BY MICHAEL CHOWNE
True Foxes are a duo we first saw at a festival in Bath in March last year and I’ve been looking for a chance to see them again ever since – not easy though as they’re based in Cornwall.
Thankfully these former teaching assistants (Chloe is also a newly qualified surf instructor) have taken the big step to tour – they’ve been on the road for 3 weeks now and I think have 5 dates left – and I managed to squeeze them in at a new venue to me, West Hampstead Arts Club, on Friday 9th October 2026.
Made up of cousins Amie Parsons (lead vocals and acoustic guitar) and Chloe Payne (vocals and bass guitar), they play some wonderfully tuneful alt-country/americana and have a really endearing stage presence, showing some lovely humour throughout.
They’ve been touring their second album, ‘Just a Woman’ (currently available in physical format and on Bandcamp) and I particularly liked the two singles released from the album ‘Mama, why don’t they like me?’ and the title track. I also loved ‘Devil’s Calling’ from their first album ‘Howl’, with it’s very funny introduction that set the tone for the evening. Two really good covers too – Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ and ‘My Silver Lining’ from First Aid Kit – the latter are clearly a big influence on their musical style and they’re excited to see them on tour in Cardiff next year (what a great opener they’d make!). Some really wonderful harmonies, with both having lovely voices, and it’s really interesting how the bass gives their music more of a country feel.
Opening the evening was a lovely mellow set from Chiara Martina, who introduced her songs as folky numbers but I thought had more of an indie-pop feel. With a really nice voice and some very good, intricate guitar playing, Chiara, from North London, is half-Italian and sung one song half in English and half in Italian. A good half an hour or so set of original music from a young lady closer to the start of her musical journey, somebody to look out for.
Liked the venue which had a nice ambiance with dimmed lighting which worked well in the ground floor wine and cocktail bar. The downstairs music room would benefit from some brighter lighting for the photographers and to illuminate the stars on stage. Friendly bar staff gave some first class customer service, even though the set timings were not as advertised (the bar opened at 6.30pm when ‘doors’ had been advertised as 6, with doors to the music room not being until about 7.45. True Foxes had been ready at the advertised time of 7 but didn’t get on until about 8.45). Didn’t detract from a great evening, though.
