Kezia Gill
Kezia Gill's first journey back to Norwich since supporting The Shires at Epic Studios two years ago
As the rain and wind began its pre-Babet battering of King Street on Wednesday night, it was a relief to find the steel shutters raised at the Adrian Flux Waterfront when I arrived, and that the queue was already making its way through the venue doors, bang on the advertised time of 7.30pm.
This was Nottingham-born, Derby-based, Kezia Gill's first journey back to Norwich since supporting The Shires at Epic Studios two years ago. She obviously made a big impression last time around - The Waterfront Studio is completely sold out tonight, as is the remainder of the tour, and several of her fans have been to every gig so far.
But first up is Brisbane-born singer songwriter Sinead Burgess, a rootsy retro-tinged country artist, now based in Nashville. You can feel the collective sucking-in of breath as she makes the classic error of referring to Norwich as a town, and hear the mutterings of 'we're not a town, we're a city'. Don't worry, Sinead – you're not the first, and you won't be the last! But then, after describing how much she loved our beautiful 'town', she confused the hell out of us by adding, 'I am a huge Harry Potter fan' (clearly confusing the cloisters of Norwich Cathedral with those of Gloucester, where the Hogwarts scenes were actually filmed).
But all is forgiven. Burgess turns in a decent enough set, peppered with songs from her 2018 album, 'Damaged Goods', as well as a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Rhiannon', and her new single 'Ain't Thinking About You'. She's a little bit Taylor Swift, and a little bit Sheryl Crow, and certainly worth listening to if you are into that catchy, melodic, pop-country vibe.
Kezia Gill and her band kick off with 'Misfit', the title track from the new album, a rousing way to kick off any set. She follows it with the drinking song 'Whiskey Over Ice', before hitting us with 'Country Song', a lively crowd-pleaser from 2021, written in Nashville, about Nashville. Maybe it is her Celtic roots, or perhaps the flame red hair, but I am being reminded of Americana blues singer songwriter, Bonnie Raitt.
'Tonight' displays a much more sensitive side to Gill's writing, a poignant song about her mother, and filled with memories of home and family. It is the first of three emotionally-charged slow numbers, before the band take a quick break and Kezia treats us to a solo acoustic version of 'Dear Me'.
The band return with a shot of whisky that Gill impressively downs in one before launching into crowd favourite 'House of Cards', the first of six lively and rocking country-blues numbers that would thrill fans of both Shania Twain and Sheryl Crow, and also of Morganway (some of whom I had spotted in the audience tonight).
After explaining that she is one of an increasing number of artists who find the whole business of encores to be a tiresome and fatuous charade, the set closes, and Kezia Gill leaves her Norwich fans with the thrilling 'Whiskey Drinking Woman'.
And I can certainly drink to that.
