The Collective @ Kind.

I know I tend to go on about it a lot, but The Collective really is continuing to go from strength to strength, and is undoubtedly the beating heart of Lincolnshire’s local music scene.

For those who don’t know by now, The Collective is held at Kind bar in Lincoln every Tuesday evening, and features local, like-minded musicians performing to an audience of like-minded fans.

Unfortunately, I missed opening act Mute, and arrived part-way through singer Stefanie-Kate Bennett.

Bennett got behind the keys early on in the night, showcasing her impressive vocal range alongside some delicate arrangements, altogether delivering a tenderly impassioned performance which prompted a gentleman from the audience to give her a tenner for some reason.

Acoustic-folk outfit His FLying Machine were up next, led by principal songwriter Rich Whiston. On record, His Flying Machine have a fullness which doesn’t quite translate as well to the stage. However, the delicacy of the arrangements still shone through, wearing their apparent influences from Americana bands such as Calexico and The Decemberists on their sleeves.

Every week, we seem to get a surprisingly impressive set from an artist blatantly inspired by former Million Dead singer Frank Turner – this week, that accolade went to acoustic guitarist Adam Jewitt, who played a mix of original material and ironically structured covers. There’s something familiar about Jewitt’s vocals and arrangements respectively, but, much to his credit, it’s hard to place. Instead, the audience were welcomed in to Jewitt’s world with an affirming and refreshing comfort.

Headlining The Collective on this occasion was local classical-guitar wonder-kid Elliott Morris.

Shut your eyes, and you’ll mistakenly believe you’re listening to a full, four-piece band. Morris has that Newton Falkner gimmick going on... you know, when you use the whole guitar to create sound slapping different parts of the neck to introduce rhythm. Morris has crafted a selection of enjoyable pop songs, even if they do seem slightly rehearsed and adolescent at times. Unfortunately, towards the end of his set he invited a backing singer to the stage, and all of a sudden things became a little too juvenile, and childish on-stage antics ruined an otherwise sterling performance.