Review: Gallery 47 – Nottingham Contemporary – 30 August 2014

Nottingham Contemporary is becoming one of my favourite places for an alternative Saturday night of music. The gigs tend to be varied, interesting and relaxed, with this gig being no exception. With ambient lighting and candles on the tables, it’s sophisticated and stylish whilst remaining arty and cool, and what better way to mix it up than to have some incredible music.

JAMIE MOON certainly sets the bar high with his understated dramatic performance. His gorgeously crafted acoustic songs are filled with beautiful lyrics, heartfelt melodies and are tinged with heartbreak and sadness, but they still manage to be uplifting, and are truly captivating. The audience was in near silence during his performances, and even when he was talking to the crowd everyone just zipped their lips as if clinging to every word he said. His modesty is humbling but he contrasts modesty with a confidence in his craft which comes across through his music which is genuine and intense in feeling. The majority of Jamie’s performance was flawless. A couple of bum chords during ‘Hands’ was entirely forgiveable, and he shrugged them off with a smile which just added to his honest stage personality. Ending on ‘Bite The Wax’ was a great choice, as it refocuses the audience to him, and with the lighting and the stage arranged as it was, it was great to be able to watch Jamie’s brilliant guitar techniques whilst he sings, and this makes the music and the performance utterly engrossing.

HEARTS were next onto the stage, and as their last ever gig, it felt like an important moment. They played a varied set of gentle, sweet acoustic pop, laced with some lovely three part harmonies and some great guitar work. There are elements to Hearts which are utterly beautiful and heartbreaking at times, and I feel my heart strings being pulled in the luxurious harmonies and arrangements, but sometimes they miss the mark a little which is a shame really because when it works, it really works. There’s a vulnerability to the group too, which I think comes through in some of the vocals sometimes, but it’s also quite endearing. They mix originals and covers, with ‘Emmylou’ by First Aid Kit being one of my favourites, using tambourine perfectly, and building the song up excellently, that when the chorus comes back for the last time, it sounds absolutely gorgeous. Their cover of ‘Video Games’ by Lana Del Rey was an interesting one to watch for me, as I’m not entirely convinced the harmony worked at times, but there were some really lovely parts too. What I liked actually was their quirky dedication of their final ever performed song to their friend’s pair of haggled Dr Martens… It added an interesting twist and put a smile on people’s faces, ending their set and their time as a group on a cheery note.

Challenging the cheeriness was GALLERY 47, who I have heard before, but never had the pleasure of seeing. Jack Peachey is such a genuine performer, it’s impossible not to feel like you’re having a moment when you watch him. His storytelling lyrics are interestingly crafted with delicacy and some excellent wordiness which is engrossing, and there are some really gorgeous guitar parts too. There’s an intensity to Jack which is hard to put your finger on, I think it comes from how much it feels like he’s bearing his soul on stage. It feels heartbreaking, sincere and open, which in turn seems to effect the audience in this way too. It seems like Gallery 47 just gets on stage, doesn’t worry too much about performing as such, but instead just plays the music he loves to write. Most of his songs reflect on heartbreak, but also have a healthy dose of expletives and political commentary which is fitting with the style. When he’s chatting to the audience, he’s warm and open, and jokes about himself and his lyrics too, which feels really personal, and well he sings his “wall receding”/”walrus eating” lyrics in the song and smiles to himself, I can’t help but smile too. It was an enchanting and gorgeous performance which blew me away, and I’m really looking forward to giving his album a hearty listen.

You can check out future events happening at Nottingham Contemporary here.

Review by Cassia Helme

Photographs by Michael C Wheeler