Boy & Bear

I remember being genuinely struck by Boy & Bear when they opened for Laura Marling a few years back, for numerous reasons; that, in itself, was surprising to me, given that their gentle brand of folk-rock was hardly the most original thing I’d heard in a while. There was such a confidence to their performance, though, that you couldn’t help but be impressed; after all, this was their first time in the UK, playing to an intimidatingly large room (Salford’s Lowry Theatre) and just about as far as they could possibly get from their hometown of Sydney. They fired through material from their debut record, Moonfire, with a genuine tightness to the performance, despite the fact that the album, at that point, was over a year away from reaching record stores; they’d not even been signed for long at that point. Perhaps the bravest decision they made, though, was to throw in a Bon Iver cover; so distinctive is Justin Vernon’s delivery that usually, artists covering his songs tend to try to take them in an entirely different direction. Not Boy & Bear, though; they stuck to the script and delivered a version of ‘Flume’ that - whisper it - might even have been more emotionally arresting than the original. They’ve made it to the UK a few times since, with their most recent dates, earlier this year, in support of sophomore LP Harlequin Dream; their schedule is usually a heavy one, so don’t be surprised to see them back before long.

Unlike some bands Boy & Bear do not exude effort, and their performance was polished, confident and hit all the right notes. The laconic delivery of their "facts about Oxford" summarised the fact that effort had been made, you just didn't see the sweat. From the lead singer's distinct, rich tones, to the effortless swap of the drummer and bassist's instruments, to the impressive lead guitar solo mid-way through the set, and not to forget the keyboardist, quietly going about his work in the background, Boy & Bear know exactly what they're doing, know exactly how to entertain and take the crowd on a journey across their two albums, and tease you into forgetting you're in a cramped, smoky venue with illusions of warm Summer vibes and golden, if not un-tortured, memories. Whilst not dissimilar to the likes of Mumford and Sons or Of Mice and Men, Boy & Bear, perhaps highlighted by their preference of an ampersand, have a slightly "otherworldy" essence to their songs, especially the more delicate ones from their second album Harlequin Dreams, and it would be a shame to see their hard work touring around the world during the past couple of years unrewarded with similar exposure and success found by the previously aforementioned artists.

I have been a huge fan of Boy & Bear for two years. I can listen to their entire collection of songs without feeling any need whatsoever to skip one.
They perform incredibly well and sound just like they do on their albums. The song "Bridges" has a special place in my heart, and it was performed flawlessly. They were my favorite band of all time before seeing them live, and I had a ton of respect for them because of the quality of lyrics they produce. However, after seeing them live, my respect increased 10 fold (which I really didn't think was possible). If Boy & Bear comes to a venue near you, make sure you stop by and see this Australian gem of a band. It was the best performance I have ever seen.

Incredible show last night in Richmond, Va. Power went out due to a tornado in the area about 30 minutes into the show, and the band stepped to the front of the stage and played acoustic. One of those supercool moments that doesn't happen too often. It was a really memorable night. I was already a big fan of their music, but the way these guys handled the power outage was truly awesome. If you haven't seen them, definitely go and catch them on their US tour.

Boy and Bear is an awesome band. After seeing them at The Firebird in St. Louis, I have nothing but praise and joy at their performance! After the concert was over, I met each member of the band and got to talk to them. The guys are so friendly and personable. I wish them nothing but continued success, especially in the US. We saw them in a very small venue and the intimate setting was just awesome. I am so lucky to have been there!

Boy&Bear were long expected! Their performane was brilliant although Dave couldnt play one of the songs because he had forgotten the lyrirs..oops. They announced that they dont do "on call" which was upsetting but looked like they never do it not because they didnt want to do it that night. And last thing, they didnt play "Three headed woman" which was quite disappointing but made me want to see them again. Good musicians indeed!

They were fantastic! We were right up front. They played all our favorites too! The venue was intimate and the staff were very kind. The only negative was that we had to stand throughout the entire show including the opening act Coby. We were very satisfied with the quality of the performances!
We would definitely see them again!

Singing, speaking, they all gave the impression of not only being extremely talented musicians, but passionate and all around, good guys. One of the best shows I have ever seen, compounded by the small venue and my ability to see their facial expressions the whole show. And they sounded better live than recorded, no small feat.

Incredible band but made so much more special to see them in such an intimate venue

Seen this band many times in Australia so its ace to see them in a small room again where you can here the rattle of the snare with out the PA!

Love the new album too

It was so wonderful seeing the boys from Boy and Bear on Tuesday night in Kentish Town. Incredible talent, incredible voices. For a moment there they kind of made me miss Australia! Love them so much! x