Kid Harpoon

Charging around the stage like a prize fighter waiting for the bell to sound, the gangly, elfin figure of Kid Harpoon is about to take over the dimly lit stage of this seething East End boozer . With such an impressive arsenal of catchy, meandering tunes it’s easy to see why all eyes are on the guy with the guitar. For a chap who doesn’t amount to much physically, the Kid's command and presence onstage are certainly not to be sniffed at. Indeed, the drive and confidence that burst out of his acoustic shanty-town-sing-songs is completely enveloping.

Whether it’s the rippling melody of the intoxicating ‘Riverside’ or the whiplash of strums that propels the bristling ‘Colours’, it’s glaringly obvious that we have a humongous new talent in our midst. He sings with a brutish clarity that seems to flit between gutsy growl and graceful falsetto with precision, ease and fluidity. He plays guitar with a determined, dynamic dexterity that is a sheer joy to watch. He is also – not wanting to go too Alan fucking Sugar on you – an ideas man. Try putting the anthemic choruses of closer ‘First We’ll Take Manhatten’ up against the fizzing pop-ditties that make up the charming ‘Milkmaid’ – both very different, both very inventive, both mesmerising in the extreme. Thankfully, these are all characteristics that swim gloriously through tonight’s very, very impressive set.

Go forth. Seek him out. Finally, finally, London has thrown up a musician we can all truly believe in.