A gig can be transformed by its surroundings. I'm not saying the back-room of a pub is a bad thing but when some thought and effort has been made it can really make the performance memorable. London's monthly night, Society Of The Golden Slippers proved creativity doesn't have to be hard. The night, that prides itself on showcasing the best of the musical underground, usually takes place at the Dickensian Blacks Private Members Club in the arty end of Soho but October's edition saw a location change to the glitz of West End, part of the renowned eatery hot-spot for celebrities, The Ivy. Next to the paparazzi' camp is what looks like a flower shop, open at unsociable hours and security on the doors, suggesting there is more to it than the windows suggest.
Once entering the well 'shop' you reach steps that take you up to a bar where staff greet you and tick your names of the list before being led to a lift. Two floors later and you reach 'The Ivy Club'. The dimly lit room sparkled with candles on the table creating a gentle and relaxing atmosphere for an unplugged evening that Patrick Wolf was due to headline, a musician who would shine in such a place.
Before the first of three performers an overly pretentious hostess announced there had been a last minute change in the billing, with Ed Harcourt now to headline, no mention of Patrick Wolf who canceled last minute due to illness. The room had filled up as Abi Wade opened the event in touching distance to those seated, she nervously made her way through a handful of songs with a variety of instruments. There was an uncomfortable silence whilst Abi performed, her talent was obvious but her songs never changed gear and she failed to connect with the onlookers compared to Catherine A.D. who gleefully followed.
Catherine has been plugging away for a while now, trying to work out where she fits in, not as poppy as Florence, not as harsh as Anna Calvi and more adventurous than many who preceded her. The gender opposite to Patrick Wolf is probably the best comparison, both even share a similar hair colour, as well is similar writing styles. The singer admitted to being nervous but it didn't affect her performance as her vocals were sharp and she sat at the piano whilst owning the room. The uncomfortable atmosphere for Abi's set had left for Catherine as it became a bit more relaxing, a bit too much at one point as she told audience members off for talking too loud, she did have a point. The singer covered material from her latest EP as she was backed by three girls on strings (not in a 'puppet' way). The set ended with a cover of Lady Gaga's Telephone, transforming the song into something heartfelt and delicate. Her songs are dark and eerie as well as creative and clever making her a joy to watch.
After a short break and some more annoying try-hard banter from the hostess where jokes fell without laughter and introductions were read-out like a press release, Ed Harcourt stepped up for a half hour performance. I was familiar with the singers name but not the material and it turned out to be a nice ending as his warming personality came across with ease and his songs were captivating, making up for the disappointing of Patrick's no-show. The singer took requests from the crowd (most from Catherine A.D. who was in awe with Ed) and he even got them singing, earlier on the mood was a lot colder. After making the piano his home for the set he ended wandering around the room with a backing track serenading audience members.
Alll-in-all, the quality of the performers made up for Patrick Wolf's cancelation but it could have been so perfect.
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