LIVE REVIEW: Elaine Palmer, Robyn Errico @ Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe (16.11.25)

Image by Tracy Hyman

It is the final song of the night and Elaine Palmer is summoning every inch of angst and passion into a stunning rendition of new single The Losing Hand. Stripped back from her band she piles on the attitude and top of the country class aptitude for a real kick ass performance. Elaine has the tools of voice, personality and guitar to project a full band-width of energy, grunge and sass. We are swept up and swept off into the night on a real high.

But let’s drop in back to the start of the evening with Robyn Errico. Taking a break from her Rianne Downey tour support alongside Amelia Coburn the Darlington keyboardist and singer makes her mark early on. A rich voice and layered synth sounds that are cinematic in breadth and depth. Songs that take you on a magic carpet ride. Or even down a Rabbit Hole.

In the intro to her set we are informed that Robyn has recently been featured on national radio, BBC6Music. She is a real rising talent, no question about that and she even has some art prints on sale tonight. Robyn plays a delightful piano instrumental piece written for her grandmother before launching into a final song inspired from her love of history. Written from the perspective of Anne Boleyn, on the cusp of glory, only for her power and her life to be cruelly snatched away, and real turmoil followed. Kingdom come I will give him a son, she sings to a keyboard that alludes to a Tudor harpsichord.

Elaine Palmer kicks off in bad ass style with her single Blackened Heart, released five years ago now but still sounding as vibrant. Mystery and tragic hidden history is exposed in the epic Freeborough Hill, the first of several songs drawn from last year’s San Diego recorded Half Moon Rising. You could hear a pin or pea drop in the vegetarian restaurant to The Last Dance, when I sing I close my eyes.. almost stop time. And now breathe.

But we are off again with a charming new song, Roses, about children growing and blooming. Then comes the solo version of The Losing Hand that had such an impression on the audience that Elaine was forced to return for The Mill House. She was given no choice. We can picture the moon dancing on the mill waterfall. Elaine has taken us on a journey between North York Moors folklore and Arizona desert Americana and back again. She has marked our cards and opened up fairytale dreamscapes. There is more to this life than you and me. Thank you to Elaine and Robyn for a wonderful evening.