highly emotive headlining performance from Fatherson.

Vocalist Ross Leighton makes a toast to their latest release, Sum of All Our Parts, as he asks the audience to “pretend it’s like a Saturday.” The audience responds with enough warmth and enthusiasm to rival the band as they sing along to set opener Lost Little Boys from their previous record, Open Book. The band make a statement by choosing to open with this first track, almost an acknowledgement of how far they've come since the band first formed in 2010.

Fatherson play tracks from their new album, shifting seamlessly between old and new material. They manage to replicate the big studio sound from Sum of All Your Parts while simultaneously establishing an immediate rapport with their audience who seem to feel every note. The band appear genuinely moved by the audience’s reception as they thank the crowd for their continued support.

Despite not performing an encore tonight we don't feel dissatisfied as throughout their set Fatherson cover all bases, even resurrecting songs from their debut EP as we see the setlist come full circle before coming to its inevitable close.

https://www.fathersonband.com/