Opening the night this Monday was Morton Piercewright of local band ‘Good Hustles.’ He showcased his band by kicking off with an acoustic version of their song ‘Know It All’ in a set packed full of passion which peaked when he performed a heartfelt tune about his mum. Good Hustles released their EP ‘Tightrope’ yesterday so it was a great celebration of the hard work gone into producing that.
Following Morton was a gentleman who managed to sneak a set in right at the end of last week’s birthday special. He treated Rescue Rooms to an entire set of James Taylor covers including ‘Fire & Rain,’ a finger-picked ballad about 9/11. He told the story of each song he performed and gave it a personal feel.
Ross Harding then hit the stage with a series of easy-going acoustic songs. A standout was his cover of Rufus Wainwright’s ‘Gay Messiah,’ which showed off his ability to incorporate complex chord patterns and match it with an assured vocal delivery.
The guest artist for this week was a standout as expected. From Leicester was the singer-songwriter Siobhan Mazzei from Leicester who captivated the crowd with her array of stunning original songs. Many of her compositions were almost progressive in style, utilising elaborate chord progressions to match her sensitive lyrics and vocal delivery. A highlight of the set was the song ‘Glitch,’ which The Mic all agreed put her talent in the well-deserved spotlight.
A much-needed picking-up of the pace came around as the fourth performer instantly grabbed the attention of the room with a rap set boasting hyped-up fast flows, completely altering the atmosphere inside an always-busy Rescue Rooms. The status quo then returned as Reflector stepped into the spotlight for a stacked set of acoustic tunes containing hints of country and bluegrass music. His confident array of original songs and variety of genre tendencies seemed to make him a favourite with this week’s audience.
Interestingly, regular performer Jalle then hit the stage, this time without his pal Genio. Nevertheless, Jalle has shown week after week his standout ability to blend rapping and singing in an R&B-pop-Hip-Hop fusion, and his soulful ability was just as prominent without Genio. Separating the two rap regulars was an older gentleman with an acoustic guitar. His earthy set of folk songs provided an alternative to the melodic, youthful acoustic approach we’d seen so far, and he was greeted on stage by a number of backing dancers who seemed to be vibing this week’s lucky dip of artists. Genio then appeared but changed things up with a different performer taking Jalle’s place in their usual set. Regardless, the new artist seemed well prepared to step into Jalle’s shoes for their usual R&B-Hip-Hop hybrid tune which highlights the contrast between the two styles every week.
Acoustic Rooms Curator Laurie seemed rightfully excited as the night drew on – a girl with a similar appearance to Amy Winehouse took to the stage and delivered a loaded set of soulful tunes. Her soft and emotive approach showed off her vocal ability and marked a departure from the more rough-around-the-edges sets of previous acts. As if there weren’t enough surprises this Monday, homeless artist Wycliffe then performed a late-night set. His inspired songs and stage chat were enjoyed by many in the audience, including the ongoing backup dancers.
The penultimate set of the night came from Miles Nice, who dived into a series of dreamy and sombre indie acoustic songs, reminiscent of The Last Shadow Puppets. Rounding the night off and following up his joyous closing set from last week’s birthday party, Jaques Sauvignon gifted the room with his usual cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,’ amongst several other covers and original songs.
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