Communion & XFM's Xposure at Camden's Barfly: Joe Banfi, Story Books, Nick Mulvey & Catfish and the Bottlemen.

Communion records and John Kennedy's XFM show Xposure teamed up to present a showcase of emerging - and all Great Escape 2013 artists - at Camden's Barfly last week, Tuesday 23rd July. With a cracking line-up and Kennedy hosting, the night was set to be a sweaty success from the start. Here's what we thought...

The show opens with Joe Banfi, the talented singer/songwriter starting a buzz around the room with his atmospheric acoustic songs before Story Books hit the stage. They are the cream of up-and-coming dream-pop bands on the scene at present. Their songs are driven by soft, atmospheric vocals from Kristofer Harris (vocals, guitar) similar to Bombay Bicycle Club's Jack Steadman (vocals, guitar). Story Books' music provides a calming backdrop to an audience that have been subject to a sticky summer's day. Each song climaxes to a mash-up of guitars and keys, with pulsing drum beats and smoothed over with the fragility in Harris' rare vocals. They are the ethereal band providing your summer dream theme for 2013.

The final calm before the storm of Catfish and the Bottlemen comes from acoustic singer/songwriter Nick Mulvey who has the crowd silenced within seconds of opening his first song. It is impossible not to get lost in these perfectly composed, multi-layered songs overlaid with his calming, beautiful masculine voice accentuated by his thick London tone.

Then it's time for TGE's previously reviewed Catfish and the Bottlemen, current favourite for Communion records/XFM's Maz Tappuni. Front man Van MCann's great character with his personable presence, he gives good laughter and great banter to their audience in between their fantastic set filled with chiming and bending guitars that hook and suck you in to each track. You can physically feel the heat and sweat coming from the band with the bursts of energy that exhume and grow with each song. Catfish were the perfect climax ending a night of great new music on a high with quality indie rock.

XFM announced the release of a series of EPs in union with Communion Records entitiled New Faces available to stream and download online.

Miss this gig? Miss these fab artists at The Great Escape this year too? Where HAVE you been! Make sure you catch Joe Banfi & Nick Mulvey live at Wilderness festival 2013.

Words by Róisín Warner