You’ll find faded footprints of pigeons preserved in the concrete of the unassuming Camden side street where singer-songwriter Gabi Garbutt, guitarist Chris Brambley and drummer Lorenzo Levrini began sculpting the sound of the Breadstealers.
Soon Gabi’s distinctive English voice with a west-country lilt could be heard all over North London, with her appetite to perform taking her and her band to established music venues like the o2 Academy Islington, the Lexington and Proud Galleries, to whispered poetry clubs and acoustic gatherings as well as the Aarhus literary festival in Denmark. The Breadstealers dynamic performances were winning plaudits from fellow musicians and Gabi’s unique songs were making ears prick up and listen.
The hard work had paid off and solidified into a distinctive, vibrant sound, with bass player Matt Derrick now completing the line-up.
They launched their first EP “Miller Street” in front of an overflowing crowd Wheelbarrow in January 2011, with a charged atmosphere that resembled that of a 60′s Cavern Club coloured in with 21st Century hues. With love songs like the Beatles inspired ‘You Fool,’ for a moment you might fear it would all go pop, yet a Joe Strummer attitude, Patti Smith poetic and Cohen like mystery lurk beneath the singer’s dark brown eyes.
On closer inspection, these songs reveal a kaleidoscope of themes and images; the London of Blake, Peter Pan statues engraved with lines of emotional torment with a street full of real life Camden characters living in their crease. There are lonely strolls along moonlit canals, love lines drawn against the world and a political edge that rises to the surface in songs such as the offbeat ‘Aymara’ and the closer to home ‘It’s not like us to worry.’
With Gabi’s passionate vocals and melodic guitar style, Chris’ cleverly crafted country-blues like riffs that break into coruscating Marr inspired licks, Lorenzo’s exuberant drumming and Matt’s pumping bass lines intricately woven into the fabric of the songs, the Breadstealers are a band to watch out for.
http://www.myspace.com/gabigarbuttandthebreadstealers
