Review | Smoke Fairies at The Square Tower: "A most entrancing gig"

And this is definitely a Smoke Fairies time of year.

On a bitingly cold November evening, the medieval surrounds of The Square Tower is the ideal venue for the indie-folk of Katherine Blamire and Jessica Davies. And they obviously agree – it’s the same place they played on their last visit here, in support of their 2020 album, Darkness Brings the Wonders Home.

While that album was about as “rock” as they get, the new album Carried in Sound brings a more pared-back outlook. It is, as they put it, an album of “reflection, grief and joy.” And as Blamire tells the sold-out but seated crowd: “It’s going to be less raucous this time, that’s why we thought you’d like chairs.”

Given that the duo grew up in Chichester this is as close as they come to a hometown show, but it’s clear that Portsmouth holds a place close to their hearts – and from the enthusiastic response tonight, it is reciprocated.

Over the course of 15-or-so years and six studio albums, Blamire and Davies have concocted a distinctive sound that draws on folk, indie, blues and the occasional southern-rock twang – and that’s before we get to their voices. Their vocal interplay can at times be hypnotic.

Smoke Fairies’ music is like a blanket – sometimes it can comfort, other times it’s smothering in its intensity, and we get both ends of the spectrum tonight.

They kick proceedings off with the new album’s opener, Vague Ideas, and from there draws heavily on Carried in Sound. But they also dig into the back catalogue – Devil in My Mind from their 2010 debut makes a welcome appearance, as does the title track of their Blood Speaks album.

The women are backed by Neil Walsh on viola/guitar and Rob Wilkes on drums/bass, but there is a fair bit of instrument swapping on stage – the musicianship is impressive.

For their final sing they play the beguiling All Up In The Air from their dark Christmas album, Wild Winter. It’s a perfect end to this most entrancing of gigs.

Shame we never got to see Blamire’s promised rolie-polie off the back of the stage in a bid to embarrass Davies.