Day Thirteen Of London 2012: Lucky For Some

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Being at the world’s most prolific international event is pretty damn exciting- so it seemed quite fitting that today’s line-up of Emerging Icons should have quite a global flavour going on. Our ‘something for everyone’ policy took a whole new turn with many of the visitors to the Park getting to have a little taste of home showcased on our amazing stage.

Call The Doctor ventured down from Bristol to completely undo all the damage the cast of ‘Skins’ has done to the reputation of the otherwise lovely city. These guys were a huge hit with our Olympic audience today- a lot of the older spectators feeling like they had just witnessed a band they should namedrop to their kids and grandkids, and the younger ones racing to grab free CDs backstage like their lives depended on it. New Zealand-born Patti makes for a formidable presence as a front woman, boasting a alluring vocal as well as a look so cool that it could have been a result of a ‘This Morning’ makeover from Karen O and Siouxsie Sioux.

They stripped back their regular sound for the occasion today, drafting in a pal on cello to add a little bit of snazziness for their acoustic set. Their alternative brand of rock is one that would engage the trendy hipster musos and regular Joes alike, and their complete package of image, identity, style and sound is sure to get the critics’ heads turning. But it’s not only the critics band want to impress.. of course, the opinions of their audiences mean just as much.

Call The Doctor

Helen and Grace were enjoying a picnic on the lawn after watching the synchronised swimming earlier in the day. Helen worried about giving an opinion because she claims to not really understand music… but we’re not so sure; ‘I really liked them- the girl’s voice was fantastic and the instrumentation worked really well’. She’ll have a column in NME in no time.

Louis from London was enjoying a little foot tap in the sunshine whilst Call The Doctor were on stage so we thought we’d ask what he thought of their performance; ‘They were great- they suit the summer, it suited the Olympics and it was really fun. We were just saying that they reminded us a bit of Gossip… a slightly more down-keyed version but it was really good.’

Will from Bristol became a big fan of theirs this afternoon, he thought they were ’absolutely fantastic, a really good sound, really enjoyed it. It was quite acoustic but I can see how it could be quite loud and rocky at times as well. Exactly right. I’m definitely going to be going to see them in Bristol- how I've missed them I don’t know!’

As we’ve seen with so many of our athletes, sometimes playing in front of a home crowd can give your performance a boost like nothing else can. Maybe it’s what electrified De Tropix and their set even more as they took to our stage, bringing a sound that matched the mood and the weather like no other so far. The capital was greeted with a lot of love from London-based producer Damon (a.k.a Instinct) and every last person felt more than welcome to this party. Experimental reggae blended with aspects of hip hop and pop boomed from the stage with all the energy of the blazing sun itself.

De Tropix

Their tropical vibe is pretty authentic too… vocalist Cherry brings her native Caribbean lilt to the mix, so it’s not just the amazing dance moves with her thighs of steel that echo Rihanna to mainstream fans. You’d be surprised how far a genre can reach out to the diverse Olympic audience when you’ve got a bit of sunshine on your back. It’s the best urban action Hackney’s seen since Radio 1’s Weekender down here… and coincidentally our Cherry was on stage with MIA there too…

De Tropix

The Emerging Icons serenade to summertime continued as Thank Pablo took to the stage. The boys (and violinist Mel) might all be Brits but they’re still keeping the international flavour alive with their sound which has been ‘dragged through the backstreets of Africa, Spain, France and Jamaica’. Not against its will, don’t worry- it’s more a beat and certain twang of guitar that just screams beach holidays and Calippos at you.

Thank Pablo

There is a flirtation with afro-beat, but there’s also a distinct Englishness to the folkier aspects in the trundling pace and Ryan’s warm vocals… and a sense that these would be a very polite bunch should you invite them to your barbecue with the neighbours. As an emerging band they’re definitely going to be aided on their route to success by the recent popularity of bands like Vampire Weekend and Two Door Cinema Club- but there’s a feel of another dimension that still makes them decidedly unique. The folks enjoying a doze in the afternoon sunshine with ‘Dinosaurs & Astronauts’ as their lullaby couldn’t have been happier.

Thank Pablo

Representing more exotic climes today was half-Persian pop singer-songwriter Raphaella. It was a pleasure to have her back for another appearance, such is the incredible power of her voice to brighten up an afternoon. Today’s set was a bit more heavy duty, with a full drum backing, inclusion of keys and backing track. The effect was like glimpsing into the future, where one day the young Londoner is sure to be headlining arenas at sell out shows whilst celebrating her latest top ten hit. It was an impressive and very full-sounding performance with a constant air of professionalism demonstrating just how experienced Raphaella is as a musician. We couldn’t help but wonder if all the people clambering forward to get photos of her on stage realised that she wasn’t actually a chart-topper… just yet.

Raphaella

Katie was in the Olympic Park for the day having travelled in from Essex with her family. She told us that Raphaella’s ‘got an amazing voice. It was a shame that her mic was down a little too low … I would have loved to hear her properly. She’s really unique. I really like the songs as well.'

Barney and Stacey travelled down from Derbyshire and were enjoying Raphaella’s performance too. We asked her if she reminded her of anyone else and the rock-pop element made them think of Paloma Faith… not bad- good on you, girl!