Arts

Gig: Astrid

First gig of the new year and I'm in the same venue as the last gig I went to last year. It's the same act, although back then Astrid was playing support while tonight she's top of the bill.

But first the support. Lucky Jim was an average four-piece pop/rock outfit who'd brought more than their fair share of mates. They ended with the most gratuitous self-promotional rawk ending I've seen. Consequently the floor emptied unfairly rapidly before Stark took to the stage. ("Who wants to go to Wagamama's?" shouted one of the Lucky Jim retinue into the silence that was welcoming Stark.)

Unfair and unfortunate. Laura Stark was wonderful, singing haunting Texan blues. She was accompanied by a double bass and on pedal steel the legendary BJ Cole (looking not unlike John Shuttleworth, but sonically on a different planet altogether). Once again The Borderline has surprised and delighted me.

Third up was Pete Aves, looking to me like a cross between Paul Merton and Sam Hill. Accompanied by double-bass and on sax/keys someone who's possibly the tallest man in the world, his songs were full of humour and confident, gentle vocals.

So to Astrid. Back in November I was caught off-guard by this accomplished singer. Her CD frequently provided a backdrop to my December, so I was back at The Borderline to discover whether that support slot was a one-off.

Stepping onto the stage in a black suit ("my mini-protest against Hutton") she was joined by a full band. The first few songs were new, but the rest of the set alternated between Astrid's two albums.

It was the first gig with the band, and while at times they were stunning (in particular the re-worked "Superman" and the closing, dynamic "Call for Beauty"), elsewhere the depth of the sound was missing.

I'd definitely recommend catching Astrid. She's a talented musician, has a beautiful voice with an earthy quality and her songs delight in wordplay and musical depth.