Kate Walsh's concert

I am not going to write too much about the experience of this concert. All I can say, is that each day I get more enthusiastic about small venues where the audience who attends really wants to be there, listening to the music and participating of the good vibes that emanate from that communion, and not be chatting along and drinking as if they were in a pub.

Also for this reason, I can say this was definitely another special concert. The venue was lovely as well, comfy and with excellent acoustics. It's no wonder that is more frequently used by classical music instrumentalists.

And the music... well, I got a warm fuzzy feeling inside. It was very nice to hear such a nice and delicate voice like Kate's, so close to me.

When the concert ended, Kate went outside to greet the fans and me and my husband got to chat a bit with her. While I snatched an autograph in the ticket, she kept looking at us saying she had the feeling she knew us from somewhere. Strange, but funny all the same. At last, I asked her if she had ever been to Portugal, and she replied that she'd been there loads of times, and that she loved it over there, sharing fond memories of "Bairro Alto" and acknowledging that Portuguese was the only language to have a word for the feeling of missing someone, i.e., SAUDADE.

Kate was really charming, sweet and approachable, both on and off stage, which is why we had such a wonderful evening.

Kate Walsh concert tomorrow!

Finally, I got to "beat" my other half and got the chance to bring home free tickets for a gig. Free stuff always shows up in short notice, but still I managed to reschedule our cats Vet appointment for later in the week.

Therefore, tomorrow night, we are going to see Kate Walsh at the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, which is located in the University of Manchester.

Photo from here

Kate Walsh is a British, Brighton-based, singer-songwriter. In her bio, this is how she is portrayed:

"Calling Kate Walsh a singer songwriter is like saying Van Gogh was a cartoonist. Kate is, er, different. A 26-year-old from a sailing town in Essex who’s been likened to Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush and Jane Austen, she’s ferociously independent…in every sense. She adores Debussy, studies cello, listens constantly to Classic FM (and little else), bemoans the demise of vinyl and CDs (she finally got an iPod when iTunes gave her one after her last album ‘Tim’s House’ knocked Take That off the top of the download chart but rarely uses it), is entertainingly scathing about the conventional music industry (“it’s fickle, selfish, impersonal and backstabbing”) – and has established her own cottage industry to do it her way. And when she sits down to write a song you’d better lock up your hearts for you instantly become Kate’s close personal confidante as she bares her soul with shocking candour."

And for a little taste of Kate's music...

Oli Brown: how a cult is born

A few weeks ago, I went to see Kirsty Almeida's gig art Band ont he Wall. And this great venue has a very cool deal: if you dine in spending 9£, you get a free ticket to a show of your choice. After scanning the options, Oli Brown was the choice. And man, what a great choice!!

I confess that not knowing Oli's music at all, and given the music style he palys - Blues -, it would be far more interesting if I didn't "Google" him. And I was right!

I couldn't find a video from the evening, but check this recent one, earlier this month. See how he commands the guitar with majesty. There's a lot of technique, no doubt, but there's passion. And technique without passion is nothing. Not an issue for Oli.

I had a great night and knowing barely nothing about him made it even better. He is seriously, seriously good!! His bassist and drummer are top-notch as well. There is a great chemistry among them.

For such a young musician (only 21 yo), he sure knows how to appeal to an audience, engage with it, and set the ambience for good and honest feedback from everyone. He did a great job with the line-up, mixing old and new vibes, his own tracks along with covers.

The sound at Band on the Wall was crystal clear, defined, a must! So, props to Band on the Wall's sound engineer as well! He surely deserves it, especially after having to cope with Oli walking around the venue, including upstairs in the balcony, to play right in front of the fans, like in a one-o-one teasing exercise.

Definitely, recommended! If you want to buy his album, great! But do check him out when playing live. That's how you'll get the buzz!

Divine Comedy's tickets arrived!

Yay!! The tickets for Divine Comedy's concert in Manchester have arrived. It's going to be a night to remember. Can't wait!

Fish's tickets arrived!

Yay!! The tickets for Fish's concert in Manchester have arrived. It's going to be a night of good old school songs. Can't wait!

Paloma's tickets arrived!

Yay!! The tickets for Paloma Faith's concert in Manchester have arrived.

And here's a little bit of Paloma for your ears only.

Kirsty Almeida's concert

What a great gig last night!

There were 3 acts opening for Kirsty Almeida that are definitely worth the mention.

• Rioghnach Connolly and The Running Club were very interesting. Rioghnach has a type of soulful voice in the likes of Adele. Her effortless singing amazed me a lot.


• The Running Club could be just another rock band, but that punk and ska feel mixed altogether makes them relevant. Plus, some of the lyrics of the songs were very good.


• And finally, the last supporting act, filled the stage and left me with a big, big smile. Quirky Camila Fiori aka Damsel Dusty was quite a treat to my ears! The performance, the outfit, the poise, the articulation of her wording was definitely a fine moment and a goodwarm up for Kirsty.

Kirsty is definitely one to watch. And what a fantastic set of musicians she has!! She is jazz, she is soul, she is blues, she is rock... and she does it in great style, as well. Mind you! In the world of today, to find an artist who just wants to be like herself, and not one of the pack, as she clearly gave away when addressing the Decca issue, is something to cherish.

As for the music itself, regardless of the styles she embraces, which showcase her cultural background and her life experiences, the truth is the sound is quite intricate, clean, effortless, simple, and simple is always good in my book. And yet, she can do so much with it on a live venue.

Some of my favourite moments were when Kirsty sang "Cool Down Rewind", which left me daydreaming, and later the duet with acoustic guitarist Jasper - another incredible moment, full of tenderness, with no rush, where time seemed suspended from its routine. I sure enjoy moments like these.

A final note to the venue as well. Band on the Wall is really up my street. Just sad I couldn't stay longer to say hi to Kirsty, with whom I had been exchanging messages through Myspace, and maybe get an autograph on her CD, as I had to rush to get the train back home. :D

Hopefully, some other time.

Jónsi's tickets arrived!

Yay!! The tickets for Jónsi's concert in Manchester have just arrived. What a way to start the weekend.