20 | August 1, 2013 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News
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Fred’s House T
he day I meet the front woman of Cambridge band Fred’s House, it’s too hot to even think. Melting over old fashioned lemonade and jazz music on Gwydir Street, Vikki Gavin walks in looking chic, calm and cool. Oh the envy. Super petite and surrounded by a mass of wavy blonde hair, the 28-year-old is a school secretary by day and a folk singer-songwriter by night, performing alongside bandmates Griff Jamieson, 31, (co-lead and acoustic guitar), his brother Gafyn, 35, on bass, percussion and backing vocals, with Lachlan Golder, 24, on lead guitar and banjo. They “straddle the line somewhere between acoustic folk and rock,” with lilting harmonies and catchy tunes. “Alt-folk is a new term I’m hearing recently,” Vikki explains, citing Fleetwood Mac, Crosby, Stills and Nash and Bob Dylan as huge inspirations. “All that kind of West Coast 60s and 70s folk-rock. Those sorts of artists are definitely what all four of us have been brought up on.” To be honest, if you’re interested in the Cambridge Music scene at all, you’ve probably already stumbled upon them; Fred’s House are serious grafters when it comes to gigging. “People
have come and seen us again and again and again,” Vikki laughs bemusedly. “Not really sure why! They must be bored of us!” Apparently not. They won best act at the Cambridge Buskers and Street Performer’s Festival in June (it was a public vote), and have a slew of festival slots lined up, including Cambridge Rock Festival this weekend. Vikki, who is originally from Hemel Hempstead had classical training (“I did musicals, I’m not sure it’s cool to say that,”), and met Griff while performing in a show together. Swiftly becoming a couple, they started singing and song-writing and thought: “Let’s move to Cambridge. We’d had enough of London anyway, it’s too hard! We’re too poor!” Vikki laughs. “We basically moved up to Cambridge to be in the band with the boys.” Scrapping their acting plans and temp jobs, she admits, was “quite a change”. “Although I’d always loved the sort of music that we’re doing, I never thought I’d be singing in a band,” she muses. “Griff and his brother, they’d always been in bands when they were in South Wales, as teenagers, growing up, so [for them] it was going back to something they knew.” Tentatively forming as a band in 2010, they drafted in New Zealand-born Lachlan, and
started playing together live in January 2011; and the name? That came about pretty simply: they first recorded with a guy called Fred at his house. “We have been told it’s quite a bad name!” Vikki laughs. “At least it means something to us. It was a really good weekend, we were bouncing off each other and something kind of clicked immediately. We just thought, yeah, we have to do this.” So far, it’s gone rather well. They’ve had sets at Cambridge Folk Festival, Secret Garden Party and Bestival, while this year they are gearing up for quirky Hertfordshire festival Standon Calling, thanks to support from the Folkstock Arts Foundation which is hosting a “Folkstock presents” stage. “Our following has built and it feels like people are starting to take a bit more notice,” Vikki acknowledges modestly. “The word’s getting out there.” Darlings of the Cambridge folk scene, this summer they’ve already showcased what they can do at Ely Folk Festival. “It was amaaazing!” Vikki grins. “It was just such a nice atmosphere. We were the first band on, on the Friday night, we were thinking there might not be too many people but as soon as we started playing everyone came over.