“Are you lot all sober? In that case you are definitely our best audience ever! Hat’s off to you” Ben Hudson.
Mr Hudson & the Library brought their innovative musical fusion to Westminster Reference Library last night. This is not the first time they’ve played in a library, they seem to make a habit of it and Londonist last caught up with them at Swiss Cottage Library in January this year. Completely at home amongst the stacks they played a really upbeat and beats laden, tight set to a seriously appreciative (and completely sober due to lack of bar facilities) crowd.
Sampling just about every musical style they could get hold of with a firm foot in the ska, and hip hop camps, the band took the small but dedicated crowd of mostly loyal fans on a musical journey that crossed eras, genres, and styles. It was clear that they all really enjoyed what they were doing and that they did it well.
On the eve of releasing their second single‘Picture of You (released August 27), Mr Hudson & the Library seem poised on the verge of being enjoyed by a larger audience and they deserve to be. Lead singer and guitarist, Ben Hudson is a natural on stage and has a decently earthy sense of humour; explaining to us that one of the patrons of the library grumbled when they were setting up that ‘London already has enough nightclubs. This is a reference library!’ and then asserted with good natured astonishment that the punter seemed genuinely cross.
The evening ended all too quickly with a brilliant version of first single Too Late Too Late which rose into some sort of hard-edged calypso, ska tinged rock cacophony leaving us all wanting more. If you're off to any festivals, then make sure you take time to check them out.
If we were having a summer in London this year then Mr Hudson & the Library would be the sound of it.
Words and photo by Leonie Mann
