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.
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