Darren Hayman and the Secondary Modern

Event information

Ex Hefner frontman Darren Hayman with his live backing band The Secondary Modern play songs from their recent rave album Pram Town.
"It's possibly the best material Hayman has produced in his ten album career, beautifully delivered with an assortment of banjo and string wielding musician chums and dripping with references to his own conflicting emotions about such places (he was brought up in the similar, nearby Brentwood). The whole thing is glued together in trademark fashion by the colourful characters he introduces (the awful band who are the best in Harlow) and the relationship with the girl he meets while fare evading ("She is on the guestlist and I’m just plus one / Hope she don’t come to my place, to see where I'm from / I'm from nowhere!"). The girl of course eventually leads Hayman away."
Paul M review on soundsxp.com
www.myspace.com/darrenhayman

Main support act is Bristol based 3-piece "Poppy and Friends" who deliver sublime good-natured modern folk/pop songs about dreaming and drinking, tea that is, not booze! Having released thier debut EP in February with another to follow in June, this show marks their London debut in this new 3-piece form. Poppy sings and plays guitar and is joined by Zac on double bass and the ever-smiling Mike on a very minimal drum kit. Sweet, tender and very well written songs.
www.poppyandfriends.com

Opening the show tonight are London 5-piece "Pocketbooks" who are a pop band combining melodic boy/girl harmonies, spiralling guitars and delicate piano lines. Expect a sprinkling of dazzling 60s soul alongside some sparkling indiepop charm! Their debut album, Flight Paths, will be released by How Does It Feel To Be Loved? in June, so come along and sample the album live now.
www.myspace.com/pocketbooks