Bear’s Den

Bear’s Den

Apr 14

I’M GOING TO GIVE ALL MY LOVE TO YOU

When: 13 April 2019

Where: Barrowland

Support: Tusks

Band Previously Seen: 6/11/13 Village Underground, London; 8/11/16 Brixton Academy

Tonight is a triumph – it is Bear’s Den first time playing this iconic venue and their pleasure at doing so pulses through their set. It is a joyous celebration of the beautiful music the band make. Perhaps the night is best encapsulated during ‘Isaac’ – like many of the songs tonight, the crowd are singing along with the band but in ‘Isaac’s’ long chorus outro their bellowing at the stage of ‘I am going to give all my love to you’ is heartfelt.

The whole set is great and the songs from the new album So That You Might Hear Me hold up well, including ‘Fuel on the Fire’, ‘Laurel Leaf’, ‘Crow’ and ‘Blankets of Sorrow’ (which is played as part of the encore with the band performing it acoustically in the middle of the crowd). But the set highlights are older songs like the aforementioned ‘Isaac’, ‘Red Earth & Pounding Rain’, ‘Agape’, ‘Magdalene’, ‘Emeralds’ and a stunning ‘Above The Clouds of Pompeii’ (see sample video below).

I am a fan and think Andrew Davie is one of the best songwriters around (and has been since his days with Cherbourg) and, probably like everyone who has a favourite band that hasn’t really broken through to popular consciousness, am amazed they are not more well known. But then again who cares when they continue to make good music and play great live sets. This was the third time I have seen them live and much as I liked the previous shows this was the best.

Band page

Sample video