How far would you travel for a gig eh? 5 miles? 10? 20? 50? How about 250? Yep, such was the appeal of tonight’s double bill that one dude made it all the way from Glasgow to be here. Now that’s devotion. I can see his point though...
Opening act, Dimbleby & Capper (actually just one person tonight, Laura Bettinson, although sometimes there are four others) plays the kind of beat heavy tribalistic sampledelic mash ups that makes me glad I‘ve got ears. Eyes surrounded by sequins she wowed the small but perfectly informed crowd with an equally sparkly set. Some people are just natural performers (it’s actually a pretty rare thing) but Laura’s one of them. You get the sense that she’s just as comfortable singing in her bedroom (that’s currently doubling as her recording studio) as she will be in front of thousands. And if there’s any justice in this world she soon should be. Skilfully mixing live samples with a theatrical flair every track was a highlight (the same could be said for both artists tonight) but an honourable mention must go to Structures, a kind of modern day Papa Don’t Preach (with added cross dressing undertones) and a unique beat driven cover of The Crystals’ Then He Kissed Me. When she’s not recording or performing Laura’s also into the whole vintage clothes thing...a particular fetish of mine right now...and designing her own stuff. Rather than hand out cards at the end of her set she gave us Dimbleby and Capper name labels (the sort of thing your mum sewed into your underpants). A suitably unique approach to marketing from a true one off.
Despite a particularly severe (but rather fetching) haircut at the weekend what’s left of the hairs on the back of my neck were well and truly standing to attention as the star of tonight’s show opens her mouth for the first time. After performing with Groove Armada and electro popsters The RGB’s Becky Jones, aka Saint Saviour, is now striking out on her own, with this tour being the first chance for most people to catch her solo show in full flow. I’d make sure you do if I were you. People bang on about the lack of originality or flair in music these days but you only have to watch an artist like Saint Saviour to realise that’s a sack load of balls. Sure, perhaps you can pick up the odd influences from Kate Bush (vocally and in the magical moves that Becky peppered the show with) but that voice of hers is something else. Incredibly fragile one moment, beltingly soulful the next, she’s one of those singers who can transform a song into an experience, making the words and notes actually feel something. It’s not something that always comes across on record or video, it’s that special feeling that you only get from actually being there, in the flesh. From opening track, the Japanese tinged ‘Red Sun’ right through to the encore, a stunningly emotive number called ‘Reasons’ I was bewitched, entranced and captivated. There are just a handful of singers who’ve really connected with me this way. Anthony Hegarty and Jamie (from The Irrepressibles) always make the grade. Saint Saviour’s just been added to the list.
As with Dimbleby & Capper it’s hard to pick highlights but Woman Scorned (one of the best singles of the past few years in my humble opinion) just has to be one of them. Dolly Parton meets Moloko at Studio 54. Awesome. I just loved the energy she put into the whole show too, twisting and spinning like an eel and (quite literally at one point) bending over backwards to give us a truly memorable performance. You know what? 250 miles doesn’t seem too far to travel right now...
It was indeed a great night. Vocal skills and originality. Only 7 miles for me, but our perceptive Scottish friend could quite easily have floated home after such a sublime performace.
ReplyDeleteHi Richard. I'm sure he did...what a beautiful evening eh? Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.
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