George Ward
Freelance journalist and online editor for CLUNK. Can be found out and about in Bristol, finding cheap records or having a pint on King Street.
Bingo Fury brings a special extended lineup to Bristol’s wonderfully cosy Jam Jar for a celebration of his debut album
With his highly anticipated debut album ‘Bats Feet For A Widow’ finally released earlier this year, Bingo Fury’s strange jazzy world was opened up to the world. To celebrate the release, Jack Ogborne embarked on a tour, first supporting Folly Group then on his own. Rounding things off was last week’s performance at The Jam Jar in Bristol, with special lineup additions to form a larger, even more diverse band.
The Jam Jar is quickly becoming one of my favourite venues, with its barn-like room creating the perfect cosy atmosphere while lit jam jars (actual jam jars!) dangle from the ceiling with their warm glow blanketing the crowd.
Watching Bingo Fury‘s album come to life on stage was quite an experience. The band, extremely serious and, in turn, extremely tight, effortlessly segued from free jazz to tightly crafted grooves, with each and every member utilised perfectly.
Ogborne does not take centre stage despite being frontman, instead finding himself to the left, moving between unnerving guitar solos and silkily crooned vocals, while the horns stood proudly at the front. These horns were a vitally important aspect of the set; like the rest of the band, they blasted seemingly randomly, melodies out of the window and notes thrown into the air as they pleased. Just as you began to question their musicality, they would lock in, completely in touch with their fellow musicians, making all the pieces fall into place extremely satisfyingly.
Ogborne’s voice, as always, was fascinating to listen to. His vocals are both soothing and unsettling, both romantic and sinister. As his tracks unfold and lead us around their jazzy mazes, his voice is the one constant, guiding us with poetic lyrics and luring us into the dark corners that the album is full of.
Despite the pounding of a very very loud club night below, Bingo Fury’s return to Bristol was extraordinary. With a hugely talented band, a perfectly atmospheric venue and an incredibly well-polished set, ‘Bats Feet For A Widow’ became animated, coming to life with even more character than its studio version.
Listen to ‘Bats Feet For A Widow’ here:
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