4 STARS
The Finnish-named indie artist Sivu (real name: James Page), hailing from St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, played an intimate gig at Hockleyâs Bodega as part of his current UK tour.
Sivu charmed the small crowd with his mix of quietly dark and uplifting music; comfortably building a rapport with the room and repeatedly expressing his surprise and delight at the crowdâs encouraging cheers. Like a child dreading a birthday party with no friends, he tells us he feared he would be playing to a handful of people rather than a roomful.
Thatâs not to say Sivu hasnât had plenty of live experience, nor has he only frequented small venues â only a few months ago he supported Bombay Bicycle Club at full-capacity Earls Court. The fact his music can carry through large audiences and send an electrifying buzz throughout the smaller Bodega crowd is testament to the versatility of his music.
His set moves between melancholic, thoughtful tunes like âCold Handsâ â âThis is about being with someone for a long time that you love, but also hateâ, he tells us, before launching into the beautifully sad number â and rockier, energy-building melodies like âMiracle (Human Error)â and âBetter Man Than Heâ.
Each song is charged with emotion, captivating lyrics full of sentiment and striking images, and a voice that feels like combination of Thom Yorke and Jack Steadman.
In a casual conclusion to the show, Sivu abandons his instruments and hops from the stage, continuing to thank the crowd as he moves toward his merchandise stall ready to flog his CDs and chat to anyone whoâs sticking around. Friendly.
It is easy to imagine that Sivu might have to start planning a proper encore soon and employ someone to trade the CDs on his behalf, but for now Sivu is doing what he knows best: creating an intimate atmosphere for his mix of insightful indie pop.Â
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