Grant Ley
Grant Ley officially released his latest EP, Horizons, on 3rd November and to celebrate he got some friends together and along with Tilting Sky, put on a launch show at the Arts Centre. The line-up was a good one, with some real quality acts on the bill, and on a personal note, it was my first visit to the venue. Not being a native to the city means that I don’t get over that much, so I was looking forward to it for many reasons.
First on the bill was a young lady in the shape of Breeze Redwine. She sang along to backing tracks, and what an amazing voice she has. Even more amazing though, is the fact that she’s only fourteen. She has a real talent, and while it’s still a little raw, it’s a very solid foundation on which to build. Her talent and confidence will grow as she gains more experience, and hopefully she’ll come out of her shell a little more on stage and engage the crowd a little. She’s definitely someone to watch out for though.
Second on stage was Kolin Durier, a singer songwriter who entertained the crowd with just himself and a guitar, oh and a loop pedal once he’d remembered to plug it in. Tonight’s show was a relaxed one, and the crowd enjoyed the comedy, so it added something to the performance rather than slow things down. Kolin’s songs are very strong, and the lyrics are thought provoking. He certainly writes from the heart and through the set he explained the story behind every song, to give the crowd an insight into what he was thinking at the time he wrote them. Kolin is releasing his EP on 27th November at the Bicycle Shop, so I’d advise going along if you can.
Lewis Murphy and his band was up next, and it’s been well over a year since I saw him last. His band was a three piece back then and honestly I thought that the performance lacked something. Fast forward to now, and the band has grown into a four piece, with the addition of another guitarist, and it’s changed the whole dynamic. Their performance was full of energy, and the songs have a lot more structure to them, giving them a fuller sound. He’s also gone in a slightly different direction, adding a heavier edge to their indie rock style. It’s great to see the band evolving and starting to find their own sound. Their performance most certainly didn’t lack anything this time around.
Grant was obviously going to be last on the bill, after all, it was his show. I first saw him in September, and was totally blown away by his voice. While he’s not a huge powerhouse, his voice demands attention. His vocals are hauntingly beautiful, and he’s one of those performers that engages with the crowd at every opportunity. At one point during the show, he unplugged his guitar, walked off stage into the crowd and proceeded to perform a song for them. By the end of the performance, the entire audience was like putty in his hands, and the songs from the new EP went down very well.
All in all, this was certainly a night to remember. It was a terrific show with some very high quality acts and most certainly worth the journey from King’s Lynn. I’m sure that I’ll be seeing all the artists again in the future, and you know what? I’m already looking forward to doing so.
