“This is usually the part of the set where we play a flute,” announces the Big Moon singer Juliette Jackson. “So I’m going to be a human flute.” With her voice, she begins to mimic what should be interlocking flute parts. The song is titled Barcelona and the band’s gear, ironically, is stuck in Spain. They’ve had to borrow equipment in order to play and while they are still missing a few instruments, the London four-piece are in jovial spirits despite the inevitable stress. From set opener It’s Easy Then – a track loaded with mellifluous vocal harmonies – the band strike a deft balance between sugary pop hooks and quietly euphoric indie rock, all of which is performed with a palpable sense of joy.
This year, the group have two albums to tour – Walking Like We Do, which was released in January 2020, right before the Covid lockdowns began, and Here Is Everything, their third album, set to be released in October. Jackson had a child between records, and parenthood has clearly shaped the newer songs the Big Moon performs. “This song is about getting a positive pregnancy test – it’s a vibe,” Jackson announces before the slow-build chug of 2 Lines; Daydreaming is described as a song about breastfeeding, beginning with a slight disco groove before morphing into rousing pop-rock.
These tracks follow early single Cupid, a breezy, infectious slab of ultra-melodic indie-pop about lust, desire and a man trying to make his semen taste better with pineapple juice. This run tracks the band’s growth as songwriters, as they’ve shifted from twentysomething antics to the challenges of raising a child – depth and maturity that hasn’t come at the expense of playfulness.
Three band members wrap their arms around around each other for a touching a capella version of Formidable, before launching into a cover of Fatboy Slim’s Praise You. It could very easily feel lame but – as the lights drop low and a twinkling mirror ball spins – the song erupts into a joyous party. This atmosphere carries into the closing air-punch of Your Light – the Big Moon proving that spirit can triumph over lost equipment.
