Allo Darlin’ @ Kung Fu Necktie.

Text and images by Grace Dickinson.

“Cheers, mate,” said Allo Darlin’s bassist, Bill Botting, to a steamy room of people yesterday at Kung Fu Necktie.

After asking his bandmates to pause so he could grab a sip of beer, Botting and his three bandmates delved into one of their older songs off of their 2010 album, Fortuna Pop. The London-based band brought with them more than just the charm of their accents.

Singing about the hipsters is Shoreditch, the punks in Camden and various other London locales, Allo Darlin’ shared a piece of their home with an audience that clapped right along with them to each song. As the night wore on, the band shifted into their new album, Europe, which held the same lighthearted pop feel of their first album, largely provided by the ukulele strumming delivered from Elizabeth Morris.

Morris leads the singing of Allo Darlin’, with a voice that resembles a mix between Sara Bareilles, Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast and the light poppy feel of the Postal Service. It meshes well with the unpretentious lyrics of love and life that dominates their songs.

The group was endearing in an unintimidating, almost nerdy sort of way – Botting, with his cheeky, boyish smile; guitarist Paul Rains with his floppy-shoelaced, white sneakers (matching the ones Botting removed in favor of black socks); drummer Michael Collins with his unmissable drumstick count-offs at the beginning of every song; and Morris, swaying around on stage with her small ukelela, singing about how she was never “cool” and of kissing salty lips that were sweet and heavenly too.

Together, the band was all smiles that couldn’t help but to put you in a good mood.