Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Jake Anderson enjoys an evening of skilful songwriting and emotive performance
Image: Elizabeth Liddle by Moments Photography North East
An intimate backdrop was set for opening act Nadedja; fairy lights and fake plants enveloped the basement stage of the Cluny. The young Brazilian-born singer began her set with Souvenirs of a Parallel Past, featuring light synth melodies that twinkled into the depths of the audience, as her vocals beautifully danced over them.
Picking up an electric guitar, she continued with some more up-tempo ballads. The currently un-released track Alice had a very affectionate vocal performance that saw the whole audience hooked. Seeing the songwriter swap styles smoothly was a testament to her skill as an artist, and it will be exciting when the groove-heavier tunes get a full release – with the artist teasing an upcoming album.
Elizabeth Liddle was joined by her band on stage, with the ensemble seeming to be a variation on the Moon Wax band. She opened with One Second Behind, which had a bit more of a pop to it than some of Liddle’s other songs, and crowd pleaser, Lonely, a heart-pulling ballad. The audience remained attentive and let the lush vocals and the warm, nostalgic instrumentation soak into them. The track’s live performance takes on an additional deep, sombre atmosphere.
Liddle’s personality on stage is very likeable, and she comes across very sincere. It adds a human feeling to these songs, that consuming music digitally always seems to miss. When I last saw Liddle, I described her sound as piano rock, but post-Somewhere I’m more inclined to describe it as indie pop, the keys taking a back seat with Liddle’s vocals becoming more prominent. Fell Too Fast and its dynamic structure showcased this subtle change the best.
But the highlight of Liddle’s set was the singer giving us enough time to become comfortable with the band, to then switch it up and strip it all the way down to a keys-only set. She was then slowly joined by the band, adding them back on stage. It was a small way showing how strong of a performer Liddle is, solo or accompanied.
