Fresh off the release of the excellent reasons to stay alive, in earnest delivered an equally compelling performance last week at Southend’s Chinnerys. It was the trio’s first headline show in their hometown. I’ve been a huge fan of everything they’ve released so far, and this was the first time I’ve caught them live, so this was a special night. So many emotions were felt throughout. I still haven’t recovered.
First of all, shoutout to the two support acts. Molly Christian kicked off the night with a set of songs that showcased her voice wonderfully. Backed only by her guitar, she filled the room with her vocals. The same could be said for Davey Hal, who also captivated the audience with a series of Cornwall-inspired tunes that sounded immense. The combination of Cello and Horn alongside his voice and guitar really brought something new to the ears which I really helped build upon the excitement that was already present.
In earnest got started with a couple old songs, including ‘Good Boy’ which I’m pretty sure got tears forming in everybody’s eyes (definitely mine). They then followed with the ambitious but ultimately incredible performance of their new EP in FULL, with no breaks in-between. The full twenty-two minutes. Holy shit, it was unreal. Those twenty minutes flew by as I stared in awe. It was so good.
reasons to stay alive is one of my favourite EPs of the year and hearing it in a live setting confirmed that. The trio were able to replicate the sounds exactly, but there was something about witnessing them come together that made it even better. What a great gig. I highly recommend you check them out when you can.
Featured Image credit: Soundcastle