What a fantastic idea!! Dexters assembled some of the finest female vocalists in the city for a special acoustic gig - and the result was even better than you'd have expected.
Sian Cook opened proceedings. One woman and a keyboard - nd she was just sensational. I always admire people who perform solo as all they have is their songs and vocals to rely on - now, guitarists can move about and play the thing - Ms Cook has nothing to wield, nowhere to move - so she's totally reliant on the voice, the playing and the songs. That she shares a voice, a feel, a passion and a sense of arrangement with no less a woman than Tori Amos, is no small measure of the fantastic songs she sings. The electric piano work is understated, often has her singing in the space between the notes, as goregous ripples ebb back and forth and that impassioned voice just sails from the speakers, full of emotion, lost in a world, conveying songs with more emotion than you have the right to expect. The place was absolutely wrapt in her world - you could have heard a pin drop - I've heard louder libraries - as she plays that piano with grace and strength, delivers a set of songs in a voice that ranges from taut to high-flying and there's almost a sense of little-girl-lost in that emotive phrasing. This lady is just superb and you'd have to be made of granite not to get caught up in her spell.
Zara from The Final Stand was up next and you could tell that the erstwhile rocker was in the house, as she strapped on the acoustic and proceeded to deliver a set of songs from the new Final Stand album, "Panic In Bedlam", with all the enthusiasm that you'd expect. Her voice is a positive roar in comparison with Ms Cook as the sheer strength of vocal passion gets everyone's attention. She practically assaults that acoustic guitar, riffing and playing rhythms, as this immense and tuneful voice hurls out of the speakers with a force that's simply breathtaking, relating personal tales of life, love, loss and observation with an emotion that could tear down walls and have grown men on their knees. "Final Stand", "Over And Out" and "Rain" were among a clutch of songs that worked impressively well given the acoustic treatment, largely because that stunning voice could have carried these songs off without any instrumental accompaniment, never mind just a trusty acoustic. As she got to the final song, she admitted that she wanted the band to be there, saying that it might just be the last gig she does as a solo performer. That would be a shame, but you'll want to hear that voice and the songs, no matter what the setting - next time, expect her to burn the guitar at the end of the set!!
Srah Coloso bounded on stage with a chirpy attitude and another guitar, immediately launching into "Frustration", a tale of an ex-boyfriend, and revealing a song that had venom running through it like blood through a vein and performed with a real sense of menace - you wouldn't dare cross this woman when she's in this mood!! The song is fantastic, the lyrics superb, while Sarah has a vocal that's a lot richer, lowwer register and fuller sounding than the previous performers, another different way of doing it that was just great. You get the feel that this is a voice more rooted in blues, jazz, folk and cabaret than rock or alt-pop as before, and it once again, completely commands your attention as the guitar chords swing and the voice hammers out to tuneful delight. Her songs stride a real range from the biting observation of "Frustration" through the supercharged swing of "Dancing Shoes", a song so perfectly suited for a big West End show or a magical cabaret, it's a shame that it's not getting more widely heard. Then, at the other end of her scale, you get "Porcelain", a magical tale of lengthy proportions that's quite epic in its own way, slowly paced and full of emotion, once again capturing the audience in its spell as that strong, rich voice conveys the song with every ounce of feeling a song as well sritten as this, deserves. One song she also did is an unrecorded one, called "Femme Fatale" and this was just stunning, probably the closest she's got to date to something that takes her style, her observational qualities, her lyrical dexterity and wraps it all up in a Coloso song that's positively commercial - let's hope that one gets her really noticed. A great performance!
Jordan Linton is a new name to me - but, based on this voice, not for much longer, I hope. Now, it would be wrong of me as a reviewer not to mention that rarely have I seen a solo artist come on stage with such nerves as Ms Linton had tonight. Yes, there were a few chords missed, yes, she had to start a couple of songs again and yes, she cut the set sligthtly short - but you have to look past that - and what you find is a voice of great purity - but, best of all, a voice with a remarkable reference point - a kind of Scottish Alison Krauss. Yes, having gone througth the Tori Amos then the rocker then the jazzy bluesy folker, we're now in the Krauss-esque world of bluegrass and country - only without either obvious. The openingt track, despite its shakiness of performance, is one gem of a track - her voice ahd the feel, the song had a hook and there was a magic to it, its delicacy as addictive as its slight commercial nature, something memorable that, done well, would stick in your head for ages after. Throughout a short set, some covers, some originals, but all unfamiliar to me, I was looking past the songs, past the performance, and found a voice that's just great. This woman needs to relax, gather strength, gain confidence and in there, is one helluva set of songs waiting to come out, with a vocal that will do them more than justice.
Final act of the night fell to the only group present, and that was Hello Pirates? With new drummer in tow, and his first gig to boot, they donned acoustic guitar, acoustic bass and the drummer's hand driven tea chest and cymbal, wrapped it all round Samantha's soaring vocal, and proceeded to play a shoretened set of Pirates faves. They began with "Preaching With Your Soul", a song that, when performed electrically, open softly then powers up into a solid gem of indie alt-pop, but, acoustically, while the band did just that, the dynamic effect was a bit lost, although Sam made up for it with a truly spirited performance, although I think the drive from the band's engine room that would normally have been there, was missed. Nevertheless, it's a great song and it had the audience carried along with it, as wee witnessed the start of a great set from the only real "pop" act of the night, as song after song proved to be extremely memorable, hooks and choruses in great abundance, the sort of act any decent label wants to have on its books. From there they moved to the strident delights of "AOK" with its mix of sultry and high-flying vocals and a hook that really gets under your skin. Throughout the set the band proved to be a solid acoustic outfit and, although not exactly given a chance to shine, the drummer drove the things along with confidence and humour. Afterwards, the band clearly didn't think they'd done a strong performance but it was a good set and I think the acoustic performance in a sizeable venue may have just been something they'd rather have done electrically. Luckily, the audience were treated to a strong set and were fully appreciative of what they heard.
Overall, five very different acts, all of which went together to perfection in the context of the gig and all of which were highly enjoyable in their own right. The good news is that Dexters intend to repeat this in a few weeks - this time with the artists playing with their electric bands, apart from Jordan who may just get that chance to shine. This one will be good - singers and writers of this calibre will not let you down - be there!!