To make a change and to add some variety to my blog, I thought I’d treat you to a gig review. Actually, I’m a bit annoyed with myself because I’ve been to loads of really good gigs this year and I really should have written about them too. People like Paloma Faith who were quite literally astounding through to some unknowns and unsigned like Spark.

But never mind, I will start off with the gig I was at tonight and I’ll chuck in more as I go through the year (I’m seeing Paloma Faith again in November and I’ll definitely cover her then!).

Ellie Goulding Live
Ellie Goulding Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire

Her album, Lights, has had a bit of a mixed review but I found it to be quite good and with her airtime on stations like Radio 1, I put her down to be one of the shining lights of 2010.

“So what was she like?” I hear you cry! Well… a bit rubbish really. And I’m really sad to say that.

It didn’t start well – she came on and her mic seemed to be varying in gain and she was clinging on to her mic stand (whilst grimacing) in a way I can only describe as someone desperate for the loo. “Nervous?” I thought. It’s not unheard of for an artist to take a song or two to get into the flow.

But a few tracks in and I realised this was her. It was like watching a possessed school girl rather than a mainstream artist.

Things got worse too. It soon became clear that her ‘band’ (a bass/keyboard player, a drummer, and someone playing with a synth) where being supported by backing tracks. Most of them were covering Ellie’s missed notes and strange warbling but there was some instrumental stuff in there too. It was absolutely terrible.

She had a go at covering Midlake’s “Roscoe”, which as she pointed out, is a beautiful track but she absolutely murdered it. It was complete unrecognisable.

And as I said, this is all a great shame. I had listened to her album before coming out and I was looking forward to a powerful, ear tickling extravaganza that synthesized music can only deliver – the sort I may add that La Roux delivered a few weeks ago, but instead the crowd got a badly rehearsed, karaoke session by someone who really should had done better.

She’s clearly a half decent musician from her guitar playing and a nice little drum session she did, so unless shes being a fraud on her album, she should be able to complete the package. I just don’t think she’d rehearsed enough – or she’s plain mad and she likes wailing like a banshee!

I will say one thing, I have a huge amount of respect now for Frankmusik. It’s clear that his production of her album made all of the difference and she wouldn’t have been the success she is without him!

So all in all, not good. In fact the only person I’ve ever seen that is worse is Katy Perry with her terrible miming… But at least she had stage presence.

One G for this one:

G

The saving grace of this gig is I found another artist that hasn’t got an album out yet but should. Her name was Leah Mason and she was fantastic – way better than the main act. I’ll keep an eye out for any material from her and post anything I find.

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