crazybobbles

Boy oh boy it’s been a while since I’ve been to a gig, granted I haven’t been sitting all day, just going out and meeting lots of people lately that it’s been hard to settle down and catch up with you folks. Tonight I got biblically lost in Westminister trying to find St John’s Cathedral, I was going to see Lisa Hannigan, an irish singer who used to provide lead female vocals for singer songwriter Damien Rice (who’s also irish). Since March 2007 she has ceased working with Damien Rice and focuses on her solo career. She recently released her album Sea Sew and was able to come back to England after a US tour and perform a one off gig in an awesome church.

Smiley Lisa Hannigan

Getting there was pretty fun, I once went there seeing my ex perform in the venue but that was a few years ago meaning I had no idea how to get there (and I was too lazy to print off google maps). It was 6.20pm and getting dark meaning sign reading was proving difficult, I think I got lost in Westminister Uni or something (loads of students walking in and out of the place). I eventually asked a kind man for directions and eventually found the place *phew*.

For tonight I kept smuggling simple and used technique B. Once in the venue I was able to get a pretty tasty seat on the left (always shoot from the left) and eventually get bumped up further to the centre of the stage because a couple was arguing whether sitting back a few rows would provide better acoustics (tbh I was more about appreciating the band both visually and aurally). The venue wasn’t as intimate as St Giles due to it’s size but provided an amazing acoustic for performances that’s on par or even greater than St Giles.

Gavin Glass, plays piano and guitar and did support for Lisa

First to head the stage was Gavin Glass, he plays piano and guitar for Lisa Hannigan’s band and did a few songs as support. It was quite a nice set, he used a loop pedal for a few songs and it worked pretty well. At one point when he was on the piano he got a note borked up and his confused and slightly embarrassed reaction to it was quite funny to see (teehee). I dont know why but usually church gigs gets both the band and the audience all giddy, probably because it feels naughty playing in there.

Lisa and guitar, I love her expression here

After Gavin Glass we waited for a wee bit longer for them to decorate the stage with xmas lights, what’s missing was a big xmas tree. During the interval I was able to use the toilet and actually bump into the band downstairs sitting down and having a meal inside the church, it was pretty funny but since this place wasn’t really a venue for backstage and elitistness, it was easy to just bump into the band and say HAI. The marbled floor was nice and smooth which meant of instead of walking I glided most of my way back to my seat (hopefully not wearing down my converse shoes). That’s enough banter for my toilet break, onwards to the set.

Lisa Hannigan is all kinds of ickle/awesome! Granted she’s tall, I guess she’s just skinny. She reminded me of Emiliana Torinni but taller, can play a guitar, wore crazy high boots with orange/red tights and a completely different voice. It’s hard to explain, you listen to her on the studio album and listen to her live and immediately you’ll adore her voice live. It’s warm and cosy, I can totally see why Damien Rice has her as female vocalist for his songs. At several occasions I felt like sinking into my seat and just let her soothing chillaxed voice massage my tired ears.

Most of the tracks come from her latest album, including Sea Song, Splishy Splashy, Venn Diagram (that was ace!), Pistachio and Ocean and Rock. The setlist will explain all, it made me chuckle at bit that the top of the setlist it says “London Baby” for the country teehee.

Midway during the set Gavin ballsd up on the piano which made the band stop the song, he got the chord wrong and everything chuckled at the blunder, Lisa came up to Gavin and gave him a hug for his blunder, it seemed like everyone was picking on Gavin. Perhaps he was just incredibly nervous having just played in London for the first time as a solo support. It was a very cheeky gig!

Crazy boots

Lisa also did a cover of Bob Dylan’s Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues which was amazing. She dedicated Lady is a Tramp to her mother (in which she explained that it wasn’t meant to be rude and apologised for it). After that she played Lille, and here’s a video of it:

Before they departed, they did a quick curtain call bow to the now standing and applauding audience (which is once again, rare, to, see). She came back for an encore, playing Keep it All and finally ending with a cover of Iron & Wine’s Free until they cut me down.

Lisa Hannigan and her band take a bow

Once the band left the stage the cathedral blasted the original theme tune to Ghostbusters! it was pretty epic to listen to in a church and was a cheesy albeit awesome way to end the entire show. I left the venue humming along to the Ghostbusters theme tune and got home safe and sound. So yeah, quite an amazing day, was definitely surprised about seeing Lisa Hannigan play for the first time but was definitely worth it! Hope you enjoy the photos and videos! Let me know what you think!