LIVE REVIEW: VIC ALLEN - BETH KEEPING - THE LIBRA

It was almost like old times with two thirds of the Write Like A Girl team reunited at The Libra for an evening of Grade A singer songwriting, brought to us by the wonderful folk at TALENTBANQ, at the venue where the sound effects come pre provided for any train based material, with the Northern Line trundling along underneath with a regularity that they never seem to have when you are waiting for one. Travelling across London in the rain, meant that we arrived fractionally after the evening had started - "You haven't missed much" said the lady checking tickets, which we assumed meant that Beth had only just taken to the stage, rather than passing comment on her performance, based on the sounding seeping through the closed door!

We eventually settle down and find Beth sat at the piano, playing her Christmas single of sorts, "Traditions", a beautifully observed piece of being without a significant other at Christmas, " I take all the pictures and hide in the kitchen". So magnificently realised was it that on the final, barely a whisper, a capella chorus, as it finished there was an audible "Ahhh" from someone so caught up in the performance.

Switching to guitar for "Plane Tickets", it expressed the freedom of being unattached, at a time when others are settling down. Teasing the audience with an "Are there any country fans in the house tonight?", Beth would take us back to a song we first heard back at the old Troubadour with Laura Evans and Katy Hurt in 2019!, "Flashbacks". Somehow this tale of remembering things about an ex has remained unrecorded.

Beth's song "New York" about the city never living up to expectations on her first visit, was expanded out to encompass other things that equally did not live up to expectations, "Loving you is like loving New York!". Naturally it came with a rich tapestry of lyrics around a tune that progressively built up in volume. Keeping the US city theme going, Beth's set would close with some audience participation on "San Francisco" completing her warm duties in style.

With a new EP out and a Green Note show in January, it was truly great to see Beth again.

It's been an unusually unproductive year release wise for Vic Allen since we last saw her at The Green Note Basement nearly a year ago, however that does not mean she has not been busy, accruing up to two albums worth of material to release. Tonight would reaffirm her standing as being an all round entertainer, able to tell stories and switch the mood by moving from guitar to piano.

Opening with "It Ain't Enough", with its mix of confident guitar playing, matched to an inventive chorus, it could not be derailed even by a faulty stomp box. The travel section of "Mexico" and "Barcelona" once more showed a true pop songsmith at work.

Although Vic would downplay them, her abilities on piano are becoming ever impressive, and added great drama to a song like "Confetti" which already comes with a rich narrative and was not interrupted even by the siren of passing police car that sounded like it might come through the wall it was that loud.

An unreleased song "Different Things", captured the pain of a split perfectly. Played out to a dramatic backing, the melody attached to lines like was gripping

"Whichever way this ends nobody wins -

Cos we want different things"

Vic would then move to electric guitar, which she would use in a most subtle way, there was no making it "cry or sing" as Mark Knopfler would say on "Sultans Of Swing". The unrecorded song "Brighter" emerged from a self set writing challenge, of completing a song a day for 5 days. It opens up a new avenue for Vic's writing, bright and summery sounding with the guitar almost percussive at times.

One of her older songs "Pictures Of Us" was totally transformed by the move to electric guitar. The gloriously subtle sound, threw all of the emphasis onto Vic's singing, and the room was totally captivated, even the Northern Line train drivers knew better than to interrupt.

In many ways Vic's next tune "Wake Up Pretty", is possibly her most important song to date, it has touched people in a most profound way and has only been able to do that due to Vic's bravery in putting it out there in the first place exposing inner demons.

It was back to acoustic guitar for a Goo Goo Dolls cover in "Iris" before moving to one of the nights innovations - the "Request Jar" containing random audience requests. Vic Would let out an audible squeal of excitement on picking out "Quit". Opening with a cry of "Wish me luck", Vic would deliver a perfect rendition to the intense accompanying strum of the verses and the expressive guitar playing to the wordy chorus.

It was time for Beth Keeping to rejoin the fray on piano, for "Two Seats Down" and Vic would defer to just adding backing vocals, helping to make a divine sound. The roles would reverse for "Talk" where Beth's additional vocals would make a perfect blend. The dynamic duo would have one more song together, with Vic's Nashville written, perfect pop of "Ended In A Song".

Beth would leave the stage as Vic would move on to one of her most quintessential songs, the lockdown frustrations of not being able to travel, perfectly summed up in "Suitcase", sung to perfection, ending with a wide smile.

Ending on a high, with some audience participation and a once more functioning stomp pedal for "Drive Thru". This had been a most impressive dip into Vic's catalogue and a glimpse into the wonders yet to come and the future looks exceedingly bright.

That Vic Allen is not a household name remains one of the worlds great unsolved mysteries, seventy five minutes later, after a thrilling set on both guitar and piano, the plot only thickened further. She has truly grown into an all round entertainer who can hold and enthral an audience in a live environment, while her recorded work and videos are those of an artist with a real vision.

Pictures courtesy of Michael Chowne