This Saturday was the tenth anniversary of Record Store Day, and here at Richer Sounds we thought that was the perfect opportunity to throw a massive party!
…and so following a busy Record Store Day, an excited and enthusiastic group of Bear’s Den fans descended upon a church in Soho for a money-can’t-buy musical experience…
The intimate gig was held at the gorgeous St. Giles-In-The-Field Church. An invite-only event, open to lucky prize draw winners and selected industry guests, where the church doors opened at 7pm. The crowd quickly filled up the pews and any available floor space. The church’s breath-taking stained glass windows seemed to glow as twilight descended upon London, casting a warm ethereal feeling on what promised to be an amazing evening.
In celebration of Record Store Day 2017 Bear’s Den (the night’s headliner) curated the Richer Unsigned Best of LP. This is the second limited-edition annual vinyl, showcasing the top tracks on the Richer Unsigned platform. The band chose 11 tracks, which were then pressed on to glorious black wax. All of the supporting artists for the night’s event were hand-picked from this release, with each artist proving beyond a doubt why they were selected by Bear’s Den to appear on the release. They all brought their own unique sounds to the event. After a brief introduction from the Bear’s Den boys, the lights dimmed and Bristol-based Firewoodisland took to the stage. Playing a unique blend of folk, indie and pop that they’ve dubbed “mountain pop”, the 5-piece ensemble sounded simply amazing, their harmonies made only more special given the venues’ wonderfully tuned acoustics.
FirewoodIsland’s unique blend of “mountain pop”.
Following a short break while equipment was swapped around and another visit from Bear’s Den, the eager audience was treated to the sounds of Christof. The Dutch-born, London-based musician is currently on tour with Bear’s Den, and dazzled the audience with his amazing voice, beautiful guitar playing and vivid lyricism.
Christof showcasing his wonderful songwriting ability.
Finally, rounding out the supporting entertainment for the evening was L.A.-based duo Jim and Sam. The pair’s magnetic chemistry was felt instantly, drawing in all ears and eyes, as their voices rose to rafters and danced around the room, filling the venue with an extremely well honed performance.
The extremely talented Jim and Sam, (Jim is the one on the right)
For those who may have missed out on the event, they can head to Richer Unsigned to check out the full playlist of the Best of Richer Unsigned vinyl release, including the night’s amazing support acts.
After being treated to some amazing musical appetisers, the crowd was hungry for the main event. Bear’s Den certainly did not disappoint. Kicking off their set with “Auld Wives”, the band’s stripped down acoustic renditions of their songs sounded simply beautiful and incredibly well suited to the intimacy that St. Giles-In-The-Field afforded. The crystalline sounds of the group’s guitars and banjos reverberated brightly as the voices floated loftily, commanding the room. Supporting act Christof joined the duo on stage, who then made their way to the middle of the church, and performed the anthemic “Gabriel” amidst the pews, giving a whole new meaning to “up close and personal”. The group then closed out the night with crowd favourite “Agape”.
The night’s headliners – Bear’s Den feat. Christof
The band was gracious enough to sign 300 copies of their curated Richer Unsigned vinyl, which was given to each attendee as part of an exclusive Richer Sounds/Richer Unsigned/Technics goody bag. With their heads still full of great live music, guests slowly filtered out into the night with big smiles on their faces.
Please make sure you are signed up to the Richer Sounds VIP mailing list, and keep an eye on both Richer Sounds and Richer Unsigned social media for more chances to win exclusive, money-can’t-buy prizes and event tickets.
Bear’s Den
Jim and Sam
Christof
FirewoodIsland
