True Foxes, the cousins from Cornwall, Amie Parsons on vocals and guitar and Chloe Payne on vocals and bass, were on top form at the FortyFive Vinyl Café in York. Since forming in 2019, True Foxes have been busy developing a reputation, having performed at more than 700 gigs. Their debut album, Howl (2024), was awarded UK Country Radio’s Americana Album of the Month and was favourably reviewed by AUK. The duo’s sophomore album, Just a Woman, has recently been released, and Parsons and Payne have been out in their van, touring the UK in support of its release. Inspiration comes from artists of the ilk of Brandi Carlile, Laura Marling, and First Aid Kit (there are parallels here, as First Aid Kit is a Swedish female duo, one playing guitar, the other playing bass and lots of harmonies).
FortyFive Vinyl Café describes itself as the UK’s only Nashville-style live music listening room, and it’s a great little venue. It was my first visit to this venue, and I particularly appreciated the announcement before the show that this venue is a listening room, so please refrain from talking (or words to that effect).
First up was the support act, York-based singer-songwriter Dan Webster, who sang just four songs but took time to entertainingly describe each one in detail before singing, finishing with a cover of the John Prine classic Speed of the Sound of Loneliness.
After a short break, True Foxes took to the stage (or stood in the shop window, as that’s where the stage is). Parsons and Payne have voices that meld together beautifully in the live environment; they also have an engaging on-stage chemistry, which makes for some interesting between-song moments. Kicking off with Devil’s Calling from the debut album, a song which demonstrates the duo’s strong harmonies, this was followed by the first cover of the evening, which was a fine version of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God), done in True Foxes style. The duo’s repertoire continued, including Sunny, the title track from the Sunny EP, the band’s first release from 2022, Just a Woman, the title track from the duo’s new LP and My Silver Lining (a cover of a First Aid Kit song).
Also on the setlist was a song that Payne introduced as “A song about my wonderful cousin to my left. It’s called Stubborn,” and Mama Why Don’t They Like Me? a song about bullies. Parsons said she was asked to sing at a former school friend’s wedding, but it reminded her of bad experiences from school, so she went home and wrote a song about bullies.
During Bad News, an inebriated gentleman entered the room (through the door adjacent to the ‘stage’). He wandered in, appeared not to know where he was or what to do, so just stood in the middle of the room until he was escorted out. True Foxes continued with the song but collapsed into fits of giggles (shades of Elvis Presley’s famous 1969 live rendition of Are You Lonesome Tonight?) at the bizarre incident that had just taken place during the song, with a title that so aptly summed up the intrusion.
The set proper closed with Howl, before an encore of a new song featuring an audience singalong, Where Did the Time Go? Apparently, the singing at York surpassed the previous best (Barnoldswick, from the night before).
This was a very enjoyable evening; the girls’ harmonies come across live even better than they do on record, and they put on a really good show. The venue was great; an intimate environment showcasing the talents of the artists, in front of a respectful, appreciative audience.
