Joanna Newsom performs at Somerset House, London
A long mane of golden hair and a flowing summer dress attracts all eyes as a young harpist walks onto the stage at Somerset House on a mild Sunday evening.
Yet this is no mild event - in fact everyone seems very excited for a one-off show that Joanna Newsom has agreed to in London.
In the setting of an intimate courtyard, the audience waits for this golden girl to strike a chord on her very large harp.
Childlike, deranged, pretentious, ethereal, broken - these are all words that have been used to describe Newsom.
Whatever she may be, it is clear that she is part of a new generation of artists from the USA. Hailed as the New Weird America and engaging themes of nature and science, the likes of Devendra Banhart and Coco Rosie are all part of this emerging movement.
The Old Weird America developed in the 60s with Bob Dylan as its most famous figure - so it is easy to see why Newsom and her fellows are creating a controversy.
Born in Nevada, California, Newsom released her debut album 'The Milk-Eyed Mender' in 2004.
Her second album 'Y's' was released in November 2006 and consists of 5 songs, one of which is 9 minutes long.
Collaborating with the iconic Van Dyke Parks is also no bad thing.
She opens the concert with a rendition of Bridges and Balloons and the crowd quickly fall under her spell.
The silence that consumes the crowd is incredible and it is clear that Newsom has something very specialHalina Watts
The silence that consumes the crowd is incredible and it is clear that Newsom has something very special.
She could be geeky and it is possible to think at times that things just do not flow.
But it is this syncopated sound that gives Newsom a transfixed and questioning audience.
With words such as 'poctaster', 'catenaries', 'nautical', 'cassiopeia' it is no wonder that people listen carefully.
Midway through a ninety minute set she swaps her harp for the piano to play some unrecorded and in one case half-finished songs.
For some artists this would be a risky business, but Newsom just sits there, totally relaxed while the crowd completely embrace her.
Gospel chords are something different to her traditional harp but as the cold creeps in, the audience gets warmer, and loud cheers applaud the brilliance of her music.
There were even times when she forgot a line or plucked a string the wrong way, yet this was what made the show human and brought the audience closer to her.
She only plays two songs from her second album. 'Emily', a debut to her sister who is an astrophysicist, sees Newsom singing about meteorites while 'Cosmia' is an extended elegy.
The show finishes with a return to her harp. In 'Peach, Plum, Pear' she sings 'I couldn't keep the night from coming in' but it inevitably does.
The stars have clearly come out and the crowd are begging for more but Newsom does not return.
The crowd then disperse mesmerised by this unforgettable experience.
