Gig Review - Rebecca King EP Launch 22/02/14

Written for Nottingham Live, original article available here.

Rebecca King's EP launch was a varied and vibrant affair, with a variety of performers and styles bouncing around the room, there was something for everyone. The diversity of the event was particularly apparent in the audience that accumulated, with people from all walks of life there to support her, the night proved to be a really great one.

Kicking off the proceedings was relatively unknown ALICE MACEY who's sweet vocals welcomed the audience to a night of entertainment. Her vocals were strong, and the higher registers were delicate and well controlled, whereas the lower registers were powerful and sometimes belted, which worked well for her music. She is a solo singer-songwriter, and accompanies herself on the guitar, which she is confident with. The second number she sang showed a real consideration to song structure as she strummed the guitar quite heavily, whilst singing delicately over the top, which worked really well with the floating melodies and sweet country style of singing. Although she has an Americana country style vocal, she also writes more pop style songs, which have good chord progressions and interesting melodies. The last two tracks of her set particularly stood out to me, with Receptions, an original number which took a darker and sadder turn that the previous songs. Aside from the slight technical difficulties at the beginning, she recovered well and hurled straight back into it. The tone of her vocals are clear and crisp, which cuts through the strummed guitar. Her melodies are sort of cheerful over sadder chords, but the lyrics also remain a little blue with lines such as “I never understood why you were never on my side”. She is very comfortable in the higher registers, and thats obviously where her vocals sit naturally, however I would quite like to hear some of the lower registers in the vocals too, as I think this could add more variety to her melodic lines. The final song of the evening called Pocket is fast paced and lively, ending the set on a cheerier note. The fingerpicked guitar and fast paced vocal lines and lyrics make this stand out from the others. The verses build nicely, and enter into a catchy chorus, with lovely lyrics such as “I won't give up on you, I won't stop loving everything you do, keep me close in your pocket” which complement her sweet stage presence and vocals. It was a pleasure watching Alice perform, and I hope to see her more frequently on the Nottingham music scene in the near future.

Next to take the stage is the lovely JAMIE MOON, who I saw perform before at the Josh Wheatley EP launch (he's a fan of EP launches, apparently!), and he blew me away. This proved to be another great gig from Jamie, and opening with Bite The Wax, he began a strong set. His deep toned fingerpicked guitar is gentle but commanding, which had the power to silence the room. He commands the guitar well, producing some gorgeous, clear harmonics which contrast the deep, gritty vocals nicely. The unforced vocals are sad and contemplative, which makes for a really emotional performance. Although the room was a little sparse, he still makes an effort to connect with his audience by making eye contact, and is very connected to his performance. He followed the opening track with Cold Hand, which really flaunts his songwriting technique, with the fingerpicked guitar balancing well with the vocals, and the guitar melodies rising and falling, and echoing the vocal melodies in the chorus, which is a gorgeous effect.

Another original You'll Never Fool My Heart Again follows, where the rumbling fingerpicked guitar forms a musical backdrop to heartbreaking lyrics and vocals, and the passion in his performance is really apparent in this number, as the vocals are starkly honest and sad. Next Jamie plays Atom, another song which contains some of those beautiful guitar harmonics which enhance Jamie's songs loveliness. Again the guitar parts and the vocal melodies interact well and the falling melodies express his sadness. Momentum picks up during the chorus though, as the pace speeds up slightly, demonstrating passion in what he's singing. There is a definite sense of desperation, only heightened by lyrics such as; “you'll never understand me, I'll never underestimate your love.” Jamie ends his set on Bloom, in which he uses his guitar strings percussively and minimally as an intro, which is a subtle technique, but before long it picks up into fingerpicked melodies. His vocals are slower, and simple which allow for the guitar to come through and carry them. The song frequently ducks in and out of sections, and just as it gets sleepy, it picks up again, keeping the attention on him. The unsettled nature of these transitions cushion the anxious lyrics perfectly; “sometimes I lie awake staring at the walls. Each night is darker still just before the dawn.” Jamie Moon performed a brilliant, heartfelt and gentle set which was just gorgeous.

As the sets finish and the stage is prepared for another artist, Kane Ashmore plays the disc jockey role, playing classic hip hop in between the artists, which for the first part of the evening feels a little bit odd, as it is rather far away from what they play themselves, however, it keeps the audience's mind on Rebecca King and Kane Ashmore's collaborations and their separate EP's which are more along the pop/hip hop vibes.

Next to take to the stage is LEE GOUGH, who picked up the pace with some classic rock, acoustic and pop inspired songs. Opening with Under The Raincloud, it's a passionate performance with a really strong vocal delivery, which is powerful. The repeated “follow me” in the chorus adds some intense rhythmic development which works very well. As the song progresses, he begins to really put some oomph into his vocals, belting lyrics across the room, but he still manages to maintain excellent control of his voice, and manages to stay in tune, which is admirable! It's no surprise to me that after the number, as he prepares for the next, he announces that he got “a bit carried away”, however it to me just seemed like a very confident, and enthusiastic performance.

Next he played Dry Your Tears, a song about how we take things for granted when there are people a lot worse off than us. The chorus in this number is catchy, and I think it's endearing that Lee doesn't overuse his powerful belt, and varies his singing style and tailors his voice to the different sections of the song. This lets us experience a little of his vulnerable side as well as the strength of his pop style belt. Lee continued to navigate his way through a great set of powerful songs, laced with hints of rock, pop, soul and classic acoustic music. Lee is a big fan of strumming the guitar though, and I do feel like I would like to hear a bit more variation in the guitar parts, such as some more fingerpicking.

Lee Gough ends his set on a song entitled Legends, where he really takes a soul/pop musical stance. In the chorus we hear the lyrics “legends of music, leave us with their legacies, so we can be free, so we can be free”. He sings about the loss of artists such as Bob Marley, John Lennon, Amy Winehouse, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and how their deaths are tragedies. In some ways the song is sad and contemplative, mourning the musicians, but at the same time it can be uplifting, and looking forward. This is embodied lyrically in the final line, where Lee sings “although they are gone, they'll live forever”.

Next to take to the stage is KANE ASHMORE himself, also releasing his new EP, and producing Rebecca King's album too. He is joined for most of the set by MOTORMOUF, a local Nottingham beatbox artist, and together they pretty much go into a jam on the stage. They are both relaxed and comfortable, and I think that for this rap/hip hop music, it works well to have a relaxed atmosphere on stage. They have a history of working and performing together, and on stage they seem to be connected, and their synchronicity is evidence of great musicianship. Last Year is a chilled way to ease us into his set, with hazy keys and a heavy rhythm section, with a nice repeated chord sequence which remains unchanged through the verse/chorus sections. This gives the track a nice lull, and an ebb and flow which lends itself to the overlaying rap, which Kane raps passionately about his journey in the last year; “last year was a good year - great year. I made a name for myself on the stage here. Met some legendary folk and we exchanged beers, this city's alright, I might stay here.” Next up is a rendition of The Ashmore Show, which he announces before performing that he hates it, but still performs it because everyone likes it. Motormouf joins him on this one, joining him on certain lyrics, and adding beatbox techniques over the top. As Kane doesn't really want to perform it, they both kind of spoof it, and play with the track, which is fun and entertaining for the audience. Although there is a lot of fun and games in this performance, the track does flaunt Kane's deep vocals, and his lower register singing voice, which is lush and has a gorgeous tone.

Next up, Kane battles balloons whilst spitting bars, providing a social commentary on England, and the capitalist society we live in, with large statements such as; “England today is like the slave trade” and passionate delivery, it packs a punch, despite the audience's assault of balloons! Scribbling and Dribbling follows, and Kane informs us it's not been performed in a while. Both Ashmore and Motormouf have a great presence on the stage, this song being a traditional pairing of the two of them. If you've heard Ashmore recently at all, you may have heard Misfit, a playful song about being a misfit, but this time it was performed like never before. I had only heard this song performed with an acoustic guitar accompaniment, and it's often performed with the assistance of Motormouf, however this time it was performed with a backing track, and it's clear that Kane is enthusiastic about the track, and seems to be really enjoying himself. The song has more of the gypsy balkan style musical influences that Ashmore uses frequently in this work, and it adds that sprinkle of personality and an edge to the music which is enticing. The backing track is superb, and really brings out new elements of the music, and especially flaunts Kane's vocals.

Kane launches into another off his new EP, and it's the title track Loonyology. The track has a cheeky brass opening, channeling the “gypsy flavour”. The rhythm section in the backing track gives it a secure hip hop identity. There is also a very heavy bass part in the track which is more noticeable live than on the EP, which is sometimes a little distracting from the performance. I really like the construction of the song and the chorus in which Loonyology is spelled out, it adds a great playfulness which ties in with the jazz/swing inspired backing track. Sounds follows, another from his new EP. Sounds is a track about trying to suss out the life around you, and working out what you crave; “life is a struggle, but you've got to keep going, losing your cares, keep the happiness going”. The song has a caribbean/reggae feel to it, but with classic hip hop beats. It's nice to hear Kane's singing voice during the chorus, and it sounds totally lovely too, sweet but with an edge too.

Ashmore's tracks are all so widely different, they are all very varied, with different influences and production which separates them from eachother but one thing which connects them all are their references to previous works, there are occasional phrases and words thrown which makes you prick your ears. Another track which does this is Gypsy Grime, which is playful and has Kane's unique stamp of well, Gypsy Grime, but has Motormouf joining him too. On the EP, Motormouf is featured, and Ashmore announces that this is the first time the track has been performed live. It's a great, lively and energetic track, which brings out ther personalities and is very enjoyable to watch live, as well as listen to on the EP. My Town follows, which has always been performed acoustically and hasn't been produced before, but the backing track for it is really great, with a simple bass and rhythm based track, but with added piano chords which forms an excellent base on which Kane sings. It's soulful and powerful, and lovely hearing his voice on show. The song has a great movement and catchy melodies, and the whole song certainly is “bound to get you jumping up and down”.

Kane steps off the stage after My Town, allowing Motormouf to beatbox to his hearts content on the stage, throwing out some of his trademark moves, such as the boomerang. After Motormouf finishes his small solo set, Kane is joined by Rebecca King for the final song of the set. Crumbling Down opens with Kane rapping, over a backing track which is subtle and minimal. Rebecca is miming along, showing she's just as invested in the song as he is, and then she erupts into soulful singing during the chorus, which is sultry and slow. Her vocals are also present in the backing track, which creates a really interesting layering to the song. As the set opened in a chilled manner, it ends that way too. They work so well together, and they complement eachother's styles well.

Next on The Lacehouse stage is ED SCISSORTONGUE, a rapper based in London, who combines various styles and techniques in his backing tracks, which are intelligent and interesting. He has an intriguing use of words and constructs wordy phrases which are great to latch on to during the chilled, vibrant backing tracks. He has a great stage presence, and often has his eyes closed, which adds to the intensity of his tracks. He layers the backing tracks well, with deep bass tones complemented and contrasted by higher pitched melodies on synthesised instruments, such as strings and keys. The layering provides a good structure on which his deep rap vocals shine, and pulse through. His tracks are varied in topic, including singing about the faults of the human race whilst letting a narrative fantasy play out about an android colliding with earth and wiping out all life. It's poignant and creative, and accompanied with a backing track which has a really clever use of strings being both bowed and plucked. It's sombre and powerful.

Changing it up from the sombre strings, the track to the next number is heavily electronic, which is intense and full of angst. The backing develops well, and becomes busier and this enhances the turbulent undertones of the music. The brass samples which feature in Ed Scissortongue's tracks are really good, and the manipulation of these samples is particularly effective. In fact, the general manipulation of all the instruments featured is a key element to the set which I enjoyed. It may have something to do with the idea of intrinsically editing the instruments sound, and creating something new and almost faulty with it. It's unsettling but in an awesome way. The next track has very repetitive piano samples, which are intense, and combined with more brass it makes for a very interesting track. This song in particular has some excellent song progressions, and the added rhythm section is made more prominent by the rhythms of his vocal rap. After this, he announces that he wants to “pick the f**king party up”, and launches into the next number, which has a deafening, piercing hi hat beat, which punches through the backing and the rap. I like this one though, and the repeated chorus “so meet me at the rose garden” is really great to attach yourself to. The backing drops out here and there, and leaves space, making it really prominent when Ed comes back in with the vocals. It's a great technique and with the punchiness of the hi hat works even better.

After being joined by a guest on stage, he launches into the final track of the evening. The backing on this track in particular, but even on the others reminds me of the music used by Pina Bausch in her intense dance theatre productions, and this is due to the manipulated keys and strong rhythmic backing. The track is an excellent accompaniment to the rapped vocals, providing a secure but vulnerable musical environment. The final track is reminiscent of the past, and is about an amalgumation of Ed's past friends, but for the purpose of the track he's created one fictional friend. It's a social commentary looking at the situation of the youth in this country who are stuck in poverty, with references made to buying cheap alcohol and hanging out in council flats etc, which makes for a passionate and informed delivery. When the track finishes, the crowd demands an encore, which Ed Scissortongue provides, announcing that the track is “near impossible to rap”. This being because the phrases are long, and his breathing has to be spot on to enable him to even get all the words in. It has an intense chord structure, and this intensity is increased with the elongated phrases and 'on edge' delivery. It's a fantastic set, which brought my understanding of hip hop to a whole new level, and I love being challenged musically, and this certainly opened my eyes.

Finally, the last but certainly not least to take to the stage is the person who the whole evening is focused on. REBECCA KING steps up to begin her glorious performance, opening with Come to Life, which is captivating and a fantastic way to grab the audience's attention. We certainly do watch her “come to life”, as she stands alone on the stage in a beautiful red asymmetrical dress, again bringing in an edge to classiness. The backing is complementary to her vocal style of singing, using an interesting electronic sample during the chorus which mimics her vocals and adds a flourish to the melodic lines. It's a lively and passionate opener, leading on nicely to her slower second number which is sultry, singing “gripping my curves as we twist and turn”. It's sensual, and the backing is wonderfully suited to it. The performance is made more intense by her connection with the audience, making eye contact and bringing the audience closer to her. Her vocals are stunning, with brilliant control of the higher registers, whilst her chest voice is powerful and gripping. As she sings she dances a little on the stage, making hand gestures and physically becoming involved in the music, which brings out the soulful nature of her songs.

Her next track she announces “I always say I play this song because I wrote it for my son and I really love it. But I did write it for my son and I really love it, so I'm going to play it”. It's a heartfelt and gorgeous rendition of Race the Earth, and it's beautiful watching her performing something which means such a lot to her. She is thoroughly engaged in the track, and she is evidently enjoying herself too. Opening lines “I was drawn in by your stare, encaptured by your touch. You captivate me when you hold me, tight within your clutch” are sung to a simple melody, making the words even more prominent. The purity and delicacy of her vocals are contrasted and complemented by the electronic backing, in which synths race over the top of the vocals, and combined with the earthly title, can't help but remind me of shooting stars. The song develops nicely, with a gradual build in texture and vocals, which bursts with passion and heartfelt soul.

Another older track follows, and she brings it from a high to a low, with a sorrowful, painful and intense performance of Because You Lied. The chorus in this song is particularly heart wrenching, as she places “lied” on the highest note, soaking it in heartbreak. The song showcases her vocal abilities, as at the height of the chorus, she's singing delicately and beautifully high, whilst in the verses she sings in the lower registers, which feels sombre and downtrodden. The backing track to this number is beautiful, with backing vocals coming in and filling whilst she sings the longer, outstretched notes of “because you lied” in the chorus. Her performance is made more poignant by her loneliness on stage, as she stands there and sings this track on her own, she's vulnerable and this just adds to the performance.

After some lighthearted banter, she launches into Say Something, the final track on her EP. The backing track is relaxed and chilled, with lovely soft brass, gentle keys and a prominent rhythm section. The whole song is relaxed, with an expansive chorus of “say something, or I'm gone, say something”. The melodies are weighted and sultry and are focused around a few key notes, which has this oscillating effect, which is heightened by her smooth, gorgeous vocals. The song develops subtly, and the bridge is a relaxed change of pace, and as the brass drops out, it allows her vocals to shine through. The song is spacious, and allows for the tone of her voice to come through.

This is followed by Insanity is Bliss, which picks up the pace of the set, livening it up and bringing more of a funk/pop influence to the set. The bouncy melody of the chorus is cheerful and lively, which contrasts the lyrics “insanity is bliss trying to get you out of my head”. This is followed by About to Fall, a soulful and romantic, which is sung with vigour and emotion. The song is sexy and relaxed, but the lyrics focus on the dilemmas of falling for someone “I hear your footsteps as you're coming up the stairs, I hold my breath like all of the tainted secrets yeah yeah. You release the curiosity inside of me, why does something so wrong feel so right”. The verse is full of passionate vocal flourishes, decorating the song with classic pop and soul “yeahs” and “oohs” which are fun and flirtatious. The chorus then erupts, both in the vocals and the backing, with multiple layering of instrumentation, such as piano, brass and synths. The vocals are fluid and explorative, with layering of other melodies over the elongated “about to fall” lyric. It's a relaxed and open song, and is beautifully performed.

The next two tracks are also the following two tracks on the EP; Appetite For You and Damn It I Do. The former is a bit more aggressive, it is forward and Rebecca King is upfront about her emotions “your fire is so exhilarating, I want to get burned”. The nature of the song is much more animalistic, singing “I have an appetite for you” repeatedly in the chorus, reiterating her point, and singing sweetly and flirtatiously to the audience, it's great to watch her. Damn It I Do isn't a new number, it's a classic of Rebecca's. But for the EP is has been re-realised into a swing/soul/hip hop fusion number. With the chorus of “damn it I do” being sung in a more classic jazz style, followed by muted, hazy brass creating a seductive, classy, jazzy feel. There is also a soulful bridge, where the backing drops out, and the only thing to accompany Rebecca is the clicking of her fingers and the backing “oooohs”. It's a gorgeous version, with beautiful production (hats off to Kane Ashmore), and it was performed wonderfully.

The set ends with Stumbling Again, where Rebecca King is joined by Kane Ashmore, and they just have a playful jam on stage with the song. The subtle brass in the verse is funky and provides a great backing for the vocals to explore. The song's chorus is particularly clever with the lyric “stumbling again” matched to a falling, stumbling melody. It's a dance inspiring number, evidently from the dancing and jamming that Kane and Rebecca are doing on stage. It's a fun, happy and optimistic, encapsulating everything that the evening proved to be. All the acts rocked the stage, and Rebecca closed the evening with a gorgeous, beautiful and soulful set, which I'll remember for a long time to come. 

By Cassia Helme

Gig Review - Joy Mumford @ Jamcafe 20/02/14

Written for Nottingham Live - article available here.

It's always interesting going into Jamcafé. You never quite know what to expect from the gigs there, and Thursday 20^th February proved to be another one of those days. At first, it was relaxed and chilled, with tables and candles and a nice little crowd... Fast forward an hour or so, and the room is completely buzzing with people dancing and cheering. It's always an adventure, and this gig proved to be just that.

PATRICK PLUNKETT opened the proceedings with a bang, bringing one great original after another. He has a great voice, which is strong and secure but with vulnerabilities and a sweet tone. The chorus pretty much sums up the song “we had the MTV dream, we were only fourteen, though we never got far, the dream's burning bright in our hearts”. The chorus is very catchy, with a lighthearted feel possibly due to the classic melody/chord structures. It's a lovely track, and certainly makes for a great single.

Although Patrick Plunkett obviously enjoys the acoustic genre, and his vocals are well suited to it, at times I can't help but feel that his voice and sometimes his songs could also sit comfortably in front of a rock band, he is truly versatile. He also appears to be very comfortable on the stage, and his voice doesn't falter at all which shows his professionalism. Another song which was particularly ear catching was indeed called Attracting Attention, which is apt. The melodies and chords are simple but have a sweetness in their simplicity, which is enhanced by sweet lyrics such as “always attracting attention, you're too beautiful to mention, I get lost, I think I'm losing you”. The delivery is passionate and honest, and it is followed by another great number called Hooked On Desire, which depicts how he is “crazy in love/crazy in pain”. The song is cheerful, although the lyrics show a whole different story. “I can't let you out of my head, would you let me get into you instead” are the main lyrics of the bridge section, which shows his pain, but the major key and pop style melodies contradict these, which creates a juxtaposition which works well for the song.

Closing the set on Change, Patrick ends on a sadder note than the previous numbers, which personally I prefer. The chords are contemplative and reflective, fitting the chorus well with lyrics “when I came back I was changed, I'm bruised but in a good way, I know that I'm alive”. Although the song features the painful side of love, its intrinsically optimistic, ending the set on a delicate and powerful tone.

Next to take to the stage were KANE ASHMORE followed by REBECCA KING, however, due to their EP launch two days later at The Lacehouse, they asked me to review that gig instead, which you can read HERE. However, I will say that their acoustic performances separately and together were both laid back and although a little haphazard, were fun and enjoyable. Read my review of the Rebecca King EP launch HERE.

Finally, headlining the evening was JOY MUMFORD, a fantastic performer, who happened to bring in the most ridiculous crowd. There were so many fans arriving all at one at one point in the evening that it seemed like a totally endless stream of them coming through the Jamcafé doors! But they gathered for good reason, as her performance was truly awesome. Opening her set she played Attention, a song which certainly grabbed the audience's attention with Joy's strong vocals and excellent stage presence. She was accompanied by her band consisting of drums, bass and electric guitar while she sang and played acoustic guitar. This number was a great opener, paving the way to a wonderful cover of Neon by John Mayer, which moved the set into a really funky place. There are notably good electric guitar and bass parts that build up the foundations of the song, allowing for Joy's beautiful vocals to sing the subtly rising melodies, which build anticipation for the chorus, where she erupts into soulful singing, it is truly a beautiful rendition.

Next up she dons her acoustic guitar for another original entitled My Child, which changes the pace of the set, with ethereal and heavily reverberated electric guitar, this creates a spaciousness (even in a packed Jamcafé!) and allows the clarity of Joy's vocals to shine through. The soulful and painful chorus “this song will isolate you, violate you, talk lies to you. I'm here to separate you, remake you” is made more poignant by her crystal clear and soulful vocals which pierce through the ethereal accompaniment, and it works incredibly well. The song is truly beautiful and honest, with heartbreaking melodies and in the absence of the other band members (except for the occasional atmospheric cymbal roll), the vocal lines have even more weight and importance, and this makes it even sadder, and more gorgeous. Following this song with another original called The Fall is another sombre and heartbreaking number about the falls endured during relationships, with lovely chords and soulful, sad melodies which are made more so by the tone of Joy's voice and her gorgeously honest and heartfelt lyrics; “but you took the fall, I could have had it all, you gave me everything even when I turned away. I had missed it all when you took the fall, but now I would give it all for you, I would give it all for love.” The relationship between the lyrics and the music are unique and it becomes apparent to me how incredible her band are, they are so smooth and professional, and seem truly invested in what they're playing, and their passion and dedication seems to really come through. The sadness of the song is respected, and the communication between Joy and her band is strong and they are well connected. It's a beautiful number.

At first, the next song begins gently, with electric guitar and bass playing quietly, then as the drums come in, it livens up a bit, flourishing into a lovely cover of Sunday Morning by Maroon 5. It is relaxed but still picks up the pace from the last couple of sadder numbers. The chilled nature of the cover really flaunts her vocals though, and her stage presence is great as she makes eye contact with the audience and is having a nice time up there, dancing and enjoying herself. She is still very involved with what she is singing though, and is hugely entertaining. After this number, she announces that the next one is to be her last, which received a huge objection from the crowd who loves her, they are obviously keen to hear a lot more. This final number called I Had To Go is another funkier song, with great guitar and bass riffs driving the song forward, and complementing her passionate and clear vocals. Again Joy is dancing on stage, and as the rhythm and the vocal melodies build, the song then erupts with a huge amazing funkiness which is just so infectiously awesome that you can't help but feel oh so very funky.

Of course that was not the final number, and she gives the audience exactly what they want with another song. Going for a more traditional, 90's pop feel, Joy Mumford opts for an encore of Wannabe by the Spice Girls. However this cover has definitely been tailored to Joy's pleasures, and is a lot more soulful and funky than the original, especially with the repeated “that's the way” in the chorus. The pedal work on the guitar also creates a very funky vibe, and the guitar solo is awesome, and shows off his musicianship. This cover breathed new life into a classic pop hit, and created a whole new way to enjoy the Spice Girls.

Joy is a truly charismatic and soulful performer, and isn't afraid to explore various genres and interpret them in a unique way to accomplish her creative goals. She is fiery and timid at the same time, with heartbreaking lyrics she is vulnerable, but the accompanying music tends to be strong, funky and soulful which gives her a unique appeal. Her headline set at Jamcafé was incredible, and I can't wait to see her perform again. 

By Cassia Helme

Gig Review - Josh Wheatley's EP Launch @ Pepper Rocks 30/01/2014

By Cassia Helme for Nottingham Live

If there is one word I could choose to represent Josh Wheatley's EP launch, it would be love. Purely because the amount of love in the room that night for Josh was incredible. Right from the start Pepper Rocks was packed, it felt like the majority of Nottingham's acoustic music scene was there to celebrate the launch of Follow The Smoke – his fantastic debut EP. Rightly so too, as the gig was an incredible one, and the amount of talent on display from the live performers was just awesome.

MJ LYNCH

Kicking off proceedings was MJ LYNCH. With a flair for gorgeous guitar technique and stunning vocals to match, MJ Lynch began the evening with Letting Me Down - a stunning number which showcased his songwriting skills perfectly. With both vocal and guitar melodies which melt your heart, and lyrics which pack a punch, it's hard not to be instantly stunned by this young performer. His falsetto is beautiful and well executed, but a little on the quiet side.The vocal delivery was tender and gentle, much in tune with the nature of the song, and I'm not sure if it was the wine, but I was welling up a little. Then he was joined by A-jay, another member of New Communication, and together they produced a collaboration on The A-Team by Ed Sheeran which was also wonderful. The differences on guitar and vocals were creatively subtle from the original, but brought a little more funk into the mix (from the guitar) and the rap vocals also added another dimension to the cover.

Photo by Cassia Helme

MJ Lynch then decided to bring it back to reality with an original number sung on his own, after claiming he'd “never really played this song”, he launched into All I Want – a heartfelt number with a darker and sexier tone. Singing lyrics such as “your love is such a pleasant distraction, I can't deny this attraction, there's no light but you're the star”, he uses explorative melodies and gorgeous rhythms which combined with minimal guitar at the beginning brings more poignancy to the lyrics. In the falsetto sections, you can hear his pleading and infatuation in the melodies, which really makes the song hit home. Next up, he performs two covers, one by Jonas Brothers, which although makes him laugh, he's clearly enjoying himself and connecting to the song. The second was a John Legend cover of Tonight, in which he is joined by Mitchell from New Communication, which was really great, especially when they sang together, and the verse swapping between them was lovely.

Mitchell also joined him for the final song of the set, a cover of So Sick by Ne-Yo, which they executed superbly, with really gorgeous use of their vocals and excellent guitar technique, they really ended the set with a bang.

JAMIE MOON

Next up to grace the Pepper Rocks stage was JAMIE MOON, who brought a more folk inspired setlist to the event. He opens his set with a gentle and subtle number, with gorgeous vocals over the top which are free flowing and not forced in any way, which gives them an honesty and a vulnerability. In Glasshouse Kids, his guitar technique is lovely, the fingerpicking style provides consistent rhythm and drive to gentle vocals, which conveys the emotions behind the lyrics well. He follows with Cold Hands, which provides a nice change of pace to the set. Playing livelier guitar contrasted really well with the deeper vocals, where the melodies seemed to reflect the bittersweet nature of the lyrics. This song in particular had some good developments from verse to chorus, with some interesting chord changes.

Photo by Cassia Helme

Bite The Wax continues down the relaxed folk road, with flawless fingerstyle technique with twinkly harmonics adds to the delicate nature of the song. Beautiful lyrics decorate the melody further in lines such as “Each night I'm alone, is another night from home. Do you not know you'll always find a way, trouble is I've always been this way”. The melodies feel pure matched with delicate vocals, and the song seems melancholic, but somehow still sprinkled with hope from the fingerpicked style of playing. Following this number, Jamie decides to take off his hoodie for the big reveal... A custom made Josh Wheatley t-shirt, featuring a 15 year old josh on the front, followed by #FollowTheSmook on the back! This prompted a roar from the audience in appreciation and laugher, and as I said before, the evening was certainly a supportive one, and this is exactly how lovely Nottingham's music scene is. But after the big reveal, Jamie plays Atoms, a soft song reminding me of the music of Laura Marling or Damien Rice. The descending melodies reiterates points made in the lyrics regarding the struggles of relationships. With lyrics like “She'll never understand me, I'll never underestimate your love” teamed with the gorgeous melodies, it's hard not to fall in love with this song. The quietly performed guitar enhances the intimacy of the music and the venue, bringing the audience and Jamie closer together.

Photo by Cassia Helme

You'll Never Fool My Heart Again brings yet another change of pace, where the bittersweet folk melodies come through on the guitar, and these have some more momentum to them. The deep vocals painted with vibrato are heartbreaking and lovely. Ending the set with a beautiful number, asking the audience “Ever wondered why?” through the lyrics is a beautiful way to complete a gorgeous set, leaving questions lingering in their minds. Yet one question that was not left in their minds was the question of his talent – as he obviously has a bucket full of it.

NEW COMMUNICATION

Next up to be squeezed onto the stage was a slightly smaller version of New Communication, a usual 8 piece group, and this time they were backed only by MJ Lynch on his guitar. The closeness of the members on the stage really promoted their intimacy as a group, and enhanced the community feeling of the entire evening. What struck me about New Communication was the wonderful contrast of all their vocal styles. The female vocals from Lucia and Alia were gorgeous and really added to the aesthetic of the music, whilst the male vocals from Mitchell provided contrast, and the rap vocals from Jordan really enhanced the delivery of the songs by pushing them that little bit further. They are obviously close as a group, as they danced and were enjoying themselves on the stage, which only helped the audience join in. The guitar grounds all the singers, providing the anchor to build the songs on, but the guitar also gave them an extra push, and added a sense of urgency at times.

Photo by Cassia Helme

Guilty Eyes is one of their more well known numbers, and they seem very comfortable with this one, even without the backing of the rest of their band. The rap lyrics really open the song well with passion and drives it forward where it is joined by clear passionate female vocals on the chorus, which bring another emotive side to the song. It is well executed, and the song structures are really good, and you can tell that consideration has been taken to the stripped back set. Never Let You Get Away was also a track that stood out in particular to me. With the gentle guitar underlying the passionate vocal deliveries, this sweet song is surprising too, with fluid vocals often stopping abruptly in the chorus which keeps the listener intrigued and adds texture to the performance. The female vocalists often sing in unison, and it would have been extra lovely to hear some more harmonies during this song and throughout the set.

A stripped back version of Lost In The Moment actually ended their set on a quieter and contemplative tone. All the vocals are gorgeous and the harmonies demonstrated between the female vocals in this one are beautiful, and are so lovely to hear. The rap section beginning the set was particularly great, and also had a gorgeous delivery. Also when the rap became layered over the female vocals it really brought out an extra dimension to the track, and was a really effective songwriting technique. Their set was superb and despite their diminished numbers, the group performed fantastically and with a big personality which I can't wait to see in the future.

FRANKIE RUDOLPH

Frankie Rudolph's performance was beautiful and passionate, with great guitar techniques and gorgeous, natural vocal delivery. His melodic progressions are lovely and combined with the intimacy of his lyrics he delivers a fantastic performance. His songwriting is considerate with interesting chord progressions and innovative melodies which are understated and subtle, which adds to his mystique. He has strong vocals in all ranges, with an impressive falsetto which promotes a change in tonality, which is very effective. Frankie has a fantastic stage presence, having great communication with the audience and using eye contact well, he's very engaging.

Photo by Cassia Helme

Black and White, a song from his 2013 EP is particularly impressive. The depth of his vocals is stunning and their clarity almost feels as if it penetrates your chest, this makes it highly emotive and rather stunning. The guitar begins fingerpicked which follows a simple chord structure, but when he begins to strum the guitar, the change of pace is great and adds momentum and elevates the song to another level. Frankie has a talent for lyrical writing too, as they are simple and visual, which are actually very effective: “So come on tell me what happened here, everything was good, it was all fine, but the colours disappeared. It's all black and white.” The bridge section is beautiful and leads to an instrumental build up which adds to the undercurrents of distress in the song. Frankie demonstrates excellent vocal control between his chest voice and falsetto in this one too.

Frankie Rudolph navigates his way through some more stunning tracks, each unique and well performed, until he reaches his final set of the evening. I believe this track was called Bones. This final song was another change of pace, with broad chords which were strummed more heavily on guitar. The falsetto vocals over the heavy guitar really adds a polarity and expanse to the song, and promotes a sense of freedom and intensity. Excellent songwriting can be seen in moments such as when Frankie sings “you are my cornerstone”, and then subsequently erupts into guitar movement which is just stunning and really emotive. But when the verses come into play, the guitar is more subtle and lets the vocals shine through. With lyrics like “I miss you more than anything”, it is a truly passionate performance, which even prompts the audience into clapping along, and everyone is really enjoying it. It was a great performance and I can't wait to see him again.

JOSH WHEATLEY

Finally, the star of the show arrived on stage to serenade us sweetly. Josh's set was superb, opening with an older classic of his Sail Away, but with a new twist as New Communication joined him on stage and came in on the second verse. This collaboration created a really close and community feel to the set, and was a lovely demonstration of the sheer love in the room that evening. Lucia and Alia from joined Josh on the “sail away” lyric, which worked beautifully and was utterly lovely. The addition of Alia's trumpet playing during the song is great, and added contrast to the acoustic style. Also, Jordan's rap vocals mixed up this well known Nottingham classic and brought another edge to it, which worked really well.

Photo by Cassia Helme

Following this, Josh takes the limelight for himself now playing solo. We were all there to big up the love for Josh, and so it is so good to see him performing on his own. Josh sang a sweet song about hair smelling like chocolate, while he sings with a voice as smooth as chocolate, he is truly stunning. The melodies have good developments, and the fast moving sections create momentum which combined with gorgeous guitar techniques is awesome. Josh then moves on to play I'll Set Her Free, the final track on his debut EP Follow The Smoke. The song is slow, quiet, honest and intimate. The gentle fingerpicked guitar stirs underneath beautifully sung vocals. The audience falls into complete silence, as they just seem desperate to hear every word.

Next on Josh's setlist is a Biffy Clyro cover of Folding Stars, which is completely different from the original, with Josh putting his unique stamp of tender acoustic onto the rock original. Here he also pushes his falsetto to the limits, and showcases the versatility of his voice, and these delicately delivered vocals have the audience still captivated, and clinging to every word he sings. He follows this with another original from his EP called Give Up The Ghosts. This song is tender and sweet in it's lyrics and the simple melodic lines speak honestly and powerfully; “give up the ghosts from the deeds you sow, lost your faith a long time ago. Crashed a silence in the rise, demons in those midnight eyes”. It's gorgeous and tinted with pain and slight desperation which make it even more powerful. He follows this with From The Wild, another track from his EP, and this picks up the pace completely, as it is much more lively and upbeat. The strummed rhythmic guitar is strong and firm under the gentle vocal melodies. Anwyn Williams joined Josh for this performance, offering her lovely voice for harmonies, which worked wonderfully, and especially with the melodic guitar. It was very well received by the audience, who enjoyed the change of pace and the other side of Josh's sound.

The next song on Josh's setlist in an unnamed number, but one in which he was encouraged by the audience to “call it Lisa!”. This song had some great chord structures and a beautiful falsetto delivery. This song seemed to have more angst than his others, but I think Josh really pulls off angst well, and I enjoyed this new colour to his music. The lyrics such as “I lost my hurricane” also help nurture the distressed undertones to this song. He follows this with Best Of Me, singing in a similar falsetto style, he continues engaging the audience so much so that they join in at times. This song has tones of Eva Cassidy which really suits Josh's style. Somehow listening to this performance feels almost intrusive, as if listening in on an intimate conversation.

Photo by Cassia Helme

He 'ends' the set with Follow The Smoke, the title track from his debut EP, and one of his most favourite songs. The vocal melodies are almost pleading at times, with a hint of desperation, and the truth in the song brings its honesty to the surface which is so raw it's heartbreaking at times. The audience of course participates and sings along in the chorus of “follow the smoke”. While everyone sang along in that moment, it just felt really emotional in that room, as we were all there to support Josh Wheatley, but by extension, the entire local music scene, and it was a powerful coming together of everybody through something so honest as music. It was truly special.

Of course though, that wasn't the end of Josh's set, as he brings out an encore of Bury My Heart, which is a lively contrast to Follow The Smoke. Josh plays some beautiful harmonics on the guitar during this number, which I can't help but feel adds to the specialness of the gig as a whole. The song is subtle and sweet, and the lively bridge is a great change of pace. This even prompts some very cheesy dancing from the audience members! But this still wasn't enough for the audience, who demanded a second encore, to which Josh played a slightly adapted version of Follow The Smoke, entitled Follow The Smook as a homage to the custom shirts seen throughout the evening. Josh mentions that the songs meaning feels slightly compromised due to this new lyric, but actually the laughter and enjoyment brought through this joking around actually enhanced its meaning for me, as I will never forget that performance and the atmosphere of Pepper Rocks that night. A big shout out to Katey Dawson for organising a superb event, and a huge round of applause for all the amazing performers, and an extra special mention of Josh Wheatley for his amazing talent and fabulous new EP, which you can buy off iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, or in person. I seriously suggest you do. 

By Cassia Helme

Gig Review - Oscar Speed @ HMV Live

Written by Cassia Helme for Nottingham LIVE

HMV in Nottingham's Victoria Shopping Centre has been supporting local music and local artists for the last few months, and their support extends to actual performance opportunities for local musicians on Thursdays (now from 5-6pm). One such musician graced the HMV 'stage' to treat us to an hour-ish set on the 30^th January, his name... Oscar Speed.

At 20 years old, what struck me instantly about Oscar was his personality and his stage presence. He's confident but not arrogant, and is very smiley, which helps the audience warm to him. He looks dapper, dressed in a casual suit-like get up, and looking clean only helps with the musical 'pop' aesthetic. The opening number of the afternoon was an original entitled Hold You which is sweet and gentle, but with lively pop features. It's a great start to the set, and with a cheeky grin and happy delivery, the audience were already sold.

Oscar Speed - Photo by Cassia Helme

Following his opening number with a cover of Mayer Hawthorne's The Walk brings an air of 50's soul to the set, and with juxtapositional lyrics of heartbreak combined with the joyful pop melodies it brings a playful edge. His vocals are subtle and not overworked, which suits the song well, and fits in with his aesthetic. He follows with another cover; Treasure by Bruno Mars. He sings the song really well, and his acoustic delivery of this pop number brings out elements to the song such as the sweetness of the chord progressions and his vocals bring out some more romanticism in the lyrics.

He is also joined on stage by a second guitarist, David Newton, who supports him. They are both playng acoustic guitar, and when David plays fingerstyle over Oscar's chords, it works well. Sometimes when they played chords together, they both subsequently become a little heavy, and cloudy, and a little more consideration to the arrangements of the guitars could bring out the more subtle features of their songs, which would really support both the performer's talents.

Another original follows with 'Butterflies' which is another sweet song about love and romance, which tends to be Oscar's favourite topic. He follows this with a great cover of Chuck Berry's You Never Can Tell which brings some 60's rock and roll to the mix, which suits his voice well, and brings another change of pace to the gig. They seemed to really enjoy performing this one, and the audience reacted really well to this.

The audience remained keen to see more for the next cover which was Happy by Pharrell Williams. For this number, Oscar sang some really lovely falsetto vocals at points, which were confident, strong and clear, but were lost amongst the guitars a bit. Standing closer to the mic would have balanced it out better, and helped us hear his fantastic voice. The guitars were a little out of sync in this number, and they both seem to harness different strumming patterns. Again, just a little arrangement and practise would iron this out completely. But having said that, the audience was loving it, and were happily obliging during the lyrics “clap along if you know what happiness is to you”, and seemed to be saying that Oscar Speed provided the happiness in that moment.

The next few numbers really showcased Oscar's vocals, proving them to be strong and really quite gorgeous in the higher registers as well as the lower ones. His vocals are clear, smooth and executed superbly. His originals are well written with considerations being taken to melodic structure and chord progressions, and they fit the pop mould very well, with cheeky lyrics and a smiley delivery, it's impossible not to like Oscar Speed. Finishing the set on an impromptu encore desired by the audience, they pull out a cover of This Love by Maroon 5 which really ends the set with a bang, with everyone dancing and singing along. Oscar commands the room and supplies a fantastically entertaining set, and I look forward to seeing how his career develops in the future.

Oscar Speed - Photo by Cassia Helme

Gig Review - Winterhouse, Ryan Thomas, Eleanor Lee, Anwyn Williams

Written for NottinghamLIVE

This evening is another of the more 'parisian cafe' kind of gigs at Jamcafé, with candlelight subtly lighting the room, and people still eating at their tables, it's relaxed and calm. The atmosphere is perfect for the performers who come to grace the stage, and the first to do that is ANWYN WILLIAMS.

Anwyn opened with an upbeat and gorgeous number, with carefully constructed and lovely melodies. Her songs are folk/country in style, but her vocals are strong and gutsy and have that belt that you might associate with female pop vocalists. Her songs take a turn into the darker side as she progresses onto some deeper songs, which she explores the lower depths of her vocals and sings of more painful topics. The lower vocals are very effective over fingerpicked guitar, which adds tension and an undercurrent of unrest. Her voice is strong in every register she sings in, and her head voice was lovely when I heard it, but I would have liked to hear more. She sings passionately and with an intensity which catches you off guard. Her final songs of the evening are more lively, and show a more fun and playful side to Anwyn as she gets creative with melodies and performance.

ELEANOR LEE is the next to take to the stage with her guitar, and she instantly dazzles as her vocals are unique and her vibrato is intense but in a vulnerable way. The vulnerability and passion in her vocals give them such character, and this character seems to be nurtured in her songwriting. Her songs have really lovely developments, which puts the audience through their emotional paces, as calm and gentle sections often develop into intense and heartfelt outpours which are beautiful and heartbreaking too. Eleanor seems to have a strong emotional investment in her songs which translates in her performance, and when she changes from guitar to piano, this seems to be even more the case. She uses the piano well as an instrument, exploring the use of pedals which make the chords expansive and heady, which to me seems to replicate emotion. Eleanor's vocals will break your heart and mend it all in one song, and if you haven't heard her yet, make sure you do.

Changing the pace a little, the next performer is RYAN THOMAS, who brings his own brand of blues to the Jamcafé stage. He performs solo with his guitar and a harmonica at times, and harnesses both instruments very well. His guitar technique is flawless, and he has a really good use of harmonics too, which for me, is always a pleasure to see and hear. His vocals are gritty but controlled, and are really quite gorgeous. The use of harmonica in his songs compliments them, and adds a contrast in sound compared with his vocals. Some of his songs have a more indie/rock feel to them than the blues, which I think is good in a set like this, as it changes the pace and gives the audience something really different to listen to. In terms of changing the pace, Ryan does this again when he swaps his acoustic guitar for a Fender resonator guitar, which leads to a more bluegrass style of playing. Using a metal guitar slide, this brings some new pitches and techniques to his songwriting, and adds new levels of intrigue to his performance. It was a great performance, and an absolute pleasure to watch.

Finally, the headline act WINTERHOUSE took to the stage as a duo rather than a trio. The two of them coped really well without their third member, and gave another gorgeous performance. Their harmonies are flawless, and I loved the falsetto vocals, as they were delivered confidently and passionately. Their delivery was brilliant and their solos were really well executed, and make up for their missing member completely. With lyrics like “every day give a little bit of your heart away to someone who needs it” you can't help but feel connected to the music, as it is beautiful and poignant. The melodies have a wonderful direction and this is only made more prominent by the well executed harmonies, and even though their vocals sound traditionally folky at times, I also noted rock tones and country too. What struck me about their performance is how involved and invested they were. The two of them were really convincing and had obviously carefully considered the arrangements of the pieces, and were really in sync. Their stage presence is good too, and understated, which is nice because it promoted a relaxed and calm atmosphere. It did make me laugh when for their encore, they announced that the song was “really shit”, but of course it wasn't and ended the evening on a high.

By Cassia Helme

Gig review - LOIS, The Lunadogs and Crimson General - Jamcafe 17/01/2014

Opening last Friday at Jamcafé with a bang were CRIMSON GENERAL, a two-some formed from John Peel favourites Cherry Forever. They have a powerful sound, which is impressive for the just two of them, which is then furthered by their intense reverberated electric guitars and a strong rhythm section. The use of the drum kit is innovative, and rhythms are often complex and unusual which is a great technique to have under your belt and was very effective. Their music is well constructed, with some great transitions between verse and chorus in their songs. They sing gorgeous melodies with good phrasing and have great interactions between the two of them, and the audience. They seemed very comfortable on the stage and very much in their element. Despite there being two of them, their music is full bodied and rich, and they use their instruments in innovative ways to intensify their songs. They also have a great stage presence, and I enjoyed how the end of the set was only properly finished when the lead singer unplugged his guitar from the amp, a bit of showmanship never goes amiss!

THE LUNADOGS are next to take the tiny stage with their funky stylings. With the band stretching out of the norms with a theramin and an electric double bass, they definitely grabbed attention. Distinctive vocals are a powerful tool for The Lunadogs as the higher pitched melodies complement the rest of the band well, and are prominent over the other things going on. The electric bass is used in a broad way, and it is so great to see it both bowed and plucked with great care and precision. It is a fantastic tool both visually as well as musically effective in expanding songs. The bassist also operates the theramin, often playing bass at the same time, therefore is purely operating it with his body. Multitasking like crazy, he manages to get a good balance and a considerate operation of the theramin, which is no mean feat. The song structures were well planned, with some fantastically unusual key changes which added to the funk. There were also some lovely, lengthy instrumental sections which were well executed with good communication between the band. This was also demonstrated in their on stage jam, where they improvised a track on stage from scratch, which had a fantastic end result and really showcased their musicianship. Their music sometimes combines the funky with the spooky, as they can often have active guitars promoting dancing in the audience with great hooks based on a funk style bass part. On the top of this though, vocals can be haunting in their melodies, and when teamed with a distorted theramin, things can get pretty intense. The parts all gel well together though, and feed off of each other. The solos were great too, as they provided a change of pace, but I think that some bass solos would have been a welcome at times. Overall, an impressive and interesting listen, and well worth catching live.

LOIS took to the stage to headline the gig, taking the audience through a multitude of styles and genres, including rock & roll, blues, folk, rock, soul, country and even pop. With strong vocals and harmonies, the band put on an energetic performance, which was powerful and passionate. With strong, heavy bass lines, they build around them, creating well structured songs with catchy melodies. Spanning genres they tear up solos and get innovative by changing it up with a keyboard half way through the set, which changes the pace and feel of the gig somewhat. The keyboard creates a different kind of song construction, leading possibly to 'Be True To Yourself', which felt like a rock infused pop ballad, beginning with vocals and keyboard, and later developing into a full band. I enjoy the various stylistic changes though, as it always keeps the audience on their toes, as no one song is the same as another. Their tracks have excellent sections, and good instrumental breakdowns, with consideration being taken into the balance of their instruments. These performers have a good stage presence, interesting music and an enthusiastic performance style, and are happy to be there, and you would have been too!

By Cassia Helme for NottinghamLIVE

Gig Review - Blessing Magore, Matt Henshaw, Esther Van Leuven, AJA @ Pepper Rocks 14/01/14

Written for NottinghamLIVE - find online review here.

I had never once set foot into Pepper Rocks until Tuesday night, which was the Unplugged Pepper Rocks send off party, to say goodbye to their sound engineer who's off travelling the world. What struck me about the place was it's cosy, small, antique feel. Made with brick, stone and wood, it offers a rustic, traditional pub feel, but with a youthful/edgy side to it, making it a popular haunt for a more alternative crowd. Taking advantage of the £3.50 cocktail offer, I grab myself a Woo Woo (can't help but think that sounds a little risqué...) and find a seat, which isn't particularly easy as the room is jam packed. I'm suddenly grateful I found a seat, as the gig starts a fair bit later than anticipated, as they usually seem to in Nottingham, but before I know it, BLESSING MAGORE takes the stage with LANCE, who I'm not quite sure whether to call an accompanist or not, because he doesn't sing, and plays the lead parts in the guitar, so I think I'm just going to have call him Lance!

This is a slight change up to the original line up, possibly explaining the late start, however Blessing seems comfortable, and confident as he opens the evening. Having had Blessing perform for us on the NottinghamLIVE radio show, I know a little of what to expect, and I'm looking forward to hearing them perform. Both men are on guitars, and Blessing strums as Lance harmonises and adds flourishes here and there. They have a chemistry and complement each other, but possibly due to the level of noise in the room, I couldn't really hear the vocals in the first few numbers. However what I do hear is really nice, with Blessing's vocals being smooth and his accent adding another layer of sweetness to them. There are lovely melodic passages to his music, with careful consideration being taken to song structure, and although there were a couple of small slips here and there, they recovered quickly, and they were barely noticed. Blessing also dedicates a song to Claudia, the 'off travelling' sound engineer, as she is heading to Africa, where Blessing is from. The song is catchy, and the vocals have charm and charisma. Half way through the performance, they are joined on African drums by Daniel Ison, who runs the Pepper Rocks open mic nights. The addition of subtle rhythm brings out another tone to Blessing's music, but doesn't detract from the vocal and guitar parts. Blessing also dedicated the next song to Claudia, but this number is a little darker and almost haunting at times, and again it as some lovely melodies. I do think that the guitars can be a little too similar at times though, and can feel a bit like a jam, but when Lance explores the instrument more, it really does bring out more intrigue into the music, and think that even more use of interesting guitar techniques would be nice to hear. Blessing has a sweet style and lovely vocals, and is a comfortable performer. His performance displayed a variety of influences and was a joy to watch and participate in.

Next on the bill was MATT HENSHAW who I have not seen performing live before, so was looking forward to experiencing something new. What struck me about Matt was his interesting use of chords and powerful vocals. He opened confidently, singing a track I recognised from YouTube, which has a country style feel to it, alongside a bit of The Beatles too. He has a heartfelt delivery, with passionately performed vocals alongside strummed guitar. The next number grabs my attention as it is lyrically honest and lovely, with a passionate performance on lines such as “My door is always open if you need a helping hand, my words are here to guide you, there's always something in the way”. His vocals are impressive, and a little pitchy at times, but this is a result of his intense delivery and heartfelt performance. His vocals are in his chest voice, which is strong and obviously where he is most comfortable, but I would love to hear his falsetto too. The next song he performs is of a different tone, using minor chords, and interesting chord progressions, he instantly has my attention. The change of pace adds interest to his set, and the sadness of the song brings another layer of character to Matt. There is desperation and even anger in this song with lyrics such as “I know you're saying something, but all I hear is nothing that can help me change my life”. The interesting subject matter works well with the unusual chords. His next song changes the pace back to a more cheerful tone, as he dedicated the song to his fellow performers. Bringing back the country notes from previous numbers, the crowd is enthusiastic and is continually supportive. Especially in the next song which he says is for Nick Clegg, David Cameron and George Osborn, which is slightly unusual and has the audiences attention. He then proceeds into a song where he is “calling them out”, and it has a distinctive blues feel, especially in the guitar hook. The song is well structured, with attention being paid to the melodies, which develop really nicely, and are well contrasted from verse to chorus. He finishes his set with some soulful tracks more traditionally about love, and dedicated his last song to everyone in the audience, which of course receives a good response. His entire set was pleasantly surprising and lovely to hear, with talent and a knack for good songwriting, I look forward to seeing Matt again very soon.

Next on the bill was ESTHER VAN LEUVEN, who I swear I saw four times last week. I think I am beginning to know all their songs off by heart just from frequent listening! What I can say about this dynamic duo, is that they are always a pleasure to listen to. Their first number is one of their new tracks 'Mr Loverman', which is soulful and sweet, and both Esther and Frazer are taking extra notice of their performance with consideration being taken with dynamics. The vocals are delicately delivered, but are also contrasted by powerful sections in the chorus. Esther uses her hands on the mic to gesture alongside her vocals, which is nice to see with music of their style. I find myself singing along, because let's face it, I almost know all the words. Their next track is darker, with a sexy, cheeky air to it, and adds a contrast to their set following their opening number. With lyrics like “we'll take it easy but we won't take it slow”, it isn't completely obvious what they mean, but this leaves their songs open for interpretation, which I think helps the audience relate to their music, and form connections with it. Their performances throughout the next few songs are beautiful, with precision and passion for what they are singing, and with excellent chemistry they are an unforgettable duo with heaps of talent. They work so well together, and Frazer is a wonderful support to Esther who takes the lead on vocals, but Frazer in his own right provides a wonderful accompaniment and is vocally irreplaceable in this collaboration. They finish their set with 'Better That I Let You Go' which is a gorgeously varied number, with plenty of room for Esther to showcase her vocals. I particularly love Esther's lower range, as she doesn't venture there too often, but in this track we hear more of it. Their set ends on a high and I can't help but want to listen to it again after it's over.

Ending the evening is the gloriously glamourous AJA, who takes to the stage with her laptop and effects pedals, changing the tone of the evening completely, and adding an electronic edge to the proceedings. She is has a big personality but is warm and open on stage, and this is important being a solo artist. Her performance is passionate and interesting, as she masters the electronica whilst putting on a visual show too and singing. She doesn't inhibit herself on stage, and seems to fully experience her music through her body as well by dancing. Her music is varied and has a definitive artistic direction which makes it special. She uses various electronic techniques intelligently, and obviously takes pride in her work, as it is clearly well thought through, with some unexpected and interesting turns which keeps the audience hooked. She has a mixture of styles, some more lively and dance inspired, other slower and spacious, using heavy reverb and delays on the vocals, creating an ethereal element to her style, which is particularly resonant with me as I am a huge fan of all things ethereal. Unfortunately, I had to leave AJA's set early, but I can say that her unique style, talents, lovely personality and hardworking nature sets her up for an unmissable 2014!

By Cassia Helme