Gig Review - Phlexx Presents ft. Yazmin Lacey, Heavyheads and Josh Wheatley - 08/05/2014

Originally written for NottinghamLive.

It's always interesting when new venues pop up. There's always a curiosity and anticipation to how it will all work out. How the venue will feel, how the music works there, how much you're going to enjoy it... These are all questions that came to mind as I walked into Nirvana, a new venue which resides where Tantra used to be. But it's had a make over. It's modern and chic with the purple décor and slick new refurbishments. It's relaxed, with an ample seating area and a dance floor in front of the DJ booth and performance stage. It's been open for a little while now, but this was my first time after it's revamp, and I really like it. The relaxed atmosphere of the venue is enhanced by the music, as before the live music kicks off, there's ambient reggae/soul playing, which is perfect. But before long, JOSH WHEATLEY makes his way to the stage.

Josh is always a treat to hear, and he opened proceedings perfectly with From The Wild, which was beautiful and delivered with a humble confidence that makes Josh so likeable. His songs almost feel fragranced, as the poignance spreads through the room. He straddles confidence, charm and vulnerability perfectly. His set is varied, with some livelier numbers such as his Foster The People cover, which are welcomed amongst his sadder, calmer numbers. He ends with Follow The Smoke, which is the title off his recently released EP. It's a sweet and delicate end to his set, and with the lyrics left lingering in the room, it's sets the space for the next band to take to the stage.

HEAVYHEADS are next on the line up. Although the line up seems to have undergone a few changes from the original, but none the less, Heavy Heads are ready to go, donning the performance space with their cajon, guitar and Benylin. Yes, the lead singer has the lurgy. But this doesn't detract from the performance actually, with his vocals sounding pretty impressive throughout, despite illness. They open with a pretty clever mash up of Nelly's Ride With Me, and Michael Jackson's Beat It, which I've had the pleasure of enjoying before so was looking forward to it. It's a lively and engaging opener, with the clever merging of lyrical ideas and melodies, it's really good fun. They engage in a fair bit of banter in between songs, which I remember from their set recently at Jamcafe. Although this time it was mostly about sipping cough medicine like it's apple juice. They have a varied set, with fun quirks such as the lap style guitar. They're very entertaining, and really chilled out, which suits the venue well and the general feel of the evening. They end their set with Bob Marley's Redemption Song, which goes down a treat and fits the evening well, as reggae-fusion fills the gaps between the sets.

Finally, heading up the live performance for the evening is YAZMIN LACEY, who takes to the stage with her guitarist. She's modest and humble on stage, which suits her performance style, and her music. Her vocals are soft and sultry, with a breathiness which is so smooth and almost haunting at times. Her vocals work well over the guitar, which often contrasts but compliments them, being lively and upbeat whilst her vocals remain cool and collected. Her songs are varied, with the guitarist developing his style of playing throughout, with a nice mix of fingerpicking and strumming. These musical parts are key to their set, as they add flavour and intrigue to Yazmin's steady, straightforward melodic lines. Her songs are sweet and gentle, with gorgeous soulful lyrics and an open, honest delivery. I'd love to see even more emotion coming through, as I think she could really pull it off, but for the relaxed and chilled out atmosphere of the venue, it suited well. She got a massive response from the audience throughout, with lots of whooping and cheering, with Yazmin announcing into the microphone “You can tell that these are all my friends”. But even those who weren't familiar with her work enjoyed it, From A Lover was a wonderful end to the set, ending the live performances with sweet melodic lines and lush guitar chords.

Nirvana is an interesting venue, which is nice to go to if you fancy your gig evening turning into a party, as I ended up doing some dancing to reggae afterwards! It's great to see a venue not focusing on the charts and going for some more interesting musical directions. It was a great evening.

Gig Review - Opie Deino EP Launch - 16/04/2014

Originally written for NottinghamLive.

Having been a fan of OPIE DEINO, or Siân, from the moment I heard her play years back, I was pretty excited about this gig. I haven't heard her for a while, but I remembered her talent and amazing personality to boot, and I just knew her EP launch was not to be missed. So I hoofed it down to The Bodega (dontcha love longer summer days?) and arrived in time to get a drink to satisfy the dehydration, and then was ready to feel the music.

MOLLY & JACK were first up on the stage, and although there was only a small gathering of us in the audience right at the start, they didn't let that phase them, and proceeded through their set with confidence and an intimate sweetness which may have been lost in a larger crowd. Their vocal harmonies are both interesting and delicate, with Jack's voice often floating in an edgy kind of way above Molly's. Hers are often deep and smooth, whilst Jack's add a folky flavour. Both their vocal control is noteworthy, and their voices are so vibrant to listen to, both separately and together, that you can't help wanting to listen. They navigate their way through a mixed set, some moodier with darker tones such as Sea of Slumber and others provide uplifting pop melodies which are charming, such as Tiny Feet. They have a great chemistry, and are sweet together on stage, which really ties the songs together despite their range in styles and influences. Their final song of the set was Open Hearts, and with deftly fingerpicked guitar, it lays the foundation for heartfelt, open vocals to shine through. Both Molly and Jack have gorgeous vocals in this one, and pull it out of the bag for the final number. It's upbeat and their dancing/swaying and passion on stage makes me feel like they could work really nicely in front of a band, but for now their intimacy is more than enough, as they leave the crowd feelingly nicely warmed up.

Of course warming up is all they'll be doing as ROB GREEN takes the lead with his charismatic stage presence and upbeat soulful pop numbers. He seems extremely comfortable, which allows for a really close and personal performance which is very polished and expressive. His vocals are crystal clear and stunning, and if you've heard him before, his music can be fast paced and exciting such as in Straight and Narrow, and so easily he could slip and get the words wrong, but he knows his music inside out and this promotes a confident performance. He plays around with audience involvement, which I was a little familiar with due to his previous performances I've seen, but the audience got involved to an extent, and Rob still sweetly applauded us afterwards. The darker tones we hear in Cardinal are a contrast with their funky tones, which feel frustrated but still lively and upbeat, and easy to find yourself dancing to... Last time I saw him, he bashed out a 90's medley to the audience's delight, and this time he didn't disappoint either and got stuck in with a wonderfully crafted mash up, in which he even managed to sneak in a twitter plug... sneaky! He ended his set on a high, and received a massive applause. People love Rob, and Rob loves them back.

As OPIE DEINO gets ready with her band, the room is lively. People are excited, and are getting their drinks in ready and eager to see her perform. And she doesn't disappoint. Getting straight to the point, the band begins with Eli, the first track from St. Jude, the new EP which she's launching. What hits you first about Opie Deino is her gorgeously smooth and beautifully delivered vocals. She not only has a stunning sound, but she packs in so much feeling and emotion that it blows you away. The song begins gently, with the band playing subtly behind her, including some wonderfully imagined backing vocals, however soon it erupts into life and is intense and thrilling. The intensity continues in Monsters, where the deeper, darker melodies are contemplative. She begins this on her own, but as the band enters after an unapologetic 'counting in', it changes into something really creative, using some funky rhythm patterns which liven it up and a snare which pierces through. This number seems to dip in and out of the darker/lighter tones, which is an effective technique, as I certainly felt my emotions and even my heart rate changing with the song. The set is exciting and certainly wets the audiences appetite for more. It's a hugely supportive crowd, and it feels like a trusting atmosphere as Siân introduces the next number, Richard Parker, revealing it's based on some advice her mum gave her; that you may be stuck in the darkness, but eventually the light will come on again. It's very sweet, and we are taken on a journey through her emotions. In fact, the interesting song structures and attention to detail make her songs all seem like little adventures we are taken on. With the keyboard player adopting a trombone for this number, it adds another dimension to the music, and heightens it some how. All of the band are working well together, creating a professional and polished performance. After Already Home, another beautifully heartbreaking song, Siân decides to begin stripping back the set. She performs Origami next with just her and her bassist, which brings the attention to her vocals and reveals the songwriting talents she possesses. She continues to strip the set back, and plays India totally unplugged. It's a brave move, as it is quite difficult to hear, but the whole room silences to try. She admits she prefers playing this way, and does so for the next number Dive In, although she's also joined again by her bassist for this one, who instead puts the bass down and adopts an acoustic guitar too. The extra guitar adds some musical meat to the number, and the backing vocals do too. The bassist also has the opportunity to sing a verse solo, which is a really nice change of pace and texture.

She's joined by the band again for the final few numbers of the set. Firework & A Flame is a song which almost everyone can relate to. It explores the dilemmas faced when your mind and your heart want to go separate ways, and she discusses this topic with flair and originality. It's moody and emotive, and with a really funky, jazzy, key changing outro, it doesn't fail to be an interesting and multi-dimensional song. Next she plays Humbug, the single off the new EP. For this one she adopts a new role, putting the guitar down, and assuming a stance in front of the mic. She's still modest and herself on stage though, and it's great to see a performer so grounded in herself. Her songs never progress how you think they will, they change and adapt, and take interesting directions, and Humbug does this with real class, and she smashes it. Molly Brown ends the set, starting slow and gentle, but bursting to life with the band. The trombone comes out to play again, and the switching between trombone/piano provides a really interesting change during the verse/chorus. The audience go mad for it, and of course demand an encore, to which Siân doesn't disappoint. Donning just herself and her guitar, she ends the set exactly how I first came to know and love her music, and so it feels very organic. Against My Enemies a song about her little brother, and it's so sweet to hear such a close and personal song as the final number. Her family are obviously important to her, and the raw performance is passionate and flaunts her personality and skill at face value, and it's a stunning way to end the evening. You'll love her as soon as you hear her, and if you haven't yet, make sure you put that on your to do list, along with buying the beautiful EP.

You can find out more about this artist through her Facebook page, and you can download the EP from iTunes here.

Gig Review - Ryan Thomas EP Launch - 04/04/14

Originally written for NottinghamLive.

As things begin to kick off in Jamcafe, it’s clear that there is a buzz for tonight. Arriving at quarter past eight, I of course was far too early, but had the pleasure of enjoying Ryan Thomas playing right at the beginning with his band. Although it was mainly an elongated sound check, it was like a mini-set, and provided a window to the future, teasing us with snippet of the things to come. After setting the mood, TOM MCCARTNEY takes to the stage. The crowd is growing, the anticipation is building and people are buzzing for the evening to begin.

TOM MCCARTNEY is a striking performer. His vocal talents, stage presence and charisma are endearing, and his youthful innocence is a stark contrast to the timeless nature of his songs. He has impressive vocals for his age, which he flaunts with lovely melodies delivered in a serious, intense, but also understated manner. There are a few mistakes here and there but he takes it on the chin, and it barely disrupts the songs or the audience, which is impressive. Although McCartney is a blues artist, the instrumental sections of his music can speak more of rock and roll at times.

‘I’m Feeling Blue’ is one of my favourites of the set, with both low and high chords on his acoustic guitar in oscillation, it sets the mood. Intensity builds as he sings “I have no-one to lay my troubles on, so I sing a song”, which sums up his set entirely. The simple, sweet, melancholic blues which Tom McCartney plays is painted with colours of pain and experience beyond his years. I can’t wait to see where this artist goes – if he’s this good now, where will he be in even a years time?

After Tom’s moody set opening the evening, ANWYN WILLIAMS takes to the stage, instantly claiming it as her own as she kicks things off with ‘Drinking In Bars’. Her bright vocal tones and country-style of singing livens up the audience, and the tone of the evening. Her set navigates through a variety of different numbers, some which are uplifting and others which are much darker, but they are all endearing. Anwyn even busts out a new song, which she admits on stage that she “shouldn’t be risking it three songs in”… However it is polished and impressive for a recently written song, and she stuns the audience with her professionalism. The audience remains enraptured during ‘Walking Now’, and as they whoop and cheer for her. The final song of her set, ‘Going Gone Away’, is one of her strongest numbers. It’s lively, upbeat and prepares the audience for the next band in style. The crowd has expanded and it’s very busy now, as people try to get their drinks in, or their cigarettes smoked before the next act.

HEAVYHEADS open with a lighthearted number, which is upbeat but no less heartfelt with impressive and lovely vocal deliveries. The band consists of a cajon, guitar and lead singer, which is a simple and laid back ensemble, with both guitarist and cajon player sitting down on stage it promotes a relaxed atmosphere (or at least as relaxed as Jamcafe can be on a Friday night!). The set moves on to livelier numbers, which are fun and enthusiastically performed.

It’s great to see bands being a little unconventional, and HEAVYHEADS are just that as the guitarist turns his instrument over and plays it on his lap, which is exciting to see, and musically is changes the scope of the song, becoming more percussive. The stage presence of this band is a confident one, with the frontman singing the repeated vocals; “I’ll carefully watch you fall” as he dons a beer in one hand. I can’t help but feel that I hope I don’t watch him fall, beer would be everywhere! The next track is a really fantastic mash-up of Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ and Nelly’s ‘Ride With Me’. It works really, really well and the arrangement is superb, using interesting techniques, and some nice lyrical mash-ups as well as musical ones. The crowd loves it, and cheers enthusiastically for the band as the song comes to a close. After a sweet ukulele song written about the Sleep Easy event which recently took place to raise awareness for homelessness, the set draws to a close, as the lead singer passionately sings to the audience “please comfort me”, it’s a heartfelt, delicate and wonderful song to finish on. The audience certainly did comfort them in the form of enthusiastic applause, cheering for their performance.

Finally RYAN THOMAS takes to the stage, he looks dapper in his suit, and set to impress. With his full band in tow, they add depth and layers to the music, which is vocally strong and is a pleasure to listen to, as witnessed by the full capacity crowd and cheering audience members. He’s passionate, but his band members are just as dedicated, with arrangements that allow for guitar solos and vocal melodies to come through. Ryan’s vocal style is grizzly and the same throughout the set, which charms and entertains with many different styles in the songs, they’re all blues infused, but there are other genres in there; rock, pop, soul… The full band allows for these glistening snippets of their influences to come through, especially on bass and electric guitar which are played with flair and precision. RYAN THOMAS also engaged the audience in some lighthearted banter between the songs, culminating in the whole bar singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to a friend of his. It’s sweet and fun, although I just want to hear more music! Next up is a real treat with the wonderful ANWYN WILLIAMS joining the band for a while, and she provides wonderful harmonies to Ryan’s vocals. Their voices sound lovely together, although hers was quieter and harder to hear at times. Ryan sings solo mainly, but is joined on choruses by Anwyn, which works well, but I would have quite liked to hear Anwyn sing a verse solo too. It’s relaxed and chilled, and they are both comfortable on stage together. ‘Ain’t Gonna Cry’ with Anwyn was a particularly gorgeous rendition, as it was stripped back from the band which changed the pace, and allowed for the sadness of the song to shine through. The audience is enraptured with the performance, and many are standing and watching contemplatively, feeling the song alongside them. ‘Worries and Troubles’ followed, and it’s passionate and well controlled with a feeling of reminiscence and nostalgia in the crowd. The final song with Anwyn is slower and more contemplative, with really gorgeous melodies. It’s lovely and receives a positive reaction from the crowd, which only balloons in appreciation for Anwyn as she leaves the stage. With the stage to himself again, Ryan announces the final track of the evening; ‘Ain’t No Blues At Sea’ which is a fantastic crowd pleaser, with the audience dancing the night away. The drums are particularly good for this one, and the electric guitar adopts a more expansive approach, which ties in nicely with the lyrics and the atmosphere gives way for an ‘out at sea’ feeling. As the song finishes the crowd are getting rowdy, with encores being demanded from every direction, its clear that they are keen to hear more. Of course Ryan obliged, bringing out a bit of the funk for the final set to end the evening. The bass and guitar are really fun in this one, creating funk/blues fusions. The crowd go wild for it, and it ends the set on a really high note. It’s a fantastic launch with awesome performances from all the acts, and some really special moments that will be hard to forget.

You can buy Ryan Thomas’s EP on iTunes here.