The Follys LIVE review

[Trev Williams]

from the Faringdon Folly, October 2008 :

Opening act The Follys were halfway through their set upstairs at the Crown when I arrived. Frontman singer and guitarist Trev Williams, pictured below, was in energetic form, playing some of his familiar tunes, some new ones and an excellent cover of the Pixies song "Where is my mind?". He gave the appreciative audience some of his wild playing and soaring vocal style, backed up by the musical input from Paul on bass and Luke on drums - between them they have a tight and uplifting sound. They are planning to release another CD called "maps to Nowhere" in the New Year. Trev also did a funny impersonation of a butterfly when introducing the song of that name.

Al Cane

[Trev Williams]

I've moved this to the main site if anyone else want to write a live review, or comment on a live show do send one in..
the next gig is Sat 3rd Jan, so get your pens ready!!

[Lisa]

The Folly’s have certainly changed from their last EP, coming out guns blazing, complete with cranked up amps and a nice bit of angst to boot. Whilst their previous EP, was aptly named ‘Sunrise’ and contained plenty or warm vibes, the newer songs performed tonight showed that the Folly’s have more than one string to their bow. That’s not to say it’s all doom and gloom, just that in contrast to their earlier work there’s an element of shade now. They appear to have grown as a band too, with the input from Luke on drums and Paul on bass being more prominent throughout and it’s perhaps this change which has meant that Trev’s vocals now seem to fit more snugly with the music. Their increased presence allows his emotion ridden vocals to blend into the melodies with ease, in turn creating a more holistic rock sound. Whilst all of the new material showcased this evening showed promise ‘Maps To Nowhere’ is perhaps the most noteworthy, highlighting the development of the trio both lyrically and musically. Though like every other band playing gigs at this level, there’s always room for improvement, it’s clear that The Folly’s are travelling in the right musical direction to suit their abilities. Lisa Ward 2009

[Trev Williams]

The Follys are twice as proficient but
half as much fun. Their brand of
trashy, bluesy rock from the mid-70s
school of British r’n’b is solid and
sometimes energetic enough,
frontman Trev Williams a picture of
intensity itself as he makes strange
chicken noises, but the band can’t let
its basic simplicity breathe, the guitar
parts too flowery and histrionic when
all they need to do is chug in
rough’n’ready fashion, while the
drummer looks pathologically bored
up to the point they murder The
Pixies’ ‘Where Is My Mind’, almost
rescuing the whole episode with some
pretty authentic back vocals. Where
The Follys do get it right, as on
‘Maps To Nowhere’, they display an
ability to write meaty, hook-heavy
thrash-pop in the style of Nick Lowe
or Eddie & The Hotrods. Perhaps
they just need to learn that less is so
often more. Ronan, nightshift April 2009