Artists: Elles Bailey
Venue: Liverpool, Arts Club Loft
Date: 10th October 2024
"Elles Bailey has now been added to my ever-growing list of artists to follow, meaning my gig list will be getting longer each year. A brilliant night."
Elles Bailey first came to my attention in 2023, via a PR email. I was so impressed with the songs that were included that I purchased the deluxe version of the ‘Shining In The Half Light’ album. It was a heady mix of Blues, Country, Soul and Rock, with Bailey’s vocals at the heart of it all. The recent ‘Beneath The Neon Glow’ (also deluxe version) has taken things to another level. The songs have an even greater dynamic, with Bailey pushing herself as both a writer and performer. The original UK tour schedule did not include a Liverpool date, so when The Arts Club was added the opportunity to see her play live for the first time was one not to be missed.
Though I have been to the Arts Club several times in the past, I have never been upstairs to the “Loft” room. First impressions were favourable. It was spacious, with a bar to the rear, although having just one person serving initially resulted in a rather lengthy queue of thirsty patrons. Elles Bailey and her band took to the stage at 8.45pm and then proceeded to hold everyone spellbound for the next ninety minutes. ‘Beneath The Neon Glow’ was played in its entirety, but not in order. The set was a great mix of emotions and musical styles and to say the band were tight would be an understatement; most notably the harmony vocals which were perfect throughout. The opening one two of ‘Enjoy The Ride’ and ‘Leave The Light On’ set the tone for the rest of the night and it was hard not to get drawn in, even at such an early stage in proceedings. ‘Ballad Of A Broken Dream’ and ‘1972’ steered things in a slightly more Country direction, yet it was difficult to really pigeon-hole the material, as it had such great accessibility. The set as a whole had a good balance with the ‘Beneath…’ material complimented by the likes of ‘Hell Or High Water’, ‘Help Somebody’ and ‘The Game’. A personal highlight was ‘Let It Burn’, with Bailey taking her place behind the keyboards. The vocals from everyone involved were mesmerising and the melodies were completely captivating. ‘Sunshine City’ (from ‘Shining….’) brought the evening to a close and the band got a fantastic reception as they left the stage.
Following the show the singer took the time to chat with everyone who wanted to. The train timetable dictated I leave, but I still managed to get a few signatures. Elles Bailey has now been added to my ever-growing list of artists to follow, meaning my gig list will be getting longer each year. A brilliant night.
Review and Photos: Dave Bott
Gallery. All photos © Dave Bott (used with kind permission)
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