Live Review: Ella Hooper, Gena Rose Bruce, Jack Colwell & The Owls

Talented sweetheart Gena Rose Bruce plays dreamy alt.country pop, which is rich in killer lyrical content. After some merry acoustic numbers, the house sits up straight and barely lets out a breath while listening to the sweet, rueful way she sings lyrics such as, “I cheated on the man I love”. Jack Colwell & The Owls launch their Far From View single to an audience fast becoming very entertained by the frontman's interpretative dance moves, flowing mop-top hairstyle and sheer theatrical intensity. Even Ella Hooper herself is spotted dancing in the crowd before jumping up on stage to join Colwell to perform a way too mock-sexy version of The Motels' Total Control. Rainbow Chan adds a searing saxophone riff to top off the sweaty action onstage.

Ella Hooper (aka Captain Hooper of Spicks And Specks fame) takes centre stage to the delight of her fans who she thanks profusely for being so damn patient with her debut solo album tardiness. It's a mature, exuberant and confident Hooper onstage tonight previewing tracks from her forthcoming In Tongues set. Hooper performs the electro-pop title track with poise and flair. After admitting she's feeling inspired by Colwell's theatrics, Häxan – a sultry, witchcraft-inspired track – allows Hooper to “feel it and go there”.

A couple of ethereal break-up tracks are slow-burning beauties. A more muted tune gives way to Hooper's self-proclaimed new “disco track”. The evening ends with first single off the album: a striking tropical/Arabian-type number called Low High, which is performed with Colwell and one-night-only special guest Kira Piru on backing vocals. A raucous call for an encore brings Hooper back to the stage with a sombre-yet-elegant tune she co-wrote with her brother Jesse. If tonight's show is anything to go by, Hooper's fans can look forward to solo material reflecting an artist ready to spread her creative wings beyond familiar roots.