Live Review: Leon Bridges, Ngaiire

Where are we? The Enmore, you say? Could've fooled us, feels like we're in Texas, a handful of decades ago.

Bathed in purple and backed by two singers, a drummer and keysman, Ngaiire takes to the stage with her powerhouse vocals and attitude seeping from every pore. She gives songs like Rabbit Hole and I Went Black a turn, getting low to dance and feeling the music pulsing through her, her flared, lacy sleeves fluttering back and forth. She's come a long way performance-wise and the new band backing has done her well, though it still feels like there's something missing from the mix. Diggin is a highlight, especially when it ends with an amazing solo from her backing vocalist Christian. 

A six-piece, classy as all hell, step out into the dark, as Mr Leon Bridges saunters out to the opening chords of Smooth Sailin'. Part of his whole thing is the outfit and boy, does he deliver tonight — a slightly oversized tweed blazer, high-waisted trousers, a sky blue pocket square and the shiniest brogues you've ever seen. Bridges is all fancy footwork, hip thrusts and energetic arms, and somehow he manages to still drip soul in songs like Better Man and Lisa Sawyer. "I'm thirsty Sydney, you gon' give it to me tonight?" he taunts with a slight Texan twang. His voice has so much control, command and charisma, you're torn between closing your eyes and getting lost in it and watching his every move. 

His band is tight as and we're loving the saxman and the only girl in the band, a stunning backing vocalist/tambourine player. As amazing as it is to see a sold out crowd come to see Bridges and his crew tonight, a small part of us aches for the times Bridges played in dingy, jazz clubs in Georgia or Louisiana, the snare drum, twangy guitars and his warm soulful croon reverberating off the worn-out floorboards. The jauntiness of Brown Skin Girl rings out and it's a highlight of the set, along with a stripped back, haunting River later on. The guy knows how to work his crowd: he's either dancing, revving up the audience or, if his hands aren't grasping his mic like a dying lover, one hand comes to rest daintily behind his back. The mammoth set explores classic '60s soul, big band pizzazz (Golden Room, Pussyfootin'), bluesy slide guitar (Hold On), some good ol' R&B slow jams (Shine) and even has room for a bit of dirty hip hop (Ginuwine's Pony, hoo boy this one's gonna keep beds warm tonight). Breakthrough hit Coming Home has the crowd singing full-voiced for the first time and it's a beautiful sound — we get to sing a whole verse, Bridges boogieing away with a proud grin as he points the mic towards us. Mississippi Kisses' call and return is such a rollicking way to end the night! Shouting and clapping "I had your Mississippi kisses down in New Orleans", everyone up and dancing, is the perfect way to show Sydney "how Fort Worth, Texas do". 

The verdict? Choo-choo, get on board the Bridges train; it's headed for the stars and not stopping until it gets there.