Music (Live): Stornoway @ Gebäude 9 (Cologne)

There are moments in life that remind you why we, all of us, hold that special place in our hearts just for music. Watching Stornoway's lead singer and guitarist Brian Briggs, without amps or microphones or any other technical wizardry, hold a room of hundreds of people completely spellbound using nothing but an acoustic guitar and his voice was exactly one of those moments.

From the sheer numbers that packed the venue, it was clear that Stornoway have quite the German following. After a short but electric set from local Cologne group Lingby, who give traditional indie music a kick by incorporating mellow brass-tones alongside their harmonised male and female vocals, the band took to the stage. The round of whoops and claps that greeted them was almost deafening. 

Straight down to business, Stornoway launched into their first number, their upbeat and first-released demo track 'I Saw You Blink'. However, not that it was possible to notice as a member of the audience, it soon became clear that the band were experiencing some slight technical difficulties. Briggs complained (in the politest English tones imaginable) of "ghosts in the machines" and there was some technical faffing and much swapping of leads in the intervals between their next two numbers, 'The Coldharbour Road' and 'Boats and Trains', before he announced that they had finally been "banished". 

The rest of the gig went without hitch, despite a brief reappearance of the ghosts, causing Briggs to throw away the lead connecting his guitar to his amp for his truly stunning solo performance of 'November Song', joking that if he unplugged everything then nothing could go wrong. Every single number they played was exquisite, with the multi-instrumental group dashing between keyboards, trumpet, glock, banjo, double bass and various percussion instruments (including, at one point, a saw and a block of wood) as Briggs' clear, crisp, beautiful vocals rang out over a crowd in rapture. 

Stornoway played a long and varied set, mixing the new with the old and their faster, guitar heavy tracks with their more melodious ballad-like songs. High points in particular were the heart-wrenching 'Long Distance Lullaby' and the seamless transition from soft and gentle "On The Rocks" to the much more up-tempo and danceable "Watching Birds". Unsurprisingly and to much delight they finished up their set with their first single "Zorbing" before departing the stage with big smiles and many words of thanks and to tumultuous applause. 

Of course, there had to be an encore. But it was an encore like no other; upon request of the crowd they once again set aside technology and played the whole thing acoustic, first a captivating rendition of old song, 'Gondwanaland' and then their protest anthem against the modern, drudging lifestyle 'We Are The Battery Human'. It was breathtaking. 

Beautiful is perhaps an over-used term when it comes to describing music. But if there is contemporary band that ever deserved that title then it is Stornoway. Their music soars, with and without the aid of modern technology, and if you ever get the chance to see them live, take it. You'll be blown away.