LIVE REVIEW: BROOKE LAW / SASSY - THE GRACE - ISLINGTON

There was a definite autumnal nip in the air on the streets of Islington however inside The Grace the temperatures for tonight were still somewhat tropical. Like Bob Dylan's "Never Ending" tour, Brooke Law's promotional jaunt for her debut album "Naked Heart" seems to have been rolling on for ages, this would be its fourth and final official visit to London. An interesting part of the evening is seeing how the songs stand up twelve months later, which ones the Brooke and the band approach with the same intensity and vigour as at the start, while equally seeing which ones if any they seem slightly on autopilot for.

The Grace is not one of those venues that allows for an elaborate entrance, so things kick off with everyone on stage, as per the album with the scene setting "Naked Heart". That did not stop Brooke from making an impression, whether clasping the mic tightly with her hand or having her arms outstretched, there was only one focus of attention during the atmospheric opener.

Putting on her guitar, it was straight into a punchy "Real" before an exquisite "Excuse Me" sounding fresher than ever despite being one of the oldest songs in the set. Slavishly following the album track listing, a rocking "Flying Solo" would lead to the respite of "Big World" with just Brooke on her guitar to open, the band subtly building around her. Possibly a more restrained version than usual it was still superb and seemingly got the message across even more. One song that definitely seems to have transformed over time is "Spiritual", it has developed into a funkier beast embellished by Brooke adding some additional tambourine work.

The heat and the lights were playing havoc with Brooke's fringe, however it did not stop her taking the mic in hand, and with mainly closed eyes, delivering the best version of "Start Again", we've heard yet. From there it was a rudimentary, "Villain" and "Cowboy Hat" the latter including a tribute to award winning, in absentia co vocalist Savannah Gardner.

The album closes as did this part of the show with another trio of bangers, the irresistible chorus of "If You Go" and the audience arm waving anthem of "Freak On" sandwiching the evergreen "Bad Tattoo", with Brooke still asking the question no-one really wants answered - "Has anyone got a bad tattoo". It's nearly always on a part of the body we don't want to see!! Nevertheless there was something superior about the performance, the rousing chorus always making its appearance welcome. With the album complete, the remainder of the show is filled with an assortment of singles and a cover. The trip to Lubbock that resulted in "Gypsy Woman" was name checked, a song we have seen move from its solo uk debut at The Slaughtered Lamb through to a definitive version tonight with inventive percussion and guitar work lifting it new heights.

It's a little but funny, that Brooke should include, an Elton John cover, for as an artist he seems a little out of keeping with much of the music that has preceded it. Personally we'd love Brooke to revive her inventive cover of "Young Hearts Run Free" however there is no denying "Your Song" is one of those songs that everybody subliminally knows the words to.

It results in one of the evenings finest moments, as Brooke stepped back from the microphone, wearing a big smile as the audience filled in the chorus. Another of the bedrocks of any Brooke Law set, "Millionaires" came as a band version, complete with closing electric guitar solo. Possibly on the night more of a work in progress than the finished article is all we'll say.

The main set closed with two glimpses of what will comprise Brooke's follow up album, both recently released singles, "Bad Idea" wears it late 80's influences like a secondhand overcoat that belonged to US AOR rockers Heart. It's slightly triggering as #TEAMw21 used to lunch at a bar where "Alone" was repeated non stop on the recently invented video jukebox! The second slice of tomorrow came with "Adrenaline Rush" which was much more on the money,

On a fine evening, the final piece of audience participation would come with "Boomerang", that would see the crowd roaring their part on the chorus. With the second album launch already pencilled in for March 27, there seems plenty to keep Brooke busy, maybe a Christmas gig when "Home" hits Number One - who knows - we can all dream can't we?

The evening had opened with a short set from Sassy, recreating an evenings entertainment, that has occurred many moons earlier at The Libra in Chalk Farm. That was our first sighting of Sassy and as a performer she has come on in leaps and bounds. Undoubtedly an enigma, her songs can seem like streams of consciousness retelling past events, however there is much more going on that meets the eye.

Impossible to miss, standing tall centre stage, Sassy will initially give her songs extra colour with both elaborate introductions beforehand and a myriad of facial expressions as she plays, her eyes darting around the room or as at one point, seemingly transfixed on one of the zillion glitter balls hanging from the ceiling.

If The Libra show was Sassy taking tentative steps into live performing, the arrival on the larger stage at The Grace seemed to unleash, a bigger beast, super confident.

Although a short set, it would prove to have two distinct parts, the first would be Sassy solo, opening with "Annie's Just Got Married",

The wedding would provide the framework for Sassy to vividly recall selected events from the nuptials of a mainly self deprecating nature. The words came thick and fast delivered at times in sub operatic voice. It may sound a recipe for disaster however it was an entertaining blend that keeps you hooked,

waiting to hear what happens next.

Totally at easy talking from the stage, her anecdote for "Catfight" was hilarious, before going on to sing a song that opens to two cats fighting, before then veering away for the more traditional sense of the word. But just to keep you on your toes, a later section does link obliquely point back to the opening

"We're a lost cause, sharpening claws"

A Sassy song comes with many layers and hearing it once live is simply not enough.

The song "Dishwasher Salt" is allegedly about her father, however it is more a litany of the Sassy's problems with the modern world. The answer for at least some of these problems is a call to her father. Sung in a gentle delicate breathy, slightly high pitched voice, Sassy is able to veer from being laugh out loud funny to surprisingly vulnerable in a heartbeat on this most engaging of songs.

It was during this song that Sassy's eyes would dart around, maybe looking for her Dad who was in the audience however more likely checking the reactions of the audience to her unique set of complaints, many of which, ( such as slow walking tourists), we all secretly harbour.

Things would change with the arrival of Sassy's friend Phil Vidler on guitar, he did look like he might be able to double for Matthew Perry should a Friend's reboot ever come to pass, however his most important contribution was freeing Sassy from guitar duties, and with both hands free and the ability to move around, Sassy would take things to a completely different level!!

The first song of this section was "Loudmouth Little Freak", it now allowed Sassy to grasp the mic with one hand and deliver a more intense delivery. for "9 To 6" Sassy would be expressive through both hand and eye gestures, however the most expressive moment would happen later where she would lean back and produce a huge extended note as well as moving to a type of free form dancing.

A final song "Heavy", a new tune and indeed her next single would work out as something of a duet, and would see Sassy produce a number of huge extended notes. Leaving the stage with a wave, Sassy provided a most entertaining opening twenty five minutes or so and is most certainly one to monitor as her career progresses.