Izabella Finch is a young artist, theatre-maker and musician who decided to take over the London Art Gallery on its last day of opening, and bring a vibrant, carnival-esque evening of performance and merrymaking to the streets of East Dulwich. With an open door policy, people shepherded in from the sharp Spring night by the delightful Izabella herself and gloriously cheap drinks (£1.50 a beer, anyone?), the atmosphere was sizzling and the punters smiling.
We began the night with some folk acoustic music which lulled and propelled us along in its merry guitar-strummed rhythm, before a short interlude of spoken word poetry from two performers, including up-and-coming star Chris Lawrence who performed a masterful piece about time wasting and waiting for trains. Apt, considering the London Art Gallery was situated under the arches of East Dulwich railway station.
After a short, beer-and-wine infused break, one of the headlining bands of the night emerged on to the stage: The Screaming Toenails. Having formed especially for the performative telling of West African mythology at a theatrical showcase event last December, the band, lead by charismatic Jacob Joyce and supported by Alice Moon on drums and Robin Stratton on guitar, have now put together a high energy, rather brilliant take on modern punk. Highlights included the ode to Vice named ‘Paradise Magazine’, and the awesome ‘Bigots’, loosely inspired by Nicki Minaj’s ‘Lookin’ Ass Niggas’.
And finally, the headliner of the night herself, Miss Izabella Finch, took to the stage. With face painted in a vibrant array of different colours, she performed her brand of quirky, involving and touching nu-folk tunes before a flickering projector of otherworldly scenes. A particular gem was her song ‘London Lover’, whose lilting melody and gently poignant lyrics have become something of a Youtube hit recently. Check it out. A great night, through and through!
• London Art Gallery, 20-22 Grove Vale East, SE22 8EF, Friday 28th March
• Izabella Finch and The Screaming Toenails will both be playing at the next Dark Fabrics Cabaret (Vogue Fabrics, 66 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7XB) on Saturday 26th April, 7pm.
