Nick Mulvey @ Folklore, Hoxton, 14th September 2023

There are some artists who win a crowd over purely through their music. There are some who do it through their personality and stage presence. And there are some who do it through both.

On the basis of this performance at the Folklore bar in Hoxton, Nick Mulvey undoubtedly falls into the latter category. So down to earth and relaxed is his manner that I didn’t realise at the beginning of the evening that the bloke off to my left saying ‘excuse me’ and politely making his way through the crowd was in fact Mulvey himself.

Part of a run of secret shows, this performance was on a much smaller scale than those he has scheduled for his upcoming First Mind tenth anniversary tour. As Mulvey explain, however, shows like these offer a great chance to not only connect with fans but to share some new music too. Judging by this show, the First Mind tour and upcoming new music are both going to be superb.

‘You’re getting gems – these are freshly cut,’ grinned Mulvey as he reeled off a number of brand new songs which sound like he has further developed the ideas and musical style of 2022’s New Mythology. Namely: open-hearted lyrics that search for meaning and truth in a complex, often scary world; intricate, fluid guitar rhythms; and the feeling that generously, touchingly, Mulvey is sharing his thoughts and beliefs with you. That generosity of spirit was firmly in evidence at Folklore, as Mulvey took song requests, told the 150-strong crowd how he cried his eyes out when writing A Prayer of My Own and explained how the indigenous wisdom and messages of elders from across the world have shaped his thinking and songwriting.

Yes, this photo was taken on a potato.

This generosity is a key part of what makes Mulvey such an engaging performer. The gig became a collaborative experience, as he encouraged the crowd to sing along, most movingly in a stunning performance of Fever to the Form. Arguably his most successful and well-known track, you might think that Mulvey would be fed-up with performing it now (think Radiohead and Creep) but as the final notes sounded he admitted, through laughter, that he ‘still fucking loves that song’.

That moment was perhaps the most touching of all from a performer who, despite critical and commercial success, clearly loves the intimacy of small gigs like these, and who believes wholeheartedly in the messages of peace and understanding he shares through his music.