The Collective @ Kind.

This week’s installment of The Collective was a prime example of what musicians and artists in Lincoln have to offer.

The night kicked off with a set from singer-songwriter James Jezusek name spelled correctly. After a shaky start, presumably affected by nerves, Jezusek managed to find his comfort zone, delivering a short yet welcoming set of acoustic numbers, emulating shades of former Million Dead frontman Frank Turner.
Jezusek aptly retold coming-of-age observations of adolescence, with seamless transitions between extrovert aggression and contemplative compassion.

Whoever said too many cooks spoil the broth has never seen Dancing Lotus, who followed Jezusek with a surprise set made up of new and old material.

Dancing Lotus are a truly unique troupe of musicians, mixing hip-hop rap stanzas with delicate violin strings, incendiary Neil Young-infused lead guitar, a rhythmic acoustic backbone, and the surprisingly soulful voice of lead singer Jack Shaw. Their songs are well-structured and well-packaged, tackling the usual topics of love, loss, and waking up with a hangover. The band’s passion is matched only by the passion of their fans, who attend in abundance to show their support. Dancing Lotus are surely the best band Lincoln have got on the scene at the moment, and set a high standard for others to follow.

Next up was local musician and business entrepreneur Ben Atkins, debuting his currently unnamed electronica-project. Atkins delivered three-minute bursts of electro-pop perfection, with his only downfall coming from an ill-advised karaoke cover of The Cure. Atkins made it look almost too easy, supporting the old adage that the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.

The night was brought a close by eccentric Mancunian Gideon Conn, who soon won over the crowd with his quirky brand of folk, coming across as a twee-parody of comedy-rockers Tenacious D. After a set including a Jew’s harp solo, an accidental fall over a leather couch, and audience participated choreography, Conn wrapped things up with a flawless rendition of Outkast’s Ms Jackson.

The Collective takes place every Tuesday at 7.30pm at Kind atop Lincoln’s High Street. Next week features a rescheduled headline performance from piano pop pompadour Luke Leighfield.