The Unthanks

Overview

Lots of bands get accused of having an eclectic range of influences. The Unthanks, instead, get accused of being the eclectic influence. Their reach covers not only musos like Elvis Costello and Radiohead, but has also helped inspire a revival of lo-fi clog dancing. Part of a musical current unwraping live music from the electric, this Northern English band's current lineup is a ten-piece big band — five of whom are touring here to Sydney to perform at the Festival's Spiegeltent. Formerly Rachael Unthank and the Wintersets, a complicated set of line-up changes over the years brought the band to settle on its shorter name.

Sisters Becky and Rachel Unthank (their real surname, it means 'squatter') grew up around folk songs and folk festivals, drawing their musical influences together into a modern act. Their rich geordie voices intertwine tightly on stage, at times the amplification dropped so completely that you can hear a seat creak or the pages turn in a reporter's notebook. While their songs are often grim or heartbreaking, it's some work to be sad when the voices are so sweet.