The Floating Palace, Barbican - review

"If things had turned out differently we might have all been in a band," Hitchcock said, though his real reason for assembling this sextet from across countries, generations and genres must have been an inkling (a correct one) that they would sound great.

Even a surplus of guitarists didn't matter. There was KT Tunstall, leaving pop behind to return to her folk roots, wonderful but underused Kansas soul singer Krystle Warren, gruff alt.country veteran Howe Gelb reaching into his piano to pluck the strings, and the Carthy folk dynasty represented by Martin and fiddling daughter Eliza. Green Gartside, of Scritti Politti, was belatedly wheeled out for a few harmonies too.

As with so many of these all-star one-offs so beloved of our arts institutions, there was rather too much tuning up and a sense that a couple more rehearsals wouldn't have gone amiss. But Hitchcock kept the mood upbeat with surreal banter and made us proud to be privy to some unlikely sights, not least the Carthys strumming along to I Want You Back by the Jackson 5.

While individuals swapped roles, the remainder enjoyed it from the sidelines like a tiny but equally enthusiastic second audience. If it wouldn't spoil it, it just might be worth making this a regular thing.

The Floating Palace
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, Barbican, EC2Y 8DS