Live Review: Kim Churchill, Pepa Knight, BOO SEEKA

BOO SEEKA kicked off the night with a great set featuring songs from their upcoming EP, and the lead singer’s vocals were a clear standout for this duo. Impressively, for a band who don’t even have a single out yet, they’ve been recruited as a support act for two partially sold-out tours (Kim Churchill and the upcoming Sticky Fingers tour) – so keep an eye out for these guys.

Pepa Knight struggled a bit with technical issues, and his mellow yet upbeat tunes, such as Rahh!, might have felt more at home in an open space like a festival. Musically, he’s very similar to Jinja Safari, of which he’s a member, but it was impressive to see him producing similar sounds from a lute, harmonium, flute and sitar in solo mode.

Having been incredibly impressed by Kim Churchill at Bluesfest in 2012, it was great to be reminded why seeing him live the first time was such a revelation. Churchill’s raw energy, musical proficiency and humility were on full display last Saturday night, giving the audience a spectacular show that looked as though he was truly enjoying too.

Opening with Single Spark, this one-man music machine simultaneously handled acoustic guitar, harmonica, bass drum and tambourine with precision and contagious enthusiasm. Churchill gave songs from his first EP, Turns To Stone, and most recent album, Silence/Win, further meaning by telling stories from his life and travels, gathering the audience up and taking them on a journey through sound.

Towards the end of his set, he exploded into a fantastic rendition of Window To The Sky, which he dedicated to two of his friends just married, reinforcing the positive and intimate vibes of the gig. This high-energy show was a perfect example of the free spirit that Churchill lives and breathes, which also rubbed off on the audience, leaving everyone with massive grins on their faces.