Hometown shows for Sound Of The Sirens are common. There will barely be a pub or stage the duo, Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood haven’t played in Devon’s capital. Yet tonight still has the feel of a homecoming celebration. These last few months the “siren sound” has been spreading. Spreading across fields with 20,000 people in it, spreading to millions of ears courtesy of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show and most recently, as a result of gracing the stage on TFI Friday they entered the Amazon and itunes charts. From one two minute appearance. It’s no surprise. They make a good first impression. I first saw them at the Tiverton balloon festival two summers ago and they had me at “OH HELLO…”
They take to the stage as they always do, full of beaming smiles. The good will they project out to their audience is not only reflected back – it is magnified. On the very same night where tragedies struck in Paris, the positive atmosphere here only serves as a reminder of the power music has, the unity it can achieve.
Where the Sirens excel most is that they are so much more than their beautiful harmonies. They have tunes in droves – the love songs (and some out of love songs) and plenty of foot stomping crowd pleasers. ‘Anything Less’ on record sounds like a wasteland of post relationship blues but here it is hyped up, fun and completely at odds with its words.
The frazzled energy of ‘Who We Are’ comes on like a folk Arctic Monkeys. It surges like a hamster in its wheel after a Red Bull too many. New song ‘Best Intentions’ is from the same place, breakneck vocals and guitar strings more punched than strummed. There’s a cover too, The Maccabbees song ‘Pelican’ gets a faster, brasher reworking. ‘Faith In Fire’ results in the usual clapathon. In Hannah’s words: “Once you commit to the clap you can’t go back’.* Yes really. There was a dawning realisation over the audience as those words landed(!) Frankly, the between song “bantz” between the duo is worth the fiver entry fee alone.
Last time they played here in the summer, the last few songs were accompanied by violins, double bass, backing singers and a kitchen sink (not literally). Brilliant as that was, tonight is all about the two of them and they finish off a long set like it’s a victory lap. Actually no, ignore that, it really WAS a victory lap.
* For legal reasons it must be pointed out that you won’t get the clap from seeing the Sirens live.
DIGITAL OBSERVATIONS 
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