Coastline Café, Ibiza 2002... my first time to the White Isle and my first time to hear the intoxicating delights of Lou Rhodes' vocals on the 1997 hit 'Gorecki'. As one half of the electro trip-hop duo Lamb, Rhodes shone with her intricate and intimate heartfelt lyrics set against the backdrop of a passionate mix of jazz and drum and bass influences. To listen to Lamb is to become entwined in a magical world of epic melodies, surreal artistic visualisation and searing vocals. So there I was, surrounded by the sea, the sand, the sunshine and my sister and thus began my great love affair with both place and performer...
Firstly, the venue. Band on the Wall is a not-for-profit arts venue run by charity Inner City Music, based in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. This was my first time at the venue, despite being a regular visitor to several local watering holes; however it certainly won't be my last. With the popular Picturehouse café bar neatly adjacent, the venue offered a colourful and striking façade. The performance space itself was dark, intimate and airy, everything you could ask for really, especially when housing the residency of a performer such as Rhodes. I just hope that support and funding continues to roll in for the venue, as it is, in my opinion, the best medium-sized performance space in the city.
Support on the night came from singer-songwriter Dan Arborise who I cannot recommend highly enough. A recent discovery of mine; I now can't believe I haven't heard of the man and his sublime blend of acoustic indie-folk before. With a pitch perfect voice that I could listen to for hours, Arborise takes the listener on a journey with his music, to the extent that you feel you are somehow immersed in your own life's soundtrack; from soft and mellow acoustic beginnings, through an arc of emotional and vocal intensity, building to a heart thumping instrumental crescendo. Arborise played tracks from his debut album 'Around In Circles' (2006) and 2010's 'Of Tide And Trail' all of which were warmly received by the increasingly spellbound audience. Comparisons have been made with folk-rock greats John Martyn and Nick Drake, followed by a personal recommendation from Martyn's official website. I would definitely suggest that readers heed that recommendation as you won't be disappointed.
Kicking off the seventeen track set with 'There for the Taking', Rhodes took to the stage to great applause and anticipation. Armed with just an acoustic guitar, Rhodes was flanked by Danny Keane on cello and the amazing Jon Thorne on double bass. The atmosphere was very much one of welcoming home a local lad and lass come good; Rhodes and Thorne both hail from Manchester. Rhodes followed with 'Janey', a poignant track with a beautiful sentiment dedicated to her late sister. The haunting vocals and inspiration behind this track have made it a particular fan favourite, a fact clearly highlighted tonight.
Rhodes' writing focuses on the effects of positive and negative thinking and the power of both against the human mind. Her tracks feature juxtaposition between an inner strength and resilience and the rawness and fragility of the lyrics. Rhodes' earlier solo tracks give a real sense that she catalogued the emotions she was going through at the time and somewhere along the way experienced an epiphany; or perhaps to echo the lyrics on 'Janey', it was just the realisation that " it's only human to yearn for something more, but it's finding nothingness that brings us all we're searching for" or as Dorothy Gale put it to the Tin Woodsman " if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with." I can relate to that sentiment and tend to find most of the answers to life's great quandaries in that particular technicolour whirlwind adventure. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Next up was 'Each Moment New' from her debut solo album 'Beloved One' (2006), followed by a reworked version of the blissful ballad 'Tremble'. Referencing her belief that positive change can happen and all it takes is 'One Good Thing', Rhodes pondered that " all of life is just a trick of the light" and it is on this title track from her new album that we see a more enlightened Rhodes who focuses on new beginnings and the anticipation of what's to come. Continuing this theme, the audience were then treated to new album track 'Magic Day'.
Second album title track 'Bloom' came next with its wistful melody, followed by 'Melancholy Me', with Rhodes herself admitting that she had been apprehensive before including the latter on her latest album; telling herself to " lighten up Lou!" Let's just say that if these tracks were rides at a funfair, they would definitely be deemed not for those with heart problems; faint, broken or with a predisposition for moping. Luckily next came 'The Rain' and the Celtic ethereal melody and sentiment-drenched vocals washed it all away, Incy Wincy Spider-style.
The final three tracks performed were 'Baby', traditionalist folk favourite 'Spencer the Rover' and my personal favourite Rhodes' solo track 'Sister Moon'. Rhodes told the audience that she did not find it easy being away from family whilst touring which was why the final two tracks were of particular significance to her.
Fear not Lou, for in Manchester you will always have a family; albeit a surrogate one.
article by: Shelley Hanvey
published: 15/04/2010 14:55
FUTURE GIGS
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