After the idiosyncratic Honey Harper warmed the audience up it was time for the main event. The band look sharp and their playing was even sharper – and at their centre is Mattiel herself, dynamic and confident.
The look is fairly cinematic – this is what an contemporary 60s garage band influenced should be; you could see them in a hip film, playing in the background whilst drama unfolds in the crowd or at the bar at the back of the venue.
The songs are good too – my favourites being ‘Count Your Blessings’ (see sample video), ‘Keep The Change’ and the wonderful ‘Je Ne Me Connais Pas’. They are all powered by some great guitar playing and the American’s seductive, strong vocals. Only downside was that the set was relatively short for an artist with two albums under her belt – short but highly enjoyable.
Also, this was my first time at Òran Mór and I was impressed by the venue – I will definitely come to see more gigs here.
