Lianne La Havas Live @ Scala

Last night pint sized songstress Lianne La Havas played her “most enormous gig to date” and if she had any pre show nerves they were overcome as soon as she stepped out before the crowd.

Striding confidently onto the stage in a quirky outfit, she flashed a warm smile, and went straight into a rendition of ‘No Room For Doubt’. Accompanied only by her guitar, Lianne’s clear, sweet tones filled every corner of the Scala and transformed the previously restless and impatient audience into a sea of still bodies with contented faces.

When her band joined her on stage they upped the tempo and the volume with songs like ‘Forget’ “a little ditty” about her ex-boyfriend that got the whole crowd swaying and singing along, with its stomping drums and screaming chorus.

Between songs Lianne seemed completely at ease chatting away to the crowd as though she were with old friends. Giggling away and constantly remarking how incredible it was to be playing to such a large crowd in her home town, her sheer joy and disbelief that everyone was there to see her perform was plainly visible and extremely endearing.

Every bit the entertainer, she cracked jokes but switched from chuckling to mournful in an instant. Her perfromance of ‘Gone’ for her encore was incredibly moving as she conveyed all the hurt and anger with her delicate yet powerful voice, quivering in just the right places. She was accompanied only by a piano, her sorrow was so convincing the whole audience was suddenly overcome and completely silenced by her sombre tones, and when she was done it took a few seconds for everyone to react.

‘Is Your Love Big Enough?’ was the final song of the night, and is also the title track off her forthcoming album. It is a loud song rather similar to ‘Forget’ but different to her usual mellow, and calming tunes. It was definitely the right choice to finish with as its rythmic guitar riffs, stomping drums and simple lyrics left the crowd in a good mood after after the more slow and sad songs she’d been singing earlier.

Lianne’s album should be released by Warner Bros. Records at some point in July and from what she displayed last night it is definitely one of the more exciting forthcoming releases of 2012, and if you get the chance to see her live DO! It seems pretty safe to say that last night’s performance won’t remain her “most enormous” gig for long.

THE THIRST XMAS SPECIAL

Christmas came early this year…..three days early to be precise! The Thirst’s Christmas special at Plan B in Brixton was exactly what it said on the tin ‘special’.  They entertained and enthralled the audience for a full hour which seemed to fly by as they went through their eight song set.

Lead vocalist Mensah Hart seemed to be channelling Jimi Hendrix (and not just because of the afro), he strummed with passion and sang with soul. The other band members gave as good as they got adding smooth backing vocals and rocking out the whole time. At times it was hard to tell whether the audience or the band was having more fun.

The stand out song on the night was ‘Falling’ a slower number compared to the band’s usual up-tempo grooves. The track is from their 2008 album ‘On The Brink’ and it got the whole audience swaying and singing along, with its smooth sound and meaningful lyrics.

The remix of their single ‘Damn Girl’ which featured GFrsh and the Bakery Boys was absolutely incredible. It was the first time they’d performed it live and it will most certainly not be the last. The track showcases the hip hop side of the band, whose usual sound is more funk/ indie rock like. Trying to describe the band’s sound is a slippery slope as they draw influences from so many different types of music. They call their sound ‘Electrofunk’ and whether the title is befitting or not, what is certain is that it is a sound capable of causing mass hysteria!

Check them out for yourself at www.thethirst.co.uk where you can download their free EP ‘Laugh With The Sinners’ and if you get the chance go and see them live cause you will NOT regret it.