Thursday 27 March 2014

Drama Review - 'Playful Acts of Rebellion' - The Gramophones

Written for Nottingham Live - original article here.

With the Neville Studio of The Playhouse made completely black, it acts as their canvas for THE GRAMOPHONES paint their 'Playful Acts of Protest' upon. With stage scenery including various sized step ladders painted in various colours/white, and a white screen with political statements written around it, such as “votes for women”, “peace not war”, and “people before profit”, it's a minimalist and angular set, which provides a disjointed background for the political ride which The Gramophone Theatre Company take you on. It's a vibrant piece, made more so by the bursts of colour which the three performers are wearing. Reds, greens, purples, and blues make up the performers costumes, and reiterate the playful nature of their piece. Their colourful attire matches their colourful personalities, and one of the beauties of this show is that you feel as if you are truly getting to know the performers individually, as they express their personal stories with feeling and conviction, and each with a glittery uniqueness. They use multimedia cleverly, by using a projector to display images on the previously mentioned screen, and they also utilise a video camera in one part to simulate a video documentary, which they record and project at the same time, which has a really interesting effect. It's fun, and cleverly thought out, and really adds to the artistic effect of the production.

Audience participation plays a key role in the performance, with frequent ventures into the stalls, they ask for quotes, opinions and interactions. They hand out vegetables, and ask audience members to hold up placards, throw paper, and to also hold up two large cardboard breasts. It's great to be involved, and the laughing and conversations between audience members and the performers makes it seem really relaxed and open, helping us to connect with them and their messages. Their messages are political and each person has their own political agenda; Ria campaigns against capitalism, whilst Kristy fights against food waste, and Hannah stands up for women's rights. Their political stories are told to us sporadically, and on a rotational basis. We won't just hear one story all the way through, we'll hear part of one, before it switches to another member. It's an interesting method to keep the audience engaged, and a way to spread them out evenly, but sometimes it can feel a little disjointed. The play is entitled 'Playful Acts of Rebellion', and it certainly is that, with rib tickling comedy and a lighthearted feel, it certainly displays the more fun and frivolous nature of political protest, however in this, I feel it's treading too lightly. They missed a trick with the political aspect – it could have been made much more emotionally three dimensional with some real, engaging material. A few statistics were mentioned here and there, and there was a picture of a bin with some slices of bread in it, but with the subjects they are talking about, they could have really engaged with tasteful, artistic, but gut wrenching political material, which wouldn't have dampened the mood, and done tastefully could have really plucked heartstrings rather than skimming the surface. I saw 'End to End' in Edinburgh a couple of years ago, and found it really emotional, and it actually brought me to tears, and I feel that the magical element of their performance was a little lost in this piece, which was disappointing for me.

Nonetheless, the overall production of the performance was really well done, with a creative use of the space and props and an engaging and entertaining method of storytelling, the performers successfully navigate their way through their own stories. They are such lovely characters, and their personalities and vulnerabilities shine through, making it feel like a very personal experience. Their honesty about their dilemmas with political activism ring true with most people who feel politically passionate about an issue, and it was really great to see these more personal sides to them. It's entertaining, vulnerable and fun, whilst also packing a bit of a punch, and is definitely worth seeing. For tour dates and further information, visit their website

Gig Review - Practical Lovers Single Launch 14/03/2014


Written for Nottingham Live - original article here.

It's the PRACTICAL LOVERS single launch, and as the room warms up, and the people begin to congregate in front of the stage, the audience is treated to the Clockwork Orange soundtrack, which I can't work out whether fits or not, I'm going to say it does. The quirky, off kilter classical music is interesting, and suitably alternative, and the pieces which are electronically altered fit quite nicely with the four bands about to take to The Chameleon stage.

As the first act RAINBOW DOWN began to perform, the room began to fill, not just with people, but with the intensity of heavily layered angsty synth pop. Sweetness kicks off proceedings explosively, with passionately performed vocals taking main stage over a dense, desperate and dark pop backing track. The emotion in the performance is obvious, with the amount of movement and dance on stage, and is engaging and entertaining. Pollyfiller begins more sparse, with a different feeling, but still retains the angst which Rainbow Down portrays so well. During the chorus the backing track expands, allowing space for the synths to fill the gaps. The density of the music is powerful, and barely gives you time to think, you can only feel it. Floating F**king Fading has a more traditional pop feel, it's a change of pace, but still retains the desperation in the tone of the music, and is alternative in terms of lyrics and delivery. Next up is a techno number, for which Rainbow Down encouraged the audience to move forward, and to dance to. The backing track on this one is punchy, with prominent hi-hat beats pulsing through the thickness of the synths. After this number he navigates through a few more original pieces, each one well performed and passionately delivered, before ending with Hammered, a song about not knowing what happened the night before after a few too many. Opening with a repetitive, interesting melody crafting the lyrics “What the f**k happened last night?”, it commands the audiences attention. It's a dark song to end on, with a heavily bass driven backing track, but it works well, and the outro is a repeat of the intro, which boxes the song, and gives a nice clean finish to a very raw and passionate performance.

I AM LONO follow, opening with Grey Kraut, it continues the angst-pop theme of the evening, with the lead vocalist going for it on keys, whilst the guitarist provides a great rhythmic backdrop for the passionately delivered vocals. During the chorus, lead vocals switch from the keyboardist to he guitarist, which adds texture, and their vocals really compliment each other. The keys and backing drops at tactful moments n the track, which makes them really poignant when they return, and gives the song extra movement. Leland follows, and the electric guitar is swapped for a bass, drives the song with repetitive melodies, which are drilling and mesmeric. The keys work well with the bass, as they contrast the low tones with higher pitched melodies, and it fills out the song, making it intense and emotional. Only Love continues this theme, and the intensity of the track is enhanced by low chords being played on the keyboard which are given movement and agitation by the heavily strummed guitar. The vocals are well controlled, and even when the vocal style is shouty it's still excellently delivered and well thought through, enhancing the music further and giving it the desperation which works so well. The next song, In Silence, reminds me off a lively, layered and ferocious version of The XX. The sounds are similar, but I AM LONO is edgy and has heartfelt, passionate vocal deliveries, with music which pushes forward with force. Too Bright kicks off with an intense keyboard melody, focusing on only a few notes, it's paranoid pop at its best. It gives way to gorgeous, deep vocals accompanied by baggy bass drums in the backing track, which makes the song feel spacious but busy too. The occasional return of the keyboard melody is tactful, and shows a careful consideration to the structure of the entire song. On stage, they're both engrossed in their performance, and are active, but not so much that it's distracting from listening to the music. They end their set with Everything Is Made Of Fives, a heavier, darker track which has more weight to it. The rhythmic vocals are focused around just a few notes, which adds to the track, giving a feeling of being stuck. The layered, higher pitched drones in the backing track provide an effective musical method of creating discomfort, but it's not unpleasant, it's actually very powerful. They end on a strong song, and I have to take a good few moments to breath and relax before the next act, who are what the evening is all about!

PRACTICAL LOVERS take to the stage, with much enthusiasm from the audience, and open their set with a classic of theirs; Textbook Romance. The bass kicks off the track with it's catchy, rising melodies which are livened up by the rhythm in the backing track. The liveliness of the song, and the upbeat melodies are a change of pace from the former bands, and although the lyrics and premise of the song are sadder, it's very danceable, especially with the addition of the synths in the backing track. The lead singer is hugely passionate about the music, and the emotion is bursting out of him with his aggravated, intense stage presence. Inside Job follows, which feels tortured with the repetitive melodies. The synths in the backing track add to this, by filling in headspace. The strummed, rhythmic bass pushes the song forward, and is well played as a lead instrument. Next up, they perform a Future Islands cover of Long Flight, which is more angsty than the original, with the deep, heartfelt vocals, it's given new meanings. The bass continues to be a lead instrument, however also retains some of the expected features of a traditional bass guitar. The song becomes truly vibrant when the bassist ventures into the audience, but the dancing and adventures didn't distract from the music, and they remained on form. Falling Down follows, where the repetitive vocal melodies seem to be stuck on emotions and memories, and the falling melody in the chorus reflects the lyrics. I glance behind me, and the crowd is dancing. It's bittersweet and this evidently resonates with the audience who are enjoying the set. The song builds towards the end section, where furiously strummed bass and the intense synths completely fill the room with musical paranoia and angst. Restless is more fast paced, with rhythmic bass which is relentless, and feels entirely restless as the song would suggest. The lyrics are painfully honest; “If I don't know myself, how am I going to bring someone along with me, what's wrong with me?” again it focuses on the difficulties of love and the mind, and how they often struggle to work together. The song is short, snappy and over quickly, which again fits in well with its title. Put It Bluntly is less prominent in the backing track, which allows for the more raw sides of the two of them to come through, and without the heavy synthy overlays, it's blunt, and honest. The rhythm is still strong though, which gives the song an inherently pop feel, and drives it forward. Next up, they announce that “it's the moment we've all been waiting for”, and after some audience banter, they begin playing the single they're launching; No Reply. It's spacious, with an echoey backing track, and baggy drums which are almost condemning, which suits the nature of the song, condemning the lead singer to his torment on receiving “no reply” to his advances. The feeling in the room is a great one, with Practical Lovers performing really well, and getting really involved with it, the audience is with them too, and it's a great atmosphere. The vocals are deep and are complimented by the interestingly played bass, which seems to be influenced from the previous use of synths, and plays a disjointed, jumpy melody in the verses before switching to strumming in the chorus. It's great to hear this experimental side of the band coming through too. The instrumental outro is very intense and desperate, with penetrative oscillating patterns which heighten the emotion of the music, showcasing the pain behind the song. The song ends both dramatically and playfully though, with random plonking on the synth from both the singer and the bassist, who are evidently enjoying themselves. The music warps and distorts into the final track of their set Never Again, which is a fantastic end to the set, and gets the audience going one last time. PRACTICAL LOVERS are fantastic live, and are entertaining, and afterwards you won't know whether you feel happy or sad, but it's worth it.

Wrapping things up are APRIL TOWERS, who definitely inject a dose of happy electro-pop into the evening, which gets people dancing and into the Friday feeling.Their set up is interesting, with three keyboards, guitars, and vocals, it's almost like they have a fort of instruments on the stage. Opening with When The World Screamed, the lead vocals feel heartfelt, and a little vulnerable over the confidence keys and backing track. The vocal melodies are powerful though, and the vocals are well controlled. The higher pitched electric guitar passages over the intense synthy backing, which adds texture and direction, and works really well. Marisol follows with its distinct samba tones in the rhythm section of the backing track, but it develops and changes into a full blown pop song, but with a really chilled vibe. The vocals are strong, and remain so in the falsetto sections too. It's easy going, with gorgeous expansive synths making the track feel spacious and relaxed, but still retaining a strong drum beat which makes the track entirely danceable. Electric Storms is next on the setlist, and with its varied and exciting sections, and switching between instruments, the pair keep it interesting, and the sections are very different, which gives the audience new elements to latch onto. They have a great stage presence, and have good communication between each other, and are obviously concentrating, but also very involved with the performance. Arcadia follows, which also flaunts the singer's falsetto during the gorgeously dark bridge section, which is a nice contrast to the previous tracks of the set. The anticipation builds in this track, before it erupts into the chorus, and builds up the anticipation ready for the final track of the evening. Tell Aviv begins almost anxiously with the heavy, synthy drum rhythms, and a gradually falling melody in the verse. It builds to an eruptive chorus, with the melody dramatically rising in pitch for the line “We get so high when we're together”, which is clever and also incredibly catchy. The guitar in the verses also sounds particularly good, and the keyboard layering in the chorus really recreates the romantic feelings of the song. It's a fantastic, upbeat end to the set, and appropriately leaves the audience feeling in high spirits.

By Cassia Helme

Saturday 8 March 2014

Gig Review - Notts In A Nutshell 03/03/2014

Written for Nottingham Live, original article here.

Notts in a Nutshell is a regular night at classic Nottingham venue The Maze, where local bands are able to showcase their material, and try things out in a comfortable environment. On 3rd March I ventured down there to see what was going on, and it turned out to be a very interesting night.

First on stage was SHAMAN ERGINER, who donned his acoustic guitar, and performed a varied set, consisting of mostly covers and a few originals. He has a good grasp of the guitar, he mainly strummed his way through the songs, and I would have liked to have seen some more fingerpicking too just to add some more spice and variety to his set. His vocal delivery is emotional and passionate, and carries all the songs well. He varies his covers from the originals, giving them his own stamp, but some stay more close to them than others. He has a nice stage presence, and is a warm character who the audience can feel close to, which serves him well. It was a good performance, and started the evening off nicely.

Taking things to a whole different game was the Derby based THE ORAMICS MACHINE, whose songs were interesting, and had some excellent sections. The first number they played began quiet and slow, gently rocking out, but then it just drops into seat trembling heavy sections which are full of angst and pain. The guitars are heavy, and the vocals are vulnerable whilst still retaining some power. What drew me to them was the pure intensity of their music, it's in your face, it's painful and heavy, whilst having quieter, softer sections where it almost hurts after the angst fuelled noisiness beforehand. They utilise their instruments well, taking careful consideration into the soundscapes of their songs, with nice uses of varied time signatures to make some numbers kind of trippy, whilst others use dischords to shake things up. They're off kilter and it works for them, and I hope they continue to gig down Nottingham way in the future.

Next up were newly formed band BAYBO SQUAYBO with their first ever performance. Considering it was their first gig as a freshly formed band, they were very focused and in tune with each other. Opening with a track called Disease, the lead singer's vocals are strong and clear, and display vulnerability over a powerful rock ensemble. The song is constructed well, and is nicely balanced with guitar fills between the powerful vocal lines, it packs a punch but is also emotional. The next number Self Aware has some beautiful vocal melodies which carry painful, heartfelt lyrics over a more chilled musical atmosphere. It has some really interesting chord progressions into the chorus, and some excellent backing vocals from the second guitarist, who takes the reins for the next number. He has a really passionate delivery, and is very different from the other lead singer, and shows another side to their band. The instruments are layered well with some really nice solos going on, and the drums are really tight and keep everyone together. Although all the members were in bands already, it's surprising how well they are working together for their first gig, it's very professional. The next song with working title Jazz Ting-a-Ling brings both vocalists together, where they throw the vocal melodies between them, sharing the role Their vocals are different, but merge well on stage, and add new layers to the music. The guitar melodies are very progressive in this one, with some excellent lead guitar solos and it's obvious this band has a wide variety of influences which are shining through here and there, such as jazz/blues elements. Next they played a very good cover of My Hero by Foo Fighters, which was followed by their last track of the evening, an original called Life. This song is really passionate, with heavy sections that are deep and intense, but that are followed by lighter, spacious sections too, which still retain the memory of the heavy parts, which makes them really poignant. Their are some excellent drum solos too, and the changes of time signatures in this and their other songs provide some new elements to latch onto. It's a fantastic performance, especially considering the circumstances, and can only see this band improving and I hope they gig a lot more.

GREEN HILL ZONE followed, with their more traditional punk rock sounds. They were heavy and played with direction and passion, and the vocals were strong and forceful. Although the songs were melodic, the vocals were still often shouted, being reminiscent of heavy metal music, which seemed a bit out of place for the style they were going for. Although when the melodies were present in the vocals, they had good progressions. There are some well structured songs, with good bass driven sections, which gave the songs a focus and a drive. The songs were fairly similar, and emulate a more overarching umbrella of the sound they're going for, and some more variation and experimentation, and travelling away from their comfort zones would be really interesting to hear in the music. Despite the lead singer losing a capo for one of his songs, he manages to pull it off well, and despite the inconvenience, he still produces some really nice guitar melodies which support the vocals. The harmonies were sometimes slightly out of tune, which is a shame, as they could be really powerful. However, the haphazard style of the music, and the punk rock genre does tend to lend itself to off kilter vocals, and vibrant performances, so it does work on some levels. The band seems to put a lot of emphasis on their stage presence and how they come across as a band, sometimes more so than the music, with the vocalist and bassist going in for a kiss at a couple of points, and frequently playing their instruments to each other, but it seems like in these moments the music gets forgotten, rather than it stemming from the music itself. I do have to say though, that the lead guitar and the drums were really tight, and displayed some great musicianship. The set was lively, energetic and fun for sure, and definitely the kind of music you wanna hear if you're up for having a good old boogie.

CUT THE HEROICS follow on with a similar classic punk rock sound. The songs have some good melodies in the vocals and the instruments, with the vocal melodies often being mimicked in the other parts, showing some consideration to the song structures. The bass is really strong, and a little too heavy, as it booms around the room, and in my skull, which throws the balance of the other parts, and is a little overwhelming. It's a shame the bass is so loud, as it does effect my enjoyment of the performance because it's just too much. The vocal performance is strong, with some great melodies coming through, but again they can be quite forceful, which may be just stylistic of the genre, but it means I miss the lyrics which is a shame because I love hearing what people are actually singing about. Also, the bassist joins in with the vocals in some lines, and they sing in unison, which works, but trying out some harmonies in the vocals could work really well, and add extra layers to their music. They play well together though, and are musically tight, with the drums keeps things in check, and they navigate their way through the songs well and with ease. They seem comfortable on stage, and are understated, which is appealing, and warms the audience to them. They utilise the punk -pop/rock genres well, and employ classic chord structures for their songs. They're upbeat and fun, and with lighthearted chords and song structures, which can be a bit repetitive, and would be even better if they had some variations, as the chords tend to say the same throughout the songs. Their performance is commendable though, as they seem to be enjoying themselves and they're performing well.

My evening was varied and interesting, as all Notts in a Nutshell gigs are, as they display some of Nottingham's less well known music for your eyes and ears, and who knows, you could discover a new favourite band? At only £3 a pop, it's a great way to spend a weeknight, so pop down one week, and see what this city has to offer you.

Gig Review - Flip The Lid 02/03/2014

Written for Nottingham Live, original article here.

It was Brewdog's birthday at the beginning of March, and marking the occasion was a fantastic gig of wonderful local music put on by I'm Not From London. Flip The Lid is an acoustic night put on every two weeks at Brewdog Nottingham, which showcases some really special local talent.

Speaking of special local talent, kicking off the evening was ANWYN WILLIAMS, who I've managed to see so much of lately, that I think I'm beginning to know her songs inside and out! She kicked things off with the fun, lively, upbeat Drinking In Bars. After some slight feedback issues, it all managed to settle down, and allowed her to take the stage by storm with her powerful voice, and guitar which pushes the melody forward, especially during the “I'm fine anyway” lyric. The Rambler is next, which is a much darker number, with low pitched fingerpicked guitar, it rumbles and forms and angsty undercurrent, which moulds her deeper vocals and works well. Walking Now follows, and keeps on with the sadder tones of the previous number, with passionately performed vocals, and melodies which broke hearts, it's a gut wrenching song which gets me a little every time. She follows this with new track Old Bones, which she only played the previous night at The Breakfast Club's album party (which you can read the review here). It's a quiet song, letting the emotions settle from the previous number. The guitar is subtle and slow, and the simple chords allow for the lovely melodies in the fingerpicking and vocals to shine through. Another brand new song Bridges was really gorgeous, and had a more pop feel to it, which provided a nice change of pace from the country sound. It had a particularly intense chorus, again featuring heartbreak, which was repeated, building the intensity; “I burned all my bridges leading back to you”. Driftwood follows, with intense fingerpicking and flowing melodies, it seems very in line with it's lyrical content too, really painting a picture musically of driftwood floating down a stream. Going Gone Away ends her set on a high, with its rising melodies and upbeat delivery, flowing perfectly into our next performer of the evening.

MARTIN SANDERS steps on the stage with his blues fuelled songs, with a cover of Country Blues. One thing that occurs to me about Martin is his blues guitar is more aggressive than most I've seen, which is really great to see, and he teams this style of playing with a mixture of both soft and shouty vocals which aids the rollercoaster emotions of the song. Leave Me Be follows, which is another intense song, but is a bit more upbeat than the previous number, there are some really great pitch bending techniques being applied on the guitar melodies, which have a lovely way of filling in the vocal breaks. No Damn Good is the next song, which is another more downbeat number, and is more downtrodden with lyrics such as “go ahead and leave me”. It has a passionate vocal delivery, with a more rock influence coming through, but still retaining the classic blues style in the guitar. I even thought that the chord progressions and melodies were so interesting and progressive that it even reminded me a bit of classical music, but maybe that was the Punk IPA talking.The next song in the set was Cocaine (All Around My Brain), which picks up the crowd a bit with a more upbeat number. It has some particularly good chord progressions and great sections, and a strong vocal delivery. It seems like this song contains a few influences including blues, jazz, rock and even pop a little. It's great and Martin seems really connected to his performance, and really emotionally invested in the songs. His set ends on Four Til Late, which ended the set on a more traditional blues feel, which rounded his set nicely. It was a particularly entertaining set, and great to see such a confident musician really nail his craft and thoroughly enjoying himself in the process.



Next up on the bill is a very special set from THE FADE, who step out of their electrified rock comfort zone and perform a set almost entirely acoustically (except for the electric bass guitar). With both Jackson and Sam on acoustic guitars instead of electric, and Joe donning a cajon rather than his drum kit, it's a very interesting change for them. They kicked off proceedings with Capo on 2nd, which is a gentle and sweet rock number, but with the acoustic set up, it really brings out the desperate tones in Sam's vocals, and the acoustic guitars simmer gently, and are given punch from the cajon and more direction from the bass. Jackson played a lovely solo on acoustic guitar too during this one. The song has lovely developments during the instrumental sections, which have a low key feel when played acoustically. 
Waltz On 2nd follows, which is solely an instrumental number, which sounds lovely with the acoustic, almost spanish sounding guitar. The cajon and shaker comes through and highlights the subtle melodies. The rock influences come through still, retaining the usual sound of the band, whilst the acoustic set up puts a new spin on things. Some Things is next, with Sam introducing the song, telling us it was the first song they ever wrote. It's livelier than the previous two numbers, picking up the pace and acoustically driving the music in another direction. It's upbeat, but retains some angst and dirty rock sounds with the bass. The fast paced nature of this song means they all have to be extra aware of each other, and their set up becomes more apparent. They are sat in a semicircle formation, which promotes communication between the members, and they are working together really well. They also have be even more in tune with each other during Perfect Storm, the next number on the bill. It is a longer, stretched out number, which has subtle, low key, downbeat melodies. Acoustically it's kind of a different animal, with relaxed and sweet melodies playing out on gentle acoustic guitars. They're working well together, making sure they are all staying in tune with each other. The instrumentation is really nice in this one, with careful considerations to the arrangements and how the songs transpire to an acoustic set up. It seems like the balance of the instruments have been considered, and the time and effort pays off in a beautiful performance. It's laid back to, because they are all sat down together, it almost feels like a really great jam, which brings them closer to the audience. Ending their set with Best Before Blues, they pick up the pace again, and inject some energy for the final push. Usually Joe (rhythm) provides the backing vocals on The Fade's tracks, but due to the acoustic set up, the job has been given to Jackson, who takes on the vocals and adds a new tone to them. The backing vocals are deep and grumbly, with emotion and a definite moodiness which adds to the song, and contrasts nicely to the acoustic vibes. Their set was a laid back version of themselves, and it worked so well that I really hope they explore this set up more with some of their other tracks too. They work well as a rock group, but their stripped back acoustic ensembles brings out new elements to their music I hadn't noticed before, and was rather lovely.

Headlining Flip The Lid were CHESHIRE AND THE CAT, a popular feel good band in Nottingham, who certainly brought the party vibes for the final act of the evening. With trumpet, sax, bass, guitar, cajon and vocals, it's the largest ensemble of the evening, and the layers this provides certainly makes the music very funky and lively. Milk in the Morning is their opening track, with lively, jazzy and pop infused melodies, it builds up nicely with the trumpet and sax parts, before coming in with soulful vocals. The female vocals are passionate and strong, and her strength is complimented nicely by the softer and gentler male vocals. There are interesting sections in this number, and breakdowns, which prompt the audience into many false ending applauses. This enables the song to subtly change into the next number Beast is Back, which has a an upbeat cheeky feel with the rising melodies in the chorus, complemented by the falling melodies in the bass. It's fun, flirty and a burst of energy, preparing us for the next number Devil's Jazz. Which has a gorgeous chorus, with female vocals erupting, with their smooth chocolatey texture, and amazing strength. It's got great arrangements and some excellent sections, there also seems to be a nice mix of genres here, including jazz, hip hop, pop and even rock at times. The songs are fairly long, but they change and develop often, and the instrumental sections and solos are particularly good. Next up was a cover of Wandering Eye by Fat Freddies Drop, which had some really nice moments where the trumpet and sax are playing together, and are stood in centre stage with each other. They are obviously having fun on stage and enjoying themselves, which is a pleasure to watch. Both the female and male vocals in the verse are sang in unison, which I think personally was a missed opportunity for some great harmonies to unfold. The vocals are lovely though, and the solos are great with power but still retaining delicacy and emotion.The cajon is strong and a driving force throughout, but is very similar, and although you need the rhythm section to be constant and not going all over the place, a little more variation could be really great. The final number of their set is one of their more well known numbers called The Sax Song. This number is more chilled, and ends the evening in a relaxed manner. The song is quieter, with gentle instrumentation, which is nice underneath the painful lyrics and angsty melodies; “What happened to the love, what happened to the dancing? You said it's gone, I said you're wrong”. It has some great developments and although is quite a sad subject matter, it still manages to be upbeat, despite it's more chilled nature.

The evening was a stunning one, with fantastic music, and I left that gig with a big smile on my face. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and thought for a birthday gig, you couldn't really do much better! Thanks Brewdog!

By Cassia Helme

Friday 7 March 2014

Gig Review - The Breakfast Club Album Party 01/03/14

Written for Nottingham Live, original article available here.

The Petrol Money album party for THE BREAKFAST CLUB was most certainly a party! With great local music, a comedic slant and good company, it was a fab way to spend a Saturday night. I grabbed my pint of the evening (make mine a cider) and sat with the first act herself, and got myself ready to be entertained.

What better way to kick off a party than with the lovely ANWYN WILLIAMS, who after getting compared to a tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream by the compering local comedian Tom Stevenson, easily managed to sweep away the 'sweet' stereotype and packed a punch with opening number Drinking in Bars. Her vocals are strong with an excellent delivery, and the strummed guitar emanates classic country music. Following this number with Silver Linings, she realises she has no capo, to which Josh Wheatley (just there to watch!) comes to the rescue. Silver Linings has some gorgeous fingerpicked guitar and powerful melodies. The vocals are impressive, with lovely dips in and out of her head voice, which is beautiful. Walking Now follows, with is darker, with lines such as; “Troubles came like stormy weather, I'm walking out but please don't ask me why”. It's fast paced, and has a drive and passion behind it which brings out the pain in the melodies. The Rambler follows, which is another intense number. The fingerpicked guitar explores the vocal melodies, and echoes them which is lovely and makes the song really quite beautiful. Next up, she plays a new track which she had only just played all the way through that afternoon; Old Bones has a really lovely, varied melody, and the chorus is gorgeous. There are a few small hiccups, as you might expect from a never performed before song, but Anywyn recovers well, and shows great musicianship on stage. It's low key, vulnerable and lovely. An elongated version of Driftwood follows, which is angsty and emotional, with deeper guitar flaunting her unique vocals. Her final song of the evening ends her set with a bang, with the lively and fast paced, Going Gone Away. With an excited rising melody in the chorus, and a traditional country feel, she rouses the audience ready for the next act.

RIC BIRTILL follows, an act from Lincoln. He provides excellent comedy numbers, using the music to mould his jokes and using song structures to comic effect. He writes songs about loving alcohol, with lines like “I don't mind being sick to spend more time with you” which he then follows with making heaving/vomit noises, which although is cringy, it's also very funny. With another song he uses comedy and politics to mould From England With Love, a number regarding the situation in Russia and Vladamir Putin's laws; “My name is Vladamir Putin, I've got a secret that I am refuting. But meet me tonight, alone in Sochi, and I will come out of the closet”. Other numbers include The Christmas Song (We Are the Scum of the Earth), about being a part time Christmas temp, and a song about being on the doley, where he asks; “what's come of my piece of shit degree?”. He's charismatic, funny, clever and is musically interesting. He sings out of tune on purpose to comic effect, and he has some really good melodies and song structures. He's a very talented chap, and pulls off the comedy/music combo very well indeed.

After some more compering from Tom Stevenson, BUD approach the stage. She's joined by her band, an electric double bass player and a acoustic guitarist/backing vocalist. BUD sings sweet, subtle pop with some incredible vocals in both the high and low registers. She's soulful and passionate, but also very lighthearted and lovely. She opens with Beautiful, which has lovely melodies, and a chord structure which is reminiscent of old style pop and even reggae. Her vocals are so smooth, and she sings in an accent which suits the style well. Goodbye For Now follows, with gorgeous rising melodies in the guitar, which are sweet and run gently underneath vocal melodies which follow a similar tune. The melodies can get fairly repetitive in the chorus, which works for a while and is fairly typical in the pop genre, however they were a little too repetitive for me, I'd have liked a bit more variation. It was a lovely song though, and was well received by the audience. Next she plays a cover of Bridge Over Troubled Water, and has put a new, fun, summer-pop spin on a classic, and it works really well. It's upbeat and has reggae type tones in the guitar. Vocally BUD puts her own stamp on it and takes it somewhere it's never been before. It's a great showcase of her creativity. During the set she sings a cover of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, which is fairly close to the original, but still manages to be interesting and the arrangement for the ensemble is particularly good. She brings the mood back up with Happy, a sweet original with an upbeat bouncy melody. The melodies switch between the guitar and the bass too, which is a really nice technique and gives the song some added depth. She follows this with a really nice cover of Mercy by Duffy, which is a good change and development from the original, there are some particularly lovely vocals in this one, with lovely harmonies and backing vocals. An original song called 1953 follows, then her set ends with a really nice cover of Aviici's Wake Me Up which puts a unique spin on a recent pop hit, with scrumptious vocals and harmonies, and good arrangements.

After some more banter from the compere, ADAM CLARKSON from CAPTAIN DANGEROUS takes to the stage. Opening with Executing Elliot, it's obvious that he's a charismatic performer, with personality and a presence that makes you warm to him. He moves around a lot on stage, dancing with his guitar and going with it. It's really interesting hearing Captain Dangerous tracks without the rest of the band, sometimes they feel rather bare, but at the same time, the absence of the other instruments gives the vocals and guitar more limelight, and more weight. Forgive Us We're British was a particular favourite in the crowd, with it prompting a fair bit of audience participation, and Adam really going for it in the chorus. He follows this with another Captain Dangerous track from the album; Merrow Song, which is also very well received, as is a new track that hasn't been played before called King Richard IV. The solo rendition of Boozehounds was also particularly good, with a passionate vocal delivery, and a really fantastic power and sadness felt during the chorus during the climactic “we'll drink ourselves to oblivion, cause that's what broken men do time and time again my dear, by the way you broke my good friends heart, how could you”. It's not a particularly sad song, in fact it's lively and upbeat, but the solo electric guitar makes it feel sadder, and the bittersweet juxtaposition between happy music//sad lyrics is quite enchanting. After Boozehounds, he follows with a new song which I really enjoyed called Hang Your Head In Shame Darlin, which has a really catchy chorus, and has a lot of passion in the performance. A Captain Dangerous classic, Everything Beautiful Reminds Me Of You follows, which is well known in Nottingham, and even if you don't know it, just listen and you will feel like you do! It's a great pop number, which also deals with the bittersweet break up lyrics with happy music, although Adam looks stark and lonely on stage singing the song on his own, making the classic melody in the chorus really hit home. He isn't really alone in singing it, as the audience is singing along with him too. The last song of his set, another new number called Down and Out in Kenilworth and Nottingham, has some really good progressive sections, describing how “this isn't the rock and roll dream we imagined”. It's a poignant end to a great set, and sets us up perfectly for the final act of the evening.

The headline act that the gig is all about, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, then take to the stage. They don't take themselves too seriously, and they are having fun on stage, joking with each other and the audience, which promotes a really friendly vibe in the audience. Opening with Maggie, the gig starts with a down to earth bang, with a lively approach but slightly more sinister lyrics which fit well with the band's style. Squeeze is the next track on the bill, which is the single of their new album. The song is fast paced and lively, but they managed not to get ahead of themselves, despite their enthusiasm. The vocals are strong and the communication between the band members is great to see on stage. The next number, they all swap instruments, having an awkward shuffle about, and sam takes centre stage. It is announced that this was his attempt at a happy song, and it has therefore ended up titled She's So Depressed. Again it tends to follow their other song styles, with a fun bass driven melody, and bittersweet lyrics, it has a wonderful, honest juxtaposition. The bridge brings this to light, it's darker with a moody key change, however the lyrics still have that lack of poetry flounce which makes them really punchy; “she says she doesn't like me in that way, we still have sex though, sometimes we talk into the night, while I have essay deadlines”. This is one of my favourite songs from The Breakfast Club, purely because I love how it doesn't dress itself up.

Following this is Pushing Up The Daisies, which follows the same track listing as the album. It is described as a “happy song about love and stuff”. It has some fantastic cheery guitar riffs, which become more prominent in the fills. The melodies follow a more typical pop style format, and again, the lyrics are sweet and definitely about love, however the blunt honesty of them adds edge to the song. Bodies follows this, which is maybe the natural progression as a break-up song. Although the mood stays light, it's more painful than the others, with the repeated melodies focused around one note, make it quite desperate. The mood picks up again, with the hilarious, fast paced Ciaran's Hair, the second track off the new album Petrol Money. Singing about Ciaran's persuits of a dancer, and it's just simply hilarious with lyrics such as “Ciaran, put that stranger down”. I was giggling throughout the whole track, the music lends itself to pointing fun, which is exactly what this song does. It's lively and upbeat, and very cheeky pop. This song is another short one. The Breakfast Club tends to write short and snappy songs, which are pretty catchy, and it works well for their comedy lyrics.

I Miss You More Than Woolworths is the next track in the set, and has some lovely harmonies, and is probably one of the sadder songs, but is followed by Emma Taylor, a lively number which they all obviously enjoy, as they just seem to be having loads of fun on stage. They speed up the song, and play with it, which makes for a very entertaining performance. Following this, the entertainment continues with a cover of Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, which is fun and playful with the band inviting people to moonwalk on the dancefloor. Original number Cocktails from the album follows, and the song plays around with time signatures, and generally has a more funk influence, which is really interesting, and fits well with the style of the song. It's a bit darker, with lyrics such as “these cocktails will only bring you more pain”, which are funny but also sinister too with their references to alcoholism. Playfully, the next track is called Sing Baby Sing, which was written in an attempt to get the word “Baby” in a song as many times as possible. It's an ode to the 50's, and has that kind of style. This is why the band is so easy to warm to, as their songs are amusing and lighthearted but they're all examples of good pop, and are really catchy. Strawberries is another great number, which is sweet but funny too, and it gets dedicated to a couple in the audience who travelled from Milton Keynes to see them play. Prick follows which is a rowdy number about men who try to grope women without permission, and is performed enthusiastically, and passionately, with a particularly well shouted chorus.

They end their set with Topshop, another humorous number in which fun is poked at the fashion industry, and the people who shop at top shop obviously. The chorus is light, catchy and funny; “Do you like my top? Got it from Top Shop, the same place as you got yours. Dress like my mates, but in different colours”. It's a great end to their set, prompting an enthusiastic audience response, however of course this wasn't the real end to their set. After a slightly clumsy exit and entrance back to the stage, they followed with two encores, I'm A Believer and Hey Jude, which ended the set on a lighthearted note, and made you leave with a smile on your face. They performed an excellent, fun, varied and exciting set, and I look forward to seeing them perform again in the near future. You can purchase Petrol Money on The Breakfast Club's bandcamp here.


By Cassia Helme

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