Folklore Featuring .. Anna Lena & the Orchids

Event information

Another great line up for you as always at The Gallery Cafe. This time we have the huge talent of Anna Lena & the Orchids headlining the night with great support from Reuben Hollebon and Robin Grey.

ANNA LENA & THE ORCHIDS

Anna Lena and the Orchids draws influences from Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, Radiohead, Bat for Lashes, Bjork and Ane Brun. Whilst similarities can be observed between The Orchids and the above acts, the bands mixture of Scandinavian folk, alternative rock and ambient musical styles, create a uniquely dark and beautiful sound

J ALLEN

Set in a town that perpetually runs at full speed, J. Allen's 'Wonder City' builds slowly and focuses closely on single moments, enrapturing the listener with large scale washes of melody as it deconstructs a profound loneliness. His heartbreaking bedroom epics observe New York City from just outside of its whirlwind. His impressionistic arrangements use the city's hums and whooshes as a soundscape upon which to layer songs of solitude and reflection, dreams and distraction.

J. Allen is the reclusive songwriter and founding member of Brooklyn's spacey folk outfit Meanwhiles. In early 2010, finding himself currently unsigned, he began recording and arranging what would become his first ever solo release, 'Wonder City'. The nine song LP is a true 'solo' record on which he writes, plays, and sings all of the parts himself.. except for the street noise and subway rumble. He captures those 'on location' with film production microphones and portable recording equipment. In an affecting combination of sound design and intimate performance each track blends together recordings from different sonic spaces, resulting in a cinematic landscape of a song. A verse might take place on a rainy street...a chorus in a quiet bedroom.

In his time with Meanwhiles, J. Allen and his brother Todd recorded 2 full length albums, 2 eps and travelled across the US and Europe, sharing stages with the likes of Martha Wainwright and Dean Wareham. Their debut album, 'The Nights Rewind' features Wainwright singing harmony vocal with Allen and was produced alongside Alan Weatherhead (Sparklehorse, Mary Timony). In late 2006 it was released by Decoder Records in Germany and the band began touring in earnest. Meanwhiles released their second LP, 'Slow Motion Summer' in 2009 on which Weatherhead again lent pedal steel and orchestral samples to the mix, as he had for 'The Nights Rewind'. The London songwriter Nadine Khouri also made a guest appearance adding a haunting vocal to Allen's 'Dreams from the Underground'.

'Wonder City' will be officially released in Europe and the UK in early September to coincide with a European tour, a performance at the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, and video releases for 'Afterglow', 'Heavy Head' and 'Other Side of the Day'. American tour dates will follow in early 2013.
www.jallenmusic.com

REUBEN HOLLEBON

"Having recently self released his debut EP ‘Clutch’ and toured Europe playing shows from Slovakia to Stockholm, Reuben Hollebon is pushing his music to all corners. He performs a live show that is a stark, raw and intimate contrast to the layered sounds featured on his first record."

ROBIN GREY

“Robin Grey has a lovely fresh approach to the folk genre. A honeyed yet clear voice and his lyrics are arresting. A real treasure.” The Londonist

“Robin Grey will not need to do too much to prove himself an incendiary artist in the world of folk music. There is literature in his words and his calmly exquisite mannerisms seem to bring you back to a simpler time and place.” Fensepost