Live Review: Gossling, Winter People and Hayden Calnin at the Brass Monkey

The Brass Monkey was filled to the brim with punters sitting down to dinner, wine and a side of Gossling on Sunday night. Hayden Calnin began the proceedings with a beautiful solo set that showcased his incredible vocals. With a bare range of instruments to work with, his stripped back sound was a testament to his voice. A looping device was used to build sound upon sound up throughout songs, his vocals often used in place of other musical tools. His music was lapped up by the audience which, in spite of tasty distractions, hung off his perfectly pitched work.

Few groups make the violin sound as sexy as Winter People. Their folk/country/rock sound was well paced and broken up nicely with different tempos. While two violins initially seemed like it might be overkill, they worked well together, playing competing melodies to give their songs a strange sense of danger. The crowd was distracted at first, but warmed up to the band very quickly when they realised how good they were.

Diners were completely silent in anticipation when Gossling took to the stage and she did not fail to deliver. Her ethereal voice pierced the room with incredible power. Performing what she called the “mullet set” (business up front, party at the back), Gossling began with a run through of her catalogue of slower tracks that took the audience on an emotional ride of love – both unrequited and reciprocated – and heartbreak. The second half of her show gave her a chance to display her more sultry and fun side as she took on various personas. Apart from being an incredible singer, Gossling was also very personable as she interacted with the crowd, even if at times it was awkward. It made the audience fall in love with her endearing and quirky charms even more. She was the perfect end to the weekend.