LIVE REVIEW: DANNI NICHOLLS BAND - THE WATER RATS KINGS CROSS / DANNI NICHOLLS SOLO KINGSMEAD HOUSE - HIGH WYCOMBE

With the London tube strike in full effect, it was pleasing to see The Water Rats all but full for the return of Bedford's finest, our loss and Nashville's gain - Danni Nicholls, the venue where years previous she launched her last proper album "The Melted Morning". With a keen eye on making sure that her fans got home safely, events would start and finish early. The support act would be Danni herself in solo format, plucking gems from different areas of her back catalogue.

Arriving on stage and noting things were a little "strikey", sporting her white Gretch guitar she would open with the bluesy "Beautiful Game", closing her eyes during the harmonious "Ooohing" parts. It was then straight into the intensity of "Little Fictions", the volume gradually rising throughout on each return to the chorus, leading to the soaring lung busting finale!

A dip into "Mockingbird Lane" now 12 years old, showed that the material had aged like a fine whisky. Firstly "Beautifully Broken" with its delicately picked guitar, seemed better than ever. Then it was the end of an 11 year wait for #TEAMw21 to hear "Feel Again" played live.

One of UK Americana's most perfectly realised tracks, quite why Danni plays it so rarely is a mystery, this version nearly brought a tear to an old reviewers eye, it was that perfect.

Returning to more recent times, "Under The Neem Plum Tree" poignantly brought Danni's family heritage to life, sung with a sense of personal pride.

Danni would then be joined by Sam Barratt to add some fiddle for the final songs of this first half. It would add the requisite old time feel to "Between The River & The Railway" - even Danni seemed almost transfixed by the beauty of the fiddle. The final song of this section would see "Ancient Embers", which again perfectly suited this subtle combination of performers.

The second half of the show saw Danni joined by a three piece band to rock out in a way we've not really seen her do before. It would be a run through of the tracks from "Making Moves" the new album, which given that most of the audience would be unaware of its contents, was a sure sign of confidence in her new work being able to grab the audience on first hearing.

"Free Wheel" would kick things off in style, driving drums, electric guitar solos but most of all Danni confident and leading from the front, on this rocking opener, holding her guitar in the air at the end like a true rock star!

It was then on to Danni's angry song "Honey", which #TEAMw21 first heard in a version at The Green Note when it was so new even Danni couldn't remember all of the words. Now it comes with a prominent bass line and powerful back beat and a parting expletive - all powerful stuff.

An attempt to create a 90's vibe resulted in "I Want You" which had a soulful John Mayer feel. It came with the sense of summertime, as if we should be listening to it on a warm afternoon with the sun beating down on our skin. It was an easy groove with Danni lingering over the extended "You" of the title in the most delightful and somewhat sultry of ways.

From soul to country with the sadness of "Love Is Letting Go", with a distinct recurring guitar riff and change in pace half way through. A modern blues with excellent work from Luke Tuchscherer on percussion and Sam on guitar, "Pendulum" came with a "la di da" chorus and and divine vocals.

The first single from the new album, and the only one that many might have heard was "The Wreckage". Drama packed, coming with pounding drums and atmospheric guitar work - Danni would take great joy watching the riffing out going on. Announcing "Four Frames" as being a Christmas song, Danni would sing bathed in red light. as the significance of the photo booth pictures unfolded.

The new album is called "Making Moves", an uplifting tale of weight being lifted and life beginning again, Initially just Danni and her guitar, with the band coming in after the first chorus, this was lyrically rich and continually musically building. A last dip into the new album, came in a covid co write with Michele Stodart, "I'll Carry On". It would create a Water Rats choir to sing along on the chorus and create a somewhat spiritual atmosphere.

A traditional couple of encores came with "Where The Blue Train Goes" and "A Little Redemption", the former another audience singalong, the latter more a humalong, really given some country swing by the presence of the band.

Having had a taster of the solo experience it seemed churlish to pass up on a chance to see two more solo sets at our favourite house venue Kingsmead House in High Wycombe. This was a chance to hear most of the new album "Making Moves" in a totally different environment. For those who've not been before, Kingsmead House, offers you top quality entertainment, and unqualified access to the performers after the show and during the half time break, you even get selection of nibbles included in the price of your ticket!

The Gretch was the same, and Danni now sporting tinted glasses would put on a totally different show. The new material was transformed and laid bare with intimate versions revealing the lyrics in their full splendour. The full story behind "Free Wheel" became clearer, now with only Danni's strident guitar playing for support. The solo environment made "I Want You" more intense and saucy, though keeping its summery groove. The angry song "Honey" would see Danni, mouth the guitar solo, while the real guitar playing had a sense of anger about it.

The prominent band riff of "Love Is Letting Go" was still the key part of this solo version, of lessons learnt through experience.

A quick sip of red wine would lead us into the sleep derived song "Hide", where Danni's playing took on the air of a light summery jazz number as she would exude pure emotion on the line "Why she got to hide her heart away?" to great effect.

Playing solo proved no barrier for Danni being able to create the requisite drama of "The Wreckage", occasionally tilting her head back to fire out the bigger notes. That intensity would carry through into the verses of "Making Moves", slowed, with Danni seemingly lingering over each syllable. The room may have been smaller than the Water Rats but it still made for a melodic choir to sing the chorus of "I'll Carry On"

If the first half was the new album, then the second was a whistlestop tour of the Danni Nicholls catalogue, this was an evening for some deep cuts! Opening with "Wild As The Water", Danni would start with a slow strum, gently winding up the volume, even effecting a little dance during a guitar solo, before gently lessening her strum as she brought the song to a close.

Matching her jazzy shirt came the jazzy blues of "Beautiful Game", followed by "Time" in a truly excellent, silk smooth version.

On a night of sublime versions it was hard to know which one to pick out, "Blue Bayou" came with some suitably Orbison like guitar playing, attached to the sweetest singing you could wish for. The uplifting reminder that "the greatest love is you" came with "Ancient Embers" where the most exquisite "Ooh's" ever were surely sung.

The ying and yang of Danni would come with the love song joy of "Dragons In The Distance" followed by the sadness of the break up of "Beautifully Broken", still exquisite.

The closing numbers would be reversed from the Water Rats but the end result was the same - a well satisfied crowd.

Danni Nicholls will be returning to the shores later in the summer

Making Moves is released June 26th