Ellis Jones’ Trust Fund project stopped by at The Holy GrAle, Durham. Trust Fund can be defined by its versatility if anything – over the years it has metamorphosed into Jones’ one-man Indie Pop act at times, into a full-blown Indie Rock band at others; the version I met was a minimalistic folk affair.

Trust Fund’s performance was cosy and confessional. While Jones made evident his great appreciation for Nick Drake in the pretty, plucky and hushed approach, his interplay with Celia MacDougall added a more sentimental dimension as well. His remarks as cheekily meditative as they are relatable: “Thirty-seven centuries of old morose philosophers […] Nietzsche, Spinoza the rest of them are ghosts”, and what better words for an artist to murmur while “Leaving the Party Early”?

With two excellent supporting artists, Trust Fund’s gig turned out to be a three-course folk feast: starting with the chipperly-sung folk-punk heartbreaks of Gelfling, the baton then passed onto T. Sharpe’s restless fingers sliding in coastal folk tunes of the north-east, and Trust Fund’s soft-spoken humanity as the closer. The intimacy between artist and audience was palpable throughout the evening, passion pouring out both ends. A lovely, heartwarming time. 

Ji Chun-Lee