Kaleo at OVO Arena Wembley, London 2024

Sometimes you go searching for the real heart of North America and sometimes it comes to find you.

Júníus Meyvant

With only half a stage and a much reduced touring band, the gentleness of Júníus’s voice was left to fight against the echoey OVO Wembley Arena. I could much better imagine him in a small underground bar, where the sound could resonate around you and the closeness of human connection could deliver the music straight to the heart. It was soothing, with the lightness of pop, but rooted by guitars and keyboard in the blues tradition. There was a cardboard cutout of a kingly figure I couldn’t identify (pretty sure it wasn’t James Corden) and a drum machine to provide the beats. I’d come to see him again.

Shane Smith and the Saints

By contrast, the lighting department loved Shane Smith and the Saints and from their first song, it was clear they could have easily made a double headliner of the night. You could feel the music scene of Austin, TX in their sound – like Nashville, it’s a city saturated in skilful musicians and songwriters, and breaking out there needs that extra level of performance chops and charisma – which these guys have in spades. Pairing the growly voice of Shane Smith with the soaring fiddle of Bennett Brown is a winning combo with the dancing grooves of traditional Irish/Appalachian folk songs and the ploughing-ahead energy of Americana.

KALEO

At this point of the night, you’ve been primed by all this blues and country to expect lyrics like “Imagine myself in an automobile” and the rawest most soulful slab of vocal fry this side of the 21st century has heard. When visions of Chris Stapleton treading the Texas fields tickle at your peripheral vision, you’d be right to shout “WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE’S FROM ICELAND” when lead vocalist JJ – in a leopard jacket and cowboy hat – comes on and delivers everything you’ve been anticipating.

Having also cut their teeth in Austin, it’s a band that’s learned to deliver catchy tunes with a well-rooted love in bluegrass – from the working song Broke my Bones to the half-satirical Hey Gringo. There was a momentary slip into a Mumford & Sons foot-stomping anthem before reigning in the urge and instead delivering a few sweet acoustics highlighting JJ’s incredibly emotive voice – particularly loved “Vor í Vaglaskógi” and hearing the difference between his English and Icelandic singing tones, and the iconic “Skinny” of filmed-in-front-of-an-erupting-volcano fame. His breakout single “Way Down We Go” (which is how I explained to friends who I was seeing that night) made for a surprisingly heavy song when the piano was swapped for an electric guitar and the drums had to carry the entire percussive energy.

Not a chatty gig – crowd interactions were limited to invitations to sing along or illuminating the venue – but that left time and space for the band to showcase their skills, including a mid-concert jam. Massive shoutout to bass player Daníel Kristjánsson for his hard work getting the eternally sleepy London crowd moving and harmonicist/keyboard/mandolin/guitar player Þorleifur Davíðsson for, well, being three soundscapes in one.

KALEO is touring throughout November. Don’t forget the hat.