So the 2024 gig calendar begins with a triple header as part of the Five Day Forecast festival at my favourite small venue in London, The Lexington.
First up is a delicate acoustic folk set from Clara Ann. A classically beautiful British folk voice and a nice start to the evening. Next on are duo Christie Gardner and Helen Dixon aka Lilo who are joined on lap steel tonight by Robbie, from Nudista. Indeed, Pilar Matji Cabello, the other half of Nudista was stood next to us. They deliver a perfect thirty minute set of pithy pop, filled with beautiful harmonies.
All of this serves as the ideal hors d’oeuvres and starter for the main course of Jess Williamson. First time live for me but a long-time fan, this show is her first over here since Covid and such is the demand she is playing another headline show at the Moth Club the night after.
It’s a solo acoustic affair tonight although she is joined on stage by a trusty iPhone to provide occasional backing drums through the night and while I am sucker for the purity of just an acoustic guitar the backing track does give those songs added depth and we certainly look forward to maybe another tour later in the year with a band.
It’s a tight 60 minute set that takes in tracks from across the back catalogue with an obviously heavy leaning to the latest album the excellent ‘Time Aint Accidental’. There’s also space for a couple of tracks from the wonderful side project ‘Plains’ with Katie Crutchfield especially one of my favourites ‘Abilene’.
It’s a beautiful voice that really reminds me of an early Maria McKee that I hadn’t noticed as much on record. Jess also has a unique guitar style where it appears that her right hand doesn’t actually touch the strings but gently wafts above them to produce that soft pillowy embracing sound.
On a night of highlights the twin two steppers of Tobacco and Topanga from the latest album are beauties
A super show to start the year on a real high and looking forward to many more throughout 2024.
Keep on acoustic, pillowy, rockin’ y’all