LIVE REVIEW: SONIA LEIGH & FRIENDS - BROOKE LAW - THE GREEN NOTE - CAMDEN TOWN

What can only be described as a tremendous TALENTBANQ presentation of music and mayhem greeted the return of Sonia Leigh, to the London stage once more, specifically the Green Note, for two special shows. She is currently riding an artistic high, her latest album "Songs About Ghosts" is a triumph and we'll continue saying that until everyone listens and agrees. As #TEAMw21 shuffle past Sonia preparing for her set, she stops, gives us a big hug, it was like old times.

Before Sonia would take to the stage, there was time for a UK artist, also on something of a creative high, with an album due later in the year and freshly relaxed after a break, to perform - Brooke Law. If nothing else she would come away from the night with Sonia Leigh branding her a bad ass which is high praise indeed!

Kicking off with "Flying Solo" her trademark ability to flip from singing as barely a whisper, to full throated roar was immediately on display. Occasionally titling her head slightly to the side as she sang the chorus.

Co written with Jeff Cohen, "Help Me" would show Brooke's increased stage craft, with her guitar playing dropping in volume on the second half of the chorus.

Two songs in and Sonia came in to see who was creating this sweet noise. The current single "Big Love" has Brooke giving advice about how to survive modern life of being available 24 hours a day on social media. Finishing with "Close your eyes" delivered as a spoken whisper it was powerful stuff as ever.

The world of AI which seemed so far off when Brooke first pitched "Real" at The Green Note, has proved to be remarkably prescient, with recent headlines saying that just under a million UK folk now have AI companions.

Having heard "Millionaires" many times, now it is amazing that each time Brooke sings this song, she is somehow able to draw attention to a different line. Tonight "I can't afford the fine this time" just highlights how far the aspiration of the chorus is from the gritty reality of urban life in the verses, with crying babies next door. The trick that Brooke pulls off, is hiding this all within a most jaunty tune, just waiting for the eagle eared listener to discover.

A previous single "Villain" celebrates new found freedom, while the closing song "Gypsy Woman" brought back from a Texas song writing retreat ended things in a dramatic style, with strident guitar playing creating an atmosphere, along with the audience playing their part on the chorus.

Brooke's set would close with a fist pump with Sonia however she would later join the ongoing chaos that was to follow!

It says something about Sonia Leigh, that she engenders such feelings of loyalty with those who have come into her orbit, and so we had Lorraine Solomons in the crowd who gave Sonia her first UK appearance, and Peter Christopherson her tour manager of days gone past, driving many hours just to witness this return. An evening with Sonia Leigh remains a bit of a trip into the unknown, even as she darted through the curtain of the Green Note and took her place on her stool, there was no real idea among us of what might occur.

Sonia's hair is now blonde and under a red bandana, her t shirt may say "I don't give a damn about my bad reputation" but what on earth was she going to play? The new album is a such mixture of styles it was always seemingly going to be an impossible task to recreate much of it solo, and the news that Sonia had a set list written on her hand only prepared us more for a night of chaos.

Naturally, she would start with one of the most rebel rousing tracks of the whole record, the full band extravaganza that is "This Too Shall Pass", somehow generating the same levels of intensity with just an acoustic guitar, that was thrashed to within an inch of its life, along with some suitably raspy vocals.

"Last String Of The Thrill" was a much easier sound to replicate. It was delivered in the most tender of fashions, with Sonia keeping her eyes closed for much throughout.

"Is there any wonder my heart is breaking still"

Of all the songs from the record Sonia seemed least likely to perform then "Never Stopped" was top of the list. Delivered on record as if she was a soul diva with a band of backing vocalists and a trumpet solo how could she replicate this. It would duly be the third song that she would play! This stripped back version, kept its soulful roots however we implore you to go and listen Sonia's recorded output. It's a tale of lost love and as Sonia sung

"You're still on my mind" it was done with real feeling.

At the start of the song, a familiar face popped through the Green Note curtain in the shape of Twinnie, who had hot footed it from the cricket. She had barely settled on a stool before Sonia had her taking a place on the stage for her song "Hypothetically"

Always slightly underrated given the quality of songs that she has delivered, "Hypothetically" seemed a to be a further testament to that. She found time to hit a great extended note and get the first official singalong of the night. A definite unexpected bonus.

One of Sonia's trademark songs, "Sweet Annie" would cut the hullaballoo of the previous song to complete silence, as the audience watched on rapt, completely engrossed in this performing masterclass with Sonia occasionally singing off mic.

The brilliance continued with "Jack Is Back" which would end on the most quiet of whispers, followed by "Alabama" for which Sonia sported a big smile as she sang.

The call would go up for Jesse Smith to take to the stage in what would be one of the most touching moments of the night, for although Sonia opened the Ozzie Osborne tribute "Mama I'm Coming Home", she found herself overcome with the emotion of it, leaving Jesse to step in and take over, rejoining a little later.

It has to be said that Jesse looked every inch the star, for his solo song, the Joni Mitchell inspired, "For Whatever Reason". It had more than a little Cat Stevens about it on the verses, which is no bad thing, while the chorus saw Jesse impress as he powered out his vocals.

Sonia would return to the stage, asking for requests, which led to a rawkus audience singalong on the country classic "Bar"! One final visit to the new record came with "Road That Leads To Nowhere", her hometown song, one last reminder of just how good the new record is.

No Sonia Leigh show is of course complete without a little "Booty Call", and a few introductory chords in, she would ask "Are you gonna help me?" to a huge response. So Twinnie returned to the stage to savour the mayhem close up, and join in. She would also get challenged to record Fleetwood Mac's "Gypsy" with Sonia - which Sonia duly delivered with some passion.

The final song of the evening saw an onstage meeting as to what to play - and surely the debut of Sonia's "Seinfeld" stand up routine "What happened to drive by shootings?"!!!

With Brooke and Jesse now also on stage, an impromptu version of "To Make You Feel My Love" would see the evening out in style. With just Jesse on guitar, and the ladies on stage, joined by the Green Note audience, it was slightly ramshackle yet a great way to close out a special and totally unique evening.