Review: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats | BRITs Week - Omeara

War Child and o2 have joined forces to create ‘BRITs Week;’ a series of gigs to aid of the charity, in the lead up to the BRIT Awards next week. The week sees music’s biggest names playing throughout the week in London’s best independent venues.

Last night, newly acclaimed church-converted-venue Omeara played host to Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats, and a supporting set from Joseph J Jones.

Rateliff brought his strong American hybrid of folk and blues rock right to the heart of London. For want of true rock ‘n’ roll in London’s venues, this gig was a particularly anticipated one for fans. Performing songs both from his newer releases and his classic tunes, the crowd were clearly dedicated fans, as well as Rateliff capturing the hearts of those less familiar.

The end of the gig saw the band bring in a huge audience participation component, which is always an additional bonus when having arena artists perform in intimate settings. The final song S.O.B from their debut album a couple of years ago, the song which brought them to the forefront of the commercial scene in 2015, saw stomps, claps, clicks and harmonies from the audience provide the accompaniment for Rateliff’s chant ‘Son of a bitch, get me a  drink!’ – a sentiment all members certainly felt with the weekend around the corner. This ultimately broke out in to huge dance party as the instrument heavy chorus kicked in, and led on to an eventual encore, which affirmed the hugely positive reception of the band for this special charity night.

Joseph J Jones opened the night, warming up the already crowded venue. A local to London, Joseph played for his grungey, dark and bold music for his home fans, with a slick full band performance to augment his otherwise solo artistry. He certainly gained a wider fan base that night, successfully captivating a brand new audience from Rateliff’s followers by the end of his set.

Other artists taking part in the War Child – o2 BRITs Week collaboration includes the highly acclaimed two time BRIT winner Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and Wolf Alice, both of whom are nominated for next week’s awards at the o2 Arena, as well as tween pop icons The Vamps, and many more, amongst newer artists on the scene such as Stereo Honey as support.

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