The Key Theatre, Peterborough
Saturday, 1st June 2024
(Graham Thomas)
Soundle 2024 kicked off with a riveting solo performance from That Joe Payne. He comes onstage wearing white distressed jeans and his home made George Michael inspired ‘Choose Life’ t-shirt, and confides that he will be playing some songs that he’s never played in public in a solo format before, and that he is ‘sh!tting himself’! Some wag asks why he’s wearing white! This banter sets the tone quite nicely and Joe soon settles into the set with a couple of more familiar tunes; a snippet of the autobiographical By Name. By Nature. segueing into an amazing version of What Is The World Coming To, surely one of the strongest tracks in his repertoire. Any nerves seem settled, and we chill out to a lovely Moonlit Love. It is clear by now that Joe’s voice is in top form, and he reaches those impossible notes he is famed for with apparent ease.
Falling in Love is Easy provides an audience participation opportunity which goes down well, the crowd warming up nicely. Things get more confessional, as Joe tells us of a fairly recent meltdown moment of self-doubt, which resulted in the song Plastic Grass from current album Bread and Circuses. The mischievous Payne then launches into F*cking F*cked which lightens the mood once again, before finishing with ‘a depressing song’, End of the Tunnel, which is actually quite uplifting. It’s a very good set, oozing charm and personality, coupled with dexterous keyboard skills, and gets the weekend off to a great start.
(Graham Thomas)
Amanda Lehmann is next up, with another solo set, this time on guitar. She is perhaps best known for her links to Steve Hackett but is actually an accomplished solo artist in her own right, as she proves today. She plays a selection from across the years, concentrating on her most recent album Innocence and Illusion. She tackles some fairly heavyweight subjects, giving them the necessary gravitas, but managing to mould them into memorable and accessible songs.
One Last Spin deals with gambling addiction, an unusual subject for a song, but one that works well, while Mother Earth is a plea for conservation, a much more common subject, and one which can’t get enough support. The Watcher sounds so different in stripped back form, but it emphasises the strength of the composition, while Memory Lane provides a powerful and moving take on dementia, something which has touched so many. Another strong prog-adjacent performance.
(Graham Thomas)
After two solo spots, it’s good to see a band, and John Hackett always provides a good show, with instrumental flair, and interesting songs. His flute and keyboard playing is exemplary, and he is joined by his regular band comprising Nick Fletcher on fiery guitar, Jeremy Richardson on bass and vocals, and Duncan Parsons on drums and humorous quiz answers! All band members also compose, so there is a good variety of styles and moods in the set, which draws from across the years, but particularly their 2017 album We Are Not Alone. There is a strong jazz element to the band’s style, reminding me at times of Soft Machine, particularly Nick Fletcher’s guitar work, which bears some resemblance to John Etheridge at his best.
Theme of Rondo shows John Hackett’s nimble flute skills, while the whole band excel on the marvellous Winds of Change. John played homage to the influence of Ian McDonald, citing seeing King Crimson in 1969 as a pivotal moment, inspiring him to take up the flute. In tribute, the band play a faithful and uplifting I Talk To The Wind which goes down a storm. A thoroughly enjoyable set.
(Graham Thomas)
So this was the spot which should have been occupied by Long Earth, who unfortunately had to cancel at the eleventh hour due to illness, but EBB were able to step in like the heroines (and hero – Ed) they are. The steady rise of this band is something extraordinary. They were virtually unheard of before last year, and now have to be one of the most exciting live acts on the circuit. They are almost impossible to categorise, and I seriously struggle to think of any band they are even vaguely similar to. There is a touch of sensory overload about their set; they are visually amazing, rather like a mad circus troupe, each with their own special talent to entertain, and musically, there is so much going on. Seemingly straightforward songs drive off down side avenues unexpectedly, and moments of apparent chaos show themselves to be well rehearsed. Above all, they know how to rock, and the joy they exude is infectious.
Erin Bennett holds the reins and seems confident in the role of creative driving force, but each band member has an important part to play. Bad Dog, the only chap in the group, prowls around with his bass holding it all together, along with Anna Fraser on drums, who seems to be having the time of her life. Suna Dasi provides synth, and Nikki Francis a range of keyboards and wind instruments. That just leaves Kitty Biscuits, who sings, speaks, floats about as if on another planet, drinks tea and blows bubbles. It might sound eccentric, and it is, but the whole extravaganza simply works brilliantly. They play songs from their album Mad And Killing Time, and their recent EP, Management of Consequences, including such live staples as Tension, The Animal Said “I”, Cost and Consequence, and Nieu.
They are visually aided and abetted by Jennifer, (I admit I have no idea if that’s actually her name!), who appears at key moments in a variety of costumes and masks, finally revealing herself at the end. Final track Mary Jane is a fantastic song, sung passionately by Erin, and leaves everyone wanting more. Rather like Franck Carducci, EBB are becoming a live band who everyone wants on the bill at their festival, and this performance has cemented their growing reputation.
(Graham Thomas)
Saturday headliners are The Emerald Dawn, another band on an upward trajectory, who have recently been touring further from their native Cornwall as ever before, and have been gaining new fans along the way. They are due to regroup and work on the next album, but first there is the little matter of headlining Soundle, and they are on form. It can’t be particularly easy following EBB, but their recent touring has honed their set, and they are as tight as I’ve seen them. Their set is enthusiastically received, starting with As Darkness Falls from the Nocturne album, a brooding dark piece of drama to set the scene. Tree Stewart is a forbidding presence behind her array of keyboards, dominating proceedings, whilst Ally Carter slips easily between guitars and sax. David Greenaway (bass) and Tom Jackson (drums) underpin the songs masterfully, and the band quickly find their groove. Timeless, from current release In Time, is another wonderful workout which ebbs and flows like an organic living thing. Tree’s album artworks provide the backdrops for their performance, and her arresting visuals look stunning on this scale, providing just the right atmosphere for the many moods of the music.
And I Stood Transfixed and Stranger In A Strange Land are further highlights, but perhaps best is the lengthy Out Of Time from the latest album, which works its way through various sections to a fitting climax. Tree sings, plays keys and flute and even emerges from behind her rig at one point to show her manipulative dexterity with her shiny magic balls! Seriously! The Emerald Dawn go down well with the crowd, and deservedly so; they’ve come a long way in more ways than one. Long may that continue.
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