(I Wish I Was) Dermot Henry: Tesni & Dermot Henry @ Hoxton Hall
The East End has become notorious for being a central hub for independent music in London, grounded in its history of 19th-century music halls. One of these is Hoxton Hall in Shoreditch. Defined by its multi-tiered stage and draping curtains, it provides the perfect atmosphere for intimate gigs, becoming popular amongst indie musicians across the country. Including the night's headliner, Dermot Henry and opening act, Tesni.
Although I discovered Henry through his promotional content, I instantly connected to his lyricism, style of storytelling and multi-instrumental talent. The opportunity to see him in such a historical venue was a no-brainer, booking tickets with my friends as soon as they were released. Upon entering, we were enamoured by the intermingling of strangers already conversing about music and the excitement of the evening ahead.
The evening began with Welsh singer-songwriter Tesni, who recently supported Dove Ellis in Manchester. Accompanied by her band, I felt instantly captivated by their stage presence and the articulation of their instruments. The care and craftsmanship in their songs were tangible, feeling authentic and straight from personal experience. Playing mostly with an acoustic guitar, I was impressed by the beauty of finger-picked melodies and the emotion in her voice. In an authentically folk manner, the performance was enriched by harmonies between herself and bandmates, almost reminiscent of bands like Big Thief and Kacy & Clayton. The mix of solo and ensemble songs solidified Tesni as a musician who left me feeling emotional, yearning for more releases from her.
Touring for his upcoming debut album, Bad Throw, Good Catch, Dermot Henry has asserted himself as a rising star in what is deemed the ‘Indie-Folk Revival’ of the 2020s. Taking influence from the likes of Nick Drake, Elliott Smith and Adrianne Lenker, his style provides a balance of optimism and a self-experience-based approach to songwriting. Particularly evident in his currently released music, it is love and friendship that are at the heart of his lyricism and the emotional aspect of connection that drives his music.
Emotion and an evident love for what he creates were palpable from the moment he walked onto the stage. Accompanied by his bandmates, it was clear I wasn’t only watching musicians on stage, but friends who enjoyed performing with each other. Opening the set with ‘(I Wish I was) Ennio Morricone’, it displayed the humour and the quirk of his lyricism, with many audience members, including myself, screaming the lyric: ‘Eating 4 desserts after crashing out about my cholesterol for an hour.’ Transitioning from the wit was the heartfelt ‘My Favourite Book Is One I’ve Read A Bunch’, one of the sweetest love songs I have ever heard. Beginning with just Henry on guitar, it gradually built, progressing to add the rest of the band. Hearing the song live and witnessing the care and emotion in it left me with goosebumps whilst Henry’s vocals lingered and echoed through the venue.
Following on were several unreleased songs. Despite their unknown nature, they were equally beautiful and driven by the same quality of songwriting as the currently released ones. If anything, it made me more excited for the release of Bad Throw, Good Catch, knowing I had heard them before their official release. Particularly ‘Dumb ‘Til I Die ’, which was performed solo with just an acoustic guitar. The slow nature and the rawness of the song were so deeply sincere, displaying the extraordinary nature of such a young, rising talent.
Transitioning from the acoustic guitar began the latter half of the set which was piano-led. Playing one of his fan-favourite unreleased songs, ‘River of Dust’, he displayed the sheer multi-instrument talent held by Henry. Although all of his songs are driven by emotions and feelings, the piano stepped it up a notch, leaving my friends and I starstruck by his mastery. Likewise, in this part of the set, he introduced Ned Ashcroft from Little Grandad to play trumpet to accompany the piano. They played an unreleased song, unfortunately one that won’t be released on the debut and the tear-inducing ballad ‘I Love You, That’s All’. A song that never fails to make me cry turned my eyes into a waterfall. The lyrics explore vulnerability, love and connection in such a way that is so inspiring and emotional to hear; For this to be performed to such a brilliant standard was my highlight of the night, leaving me grasping my sleeve and speechless.
Although I have only been listening to Dermot Henry for several months, it is safe to say he has grown to become one of my favourite artists, with the performance leaving me to listen to his songs on repeat and frantically waiting for the release of his debut. There’s such a balance of optimism and joy that comes across in his music and stage presence. The joy of this indie-folk revival is the utter brilliance that is clearly there. On stage was a rising talent having fun with his friends and sharing the love of songwriting with the world; what more is there to experience in a performance?
Bad Throw, Good Catch is out on 19th November!
Edited by Eva Lau-Johnston, Co-Music Editor
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