The Acorn
Hoxton Bar and Kitchen, London
03/06/2010

A solid band with consistently fine releases yet nothing like the adulation they deserve, Ralf Klausener and The Acorn have quietly existed just below the surface while inferior peers have bypassed them – but, outwardly at least, there’s no sign of disillusionment. Rather, the opposite seems to be the case, evidenced by new album ‘No Ghost’, on the back of 2009′s Elbow support dates and the release of ‘Glory Hope Mountain’, perhaps their finest body of work to date, that preceded it.

What’s very clear tonight, in a 250-odd capacity sweaty back room in unerringly trendy Hoxton, is that along the way they’ve attracted a devoted following – and the anticipation is tangible. Right from the off, the atmosphere is electric, and the band rise to the occasion effortlessly, delivering a storming set that adds to the feeling in the room and never lets up. A mixture of back catalogue and ‘No Ghost’ cuts, the show is held together by the strangely charismatic Klausener – a man who possesses a magnetism that’s built on his wit and candour plus of course his flawless yet understated vocal.

The band seem genuinely moved by the reaction, and the lasting memory of tonight is one of having witnessed a band whose time might yet come.

Andy Slocombe