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After a difficult few years for the live music scene – a scene not quite out of the woods just yet – the sight of a queue of eager punters outside a venue waiting for the doors to open is indeed a glorious one. It must be especially glorious for an artist to return to a city and the size of the venue has increased since last time, along with the number of people squeezing into the said venue. Award-winning Elles Bailey has been packing them in on this 19-date tour and her excellent social media accounts are full of images of packed venues, and loads of beaming faces. The biggest smile of them all belongs to Elles and after a few hours in her company tonight, it’s fair to say that she is having the time of her life on this tour.
With the uncertainty of the post-lockdown period finally at her back, Planet Rock presenter Elles has built up a head of steam and has momentum by the bucketload. After opening for Don Maclean on his lengthy UK tour late last year, followed by a few dates with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Elles is back on headlining duties alongside her full band – and what a band it is – and is filling each venue with the stories featured on her Official chart-topping album ‘Shining in the Half Light’, of which an extras-loaded special edition has just landed (pick it up at the merch desk, Bezos doesn’t need your money).
Once the punters are through the venue’s front door (on loan from Hobbiton), it’s a short few steps along a stone passageway before the venue opens up like a gothic Tardis and those over 5 ft in height are constantly ducking down to get past the low stone ceilings (it’s called The Caves for a reason). Once past the merch desk, punters are met by the sight of the headliner standing chatting away at the back of the room, and immediately the barrier between artist and audience comes crashing down. This continues when Elles takes to the stage to introduce the opening act: UK Americana band Morganway, fresh from their appearance at the London O2 Arena as part of the huge Country 2 Country Festival. Or, two-sixths of Morganway at least, with co-founder Kieran Morgan on guitar and vocals lining up alongside vocalist extraordinaire SJ Mortimer. The simple act of the headliner introducing the opening act, and saying that every opening act on the tour has been handpicked by herself, is rare. Too rare in fact. It’s only once Elles leaves the stage after giving Morganway a glowing introduction that the thought “Why don’t more headliners do this?” comes to mind.
Even though the pair only has 30 minutes or so to impress, they are so at ease that nothing seems rushed. SJ is hampered with her arm in a sling, but once she jokes that it’s the Irn Bru getting her through the night then there is no stopping her, although had it been the original Irn Bru then chances are after the set she would have been able to scale Edinburgh Castle without the use of ropes. ‘Devil’s Canyon’ is a foot-stomping belter of a track that has every stomp from Kieran amplified a thousand-fold in a venue where the sound is so clear that it’s almost church-like, and a roaring sing-a-long during a cover of 4 Non Blondes mega-hit ‘What’s Up?’ is choir-like. Elles Bailey makes her way through the crowd recording the duo on her phone; headliner and head cheerleader it would seem. Again, another simple touch from the headliner that promotes togetherness, and it’s obvious that Elles thinks a great deal of each opening artist that she has selected for the tour. Gritty new track ‘Burn Every Page’ has a bit of a bite to it lyrically and as SJ explained it was “…born in an angry place…”, taken from the forthcoming sophomore album ‘Back To Zero’ this one sounds like it will be something special with the full band behind it. Find out for yourself when Morganway embark on their own headlining tour in April 2023, dates listed here.
Taking to the stage with Mick Jagger and company declaring that ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)’, Elles is perhaps making a sub-conscious statement that people spend too much time trying to pigeonhole her into a particular genre, and it’s all Rock ‘n’ Roll after all; just different flavours. Either that or there is no real meaning behind it other than it is a kick-ass tune and perfect intro music. Having last caught Elles opening for Kris Barras back in 2019, the growth in the Bristol-based singer, songwriter, musician, and radio presenter is staggering. Elles was always a strong, confident performer no matter who she was appearing with, but now that confidence has skyrocketed. The kind of confidence that not only comes from the experience of schlepping up and down the country perfecting her craft but more importantly, the confidence that comes from knowing that the material she is producing is of the highest standards and in the case of the majestical ‘Hole in my Pocket’ – arguably the standout song of 2023 thus far. The fact that in her custom Vera Black hat, she also looks like she was born to be onstage, helps.
Flanked by one hell of a band; the incredible (and quietly unassuming) Joe Wilkins on guitar, Jonny Henderson on keyboards, bassist Matthew Waer (best mustache since Magnum, P.I. – OG Magnum, none of that ‘tache-less remake garbage), and the deft touch of Matthew Jones on drums, Elles puts on a masterclass performance that ebbs and flows like the tide and has some magnificent swells – the moment that ninja-assassin Joe Wilkins floors it halfway through ‘Hole in my Pocket’ (“…the feeling that you will hopefully get when you head to the merch desk at the end of the show…”) is genuinely awe-inspiring – to go with the gentlest, heartfelt moments such as the gorgeous ode to becoming a new mother during the pandemic – ‘Spinning Stopped’. Describing her songs as “stories”, most songs are introduced with a few words from Elles about how the particular story came to be, and in some cases, what the subject matter is about, and how easily they can be misinterpreted; ‘Cheats and Liars’ is not about someone cheating on her, instead it has politicians squarely in the crosshairs as Elles puts into words her thoughts on that moment during the initial stages of the lockdown when those in the performing arts were denied financial assistance by the government and instead told to maybe think about retraining; ‘Medicine Man’ (killer slide guitar from Joe Wilkins on a gorgeous Fender during this beauty) talks about the pitfalls of dealing with certain individuals (likened to snake oil salesmen) in the music industry and how although most people are cool “…it’s the dicks that give it a bad name…”; the magnificent ‘Help Somebody’ was inspired after flying over the state of Georgia which had been devastated by a hurricane, and preaches how even the slightest act of kindness can make all the difference.
‘Riding Out the Storm’ is just one of many standout moments during the 90-minute set, Wilkins’ guitar solo long lingers on after the song fades out, and set closer ‘Sunshine City’ which features SJ from Morganway on co-vocals is impeccable. Mixed in with the original material are a handful of covers that Elles puts her own slant on; ‘Over The Hill’ from Surrey-born Weegie John Martyn is ramped up into a guitar-fuelled toe-tapper that has Joe Wilkins shining throughout; the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic ‘Long As I Can See the Light’ features a spellbinding vocal performance from Elles and it’s a spooky, spine-tingling moment when the lights are turned off and the room is lit up solely by phone lights; and ‘Mercy Now’ by Mary Gauthier makes the hairs on the back of the neck stand up, thanks in equal parts to Elles’ vocals and Joe’s weeping guitar tones.
Not only one of the strongest singer/songwriters of the UK music scene but also one of the brightest burning stars, Elles Bailey is on a richly-deserved ascendency. Catch her on one of the dates listed below.
Review – Dave
Live photos: with thanks to Shaun Hulme
Portrait image – Rob Blackham
Live dates:
21st – Komedia, Brighton
22nd – Junction 2, Cambridge
23rd – 1865, Southampton
APRIL
1st – Lafayette, London
14th – Arlington Arts, Newbury
15th – Trinity Centre, Bristol
MAY
18th – Rescue Room, Nottingham
19th – Sheffield, Corporation
Website: https://www.ellesbailey.com/
