It’s Monday night at West End’s The Shire and Tin Can Radio are on fire. The band has recently formed, within the last year, and already they’re pumping out unforgettable riffs and audience singalongs. The Shire is a perfect venue for their drum & bass and folky tunes, with a lively crowd that sway with the band’s changing grooves.

The first set is mellow, and the audience are instantly relaxed as they sit among the cushions, sipping chai and tittering at singer Thomas Wearne’s melancholy rendition of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air opening rap. The first thirty minutes are finished with a synthy solo by keyboardist Timeshare.

The second set is much more upbeat and sees an influx of dancers to the floor and an overall packed-to-capacity venue. Thomas Wearne is very engaging, leading the crowd in a who-can-jump-higher competition, with the losers buying the winners a beer. Guitarist Jack Potter has fun on the mike with the next song, dedicated to pointing to audience member’s stomachs and announcing, ‘She’s got a little chubby’, ‘Whoa, he’s got a big chubby’...and ‘I’ve got a chubby too!’. The band gets much amusement out of that song, taking time to run through the crowd and pick out the (rather skinny) “chubbies” (we don’t want to offend now do we?).

Towards the end of the set, the song, And Then Nothing, a nostalgic love tune with an outer space feel is played. You can tell this is one of the band’s favourites, and the electronica ambience of the song makes waves through the audience as they sing ‘Love washes over me again’.

This is certainly a band to watch. Their tight sets and their obviously tight friendships with one another will provide Tin Can Radio with more great music making moments. Tin Can Radio will play at Woodford Folk Festival from 27 December- 1 January.