This is about three weeks late, but better late than never. All year, I have tried and failed to see one band, Esben and the Witch. I finally got the chance in late November at the Corsica studios in Elephant and Castle.

Rachel is lead vocalist and spends much of her time beating a large Floor Tom drum and driving things forwards. I like to fall a little in love with female vocalists and this was clearly a good opportunity for me to stare at Rachel like a creepy teenager. Her voice is eye-wateringly strong and there isn’t a moment when she doesn’t give it absolutely everything. Daniel and Thomas provide the mainstay of the musical power here. They create sounds with their instruments that ride the right side of experimental, exciting, but without the dread fear of overly-long guitar solos or feedback sit-ins.

I forgot I was in a sweat-pit gig, I forgot I was in South London, I almost forgot my wife was with me. I was brought back to my senses when a ageing rock chick in a revealing gypsy dress got so hacked-off with a hackney hipster yakking behind her, she punched her in the chest with a thwack as loud as Rachel’s drum (no real damage done, just one horrified hipster). If it hadn’t been for the fact that I was watching something as phenomenal as Esben, I might have listed that as one of my favourite distractions of 2011.

The gig felt way too short, but then I’d waited all year for it. This was their last performance before they go back into the studio and resurface next year. A fitting way to finish a cracking debut year.

The next thing from these guys is going to be huge. They are my tip for 2012 and if you can get to see them live in the new year, do so.

Here’s a clip of the band at the outset of 2011.

And here is a link to their pretty comprehensive site.

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