CAROL HODGE, DAMSEL & LILY-ANN REEVE
Well, well, it is Sunday night and I am heading to a venue for the first time for three artists that I have not seen performing solo before.
First up is LILY-ANN REEVE. Like the other two performers on the bill, I have seen Lily-Ann before, fronting the Visitors. Here, Lily-Ann seems like she is nervous and lacking in self-confidence but she really has nothing to worry about. She has a great voice, good songs and thought-provoking lyrics, particularly on Hollow, whilst closing number Out of Touch adds some interesting guitar touches.
Last time I saw DAMSEL (AKA Sarah), she was attacking the trumpet in skapunks Faintest Idea. Tonight she is resurrecting her Damsel alter ego and resurrecting songs she wrote from the age of to 19. This is tasty folk-punk, with more than a hint of Billy Bragg. There are some unusual flourishes, including a rap about Henry VIII, and I am left hoping that this will not be a one off resurrection of the Damsel set.
Eschewing the guitar favoured by Lily-Ann and Damsel for electric piano, CAROL HODGE has been described in Louder Than War described Carol as “the Adele for people into radical politics” and compared by a friend compared her to Amanda Palmer. I can see both points but, really, Carol has created her own sound. This is a set of powerful, soulful, heartfelt and captivating songs. There is an unexpected detour for Leo Sayer’s The Show Must Go On and Steve Ignorant - with whom Carol plays in the excellent Slice of Life - makes an appearance for the brilliant S.A.D but it is the material from Carol’s Hold On To The Flame LP that deserves the spotlight. Opener No Holds Barred, Don’t Dream Enough and closer Stop The World In Its Tracks are worthy of particular praise. Oh, and anyone who is selling their albums for a tenner and then donating that to the Norwich Soup Movement has gotta be worth a listen, right?
As I have said, this was my first visit to the Reindeer. I shall be back. This was the first time I have seen these three artists playing solo. I certainly hope it will not be the last.
And finally, a word for the organiser of tonight’s show, Gav Thomas. Nice one, mate.
