Backed by all but the backing singers from Sara Evans band, this was to be something of a Festival set from Lindsay and she used the opportunity to play tunes old and new as well as throwing in a few suprises. In a slightly bizarre soundcheck moment the normal "one two check" was eschewed and replaced by someone screaming into the microphone, while not sure if this was the cause but Lindsay's vocals were muffled and distorted for at least the first few songs
Lindsay emerged bedecked in large sunglasses and hyped up ready to take on the world, immediately launching into her latest single £right On Time", Always a joy to watch, at anytime seemingly able to seemingly bend in half!
As we said at the start there was a bit of everything in this set including a new "Every Time I Look At You" which was jaunty and all but bounced along.
All of the microphone issues seemed to fade away as the set developed, "What Happens In A Small Town" remained a duet of sorts, with Sara Evan's keyboard player adding some additional vocals which saw the Long Road crowd break out into some spontaneous waving, and naturally closed out with a trademark solo.
Lindsay found time to go back down memory lane recalling her first UK gig at the Borderline in London
and switched to acoustic guitar for a marvellous "Waiting On You" followed by an excellent "wAnt me back".
The next section was something of a hoot as Lindsay let rip on a number of covers, cropped and crammed into a medley. It began with No Doubt's "Just A Girl", the chorus being an absolute riot, before bring followed by Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". Now this being a short set Lindsay skipped all the "I Killed a man" and "Bismillah" sections and heaeded straight to the rocking finale where she provided a pretty decent Brian May impersonation. Things were polished off with a visit to the Dixie Chicks "Earle" which went down an absolute storm.
Lindsay Ell's "Heart Theory" was one of many albums that undoubtedly suffered for being released during covid - it was an outstanding record and tonight "I don't lovE you" was almost certianly her best vocal of the night and came with a suitably dreamy solo,
It was a solo that would see her drop to her knees and then eventually she would disappear from view entirely as she continued the solo completely horizontal!!
Things would close with "Criminal" with Lindsay taking to standing on the speakers at the front of the stage.
It was something of a turbo charged performance and let's hope for a longer slice of Lindsay in 2023.
The Long Road Festival will return 25th-27th August 2023.
Keep tuned for our exclusive Lindsay Ell interview.