AlunaGeorge headline Westfield Presents

If you’ve ever paused mid-shop and thought that what your trip was really lacking was some live music viewed from a deckchair, then you’ll be happy, and presumably rather surprised, to hear about Westfield Presents. Throughout the summer they are running a series of shows from their Southern Terrace stage, which is amusingly situated between a supermarket entrance and some escalators, ensuring a constant flow of slightly bemused-looking shoppers passing nearby.

There are multiple acts featured for any given day and notable performers tonight include singer-songwriter Charlotte Campbell, an alumnus of The Brit School and seasoned London-based busker. Her brand of folk is so infinitely cheerful that she sings of “music on the streets” equating to “music in [her] heart”. Her next single Songbird is currently a long way off, due in September, but it is a delight.

Helen & the Sirens are a fabulously dressed, all-female, alternative six-piece that feature violins aplenty. They are brilliantly original and completely bewitching even before the ACM Gospel Choir appears from nowhere to perform backing vocals. They’re only around for a moment, but they can’t be recommended enough.

Current radio darlings AlunaGeorge preview a trio of their tracks this evening from their imminently released and fervently awaited debut album: Body Music. Aluna Francis maybe slight in stature, but her vocals are anything but. Opener You Know You Like it is a tantalising affair, with its stripped-down R&B groove only serving to accentuate the stirring lyrics; the whole thing stays on the classy side of sexy. Current single Attracting Flies is another fine model of how to pull off funked-up electro pop in a post-dubstep world. These tracks have already gone down a storm and from next week we can expect more of the same from the full album.

Verdict: ★★★

Tom Yates

Photo: Olivier Lestoquoit

For further information on AlunaGeorge and future shows visit here.

Watch the video for Attracting Flies here: