Later with City College
Watching young people pursue their talents is one of the most inspiring things you’ll see – not many people can deny that. On Wednesday night, I had the pleasure of watching Later with City College – a gig presented by level two and three music students at the aforementioned institution.
The show’s set-up was stripped back - no MC, no Jools Holland, just acts played back to back. Dimmed blue and purple lighting demonstrated a conscious decision to make the performance look and feel intimate.
Proceedings were kicked off by guitarist Archie Buck and singer Amy Morris. Buck and Morris performed an acoustic version of If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys, drawinng sunny soul from Key’s RnB classic. Later in the night, Morris performed with a larger band, her rich, steely voice nailing Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Blind. Kelsey Lake also demonstrated a great blues and soul taste, and an even better voice. She performed Amy Winehouse’s Tears Dry on Their Own, managing to balance a quickened tempo with a controlled, expressive voice.
Covers dominated the performance - not necessarily a bad thing! These songs clearly meant a lot to the teens, and they either gave them an innovative spin or perfected the tunes’ traditional format. Crowd favourites Harry Searson and his band did the later. Carefully chosen accessories and mannerisms gave off Gallagher vibes; which is one way of tackling Oasis mega hit Supersonic. Searson had us laughing at his pre-song patter and during his solo performance of Champagne Supernova he had us singing along.
Alternative rock was also championed by Tolerate the Youth – my personal highlight. The band played Arctic Monkeys’ Ritz from the Rubble and two originals, the first of which wouldn’t go amiss on a Radio 1 C list. Funk-infused Run from the Fever was performed with the energy and stage-presence of a seasoned outfit.
Janet Thursday’s also chose originals – 12 Hour and Sunshine showcased brazen, lyric-focused pop rock. Straight pop also had its moments – Rhiannon Dugdale took on David Guetta’s Titanium, while Salman Toheed, Ariana Tavares and Rutendo Mukuya sang We Don’t Talk Anymore by Charlie Puth.
The night was a rich blend of genres, talents and vision – a shining testament to what young people can achieve. Later with City College displayed talented entertainers with an exciting future ahead of them. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them made their way onto Jools Holland’s show. Watch this space!
