Super stuff from the teenage wonder kid
It's easy to forget that Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, also known as Sam Duckworth, is only 19 when he takes to the Xfm stage such is his confidence and ease with the crowd. The announcer jokes about him being 'disgustingly young' and Duckworth responds with a laugh. Given that it wasn't so long since he played the Barfly as part of Levis One to Watch, it seems bizarre to see him up playing a festival like the O2 Wireless Festival but he appears to have grown in stature and become more impassioned.
The first song, 'Whitewash is Brainwash', sounds brave and fresh and as heart-rending as at the Barfly. Duckworth's clearly playing to the crowd and having fun even if the song is one for the disaffected. Obviously this is one set that's captured a lot of people's imaginations with the tent filling up considerably and they're loving it. Duckworth's equally happy to chat to the audience, and his acoustic-cum-electronica is perfect for a festival mid-afternoon. That said, his best asset really is his voice; its strength and tone is wonderful.
But where 'Whitewash is Brainwash' swells to fill the surroundings, once the gathering thins out a bit, other tunes sadly get lost in the vastness of the marquee. This doesn't stop him bouncing around the stage with his guitar and it's great to see an artist putting so much energy in regardless of the reaction. It's part of what makes him stand out, and the last song, 'The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager: Part One', sees that liveliness put into the performance with Duckworth determined to get the crowd to join in. It seems very British and far more powerful than on record - it's one of the highlights.
For the most part, he did well despite some songs getting lost in the tent. It was just right for the time of day and Duckworth's star can only rise further.