Despite playing in front of an oversized painted derriere behind the stage, pop-folk-rock
outfit Jessicas Ghost were free from "bum notes" throughout.
Opening with the lively He Said/She Said, the band set out their stall from the start. With
a fun sound that put me in the mind of Merseyside outfit Amsterdam, the band seamlessly
moved into a breakdown before ramping energy levels back up. All Because Of You gave
JG's new pianist Craig license to hit the heartbrakes in heart-wrenching slower section,
whilst a haunting repeated three notes drove New Shoes forward, with violin and electric
guitar blending perfectly. So far, so good, and when JG's lead vocalist Emma let us in on
the band jokingly referring to 3 Steps Back as their Christmas number one, it was easy to
hear why as the band hurtled headlong into the kind of thing you'd normally find Shane
MacGowan slurring along to.
Emma put down her guitar for the funk odyssey of Doobie Brothers classic Long Train
Runnin' before pulling things back again for Big City Lights and Work It Out. The band's
showpiece was still yet to come and took the form of Summertime, a moody, punchy bass
line with breezy bittersweet vocals giving way to solos from all of the band, including
a show-stopping violin break from Christoph Demetriou. Stand Alone, with a subtle
undertone of Dexy's Midnight Runners, led on to Break Down, an uplifting track that
brought us almost full circle.
Applause and calls for 'more' was enough to tow Christoph back on stage, fingerboard
smouldering as his light-speed fingers made Toss The Feathers his own, the rest of JG
keeping pace with a frantic Celtic finale to a consistently entertaining and well-crafted set.
Jessicas Ghost certainly have a great set up and range of songs – and with a support slot for
The Noisettes featuring amongst a packed calendar of gigs, expect to see and hear them
near you soon!
Journalist & Cellist/Pianist/Composer in The Kevin Critchley Outfit |
