Music / Reviews
Review: Nadine Shah, The Exchange
It might be seen as slightly unorthodox to come onstage to one of your own tracks, but Nadine Shah managed to pull it off.
The strains of Nothing Else to Do were fading out as Nadine took to the stage for her sold-out Exchange show (the song itself was presumably left out of the setlist due to the complexity of the album version’s brass and layered harmonies). Nadine herself stands centre stage behind an electric piano, flanked by two guitarists, a bassist and drummer, but she picks up a guitar to begin the set.
The songs and the clothes are dark, but Nadine herself is somewhat brighter, cracking jokes and grinning between every song. Following the cheer after she introduces Stealing Cars she quips, “Ah, 6 Music listeners I see”, before graciously thanking them for the airplay.
Both this and current single Fool sound fantastic, with the full band allowing for a meaty, faithful rendition, and Nadine’s vocals swell to fill the Exchange’s packed back room. Her voice is powerful without being a Florence Welch-esque foghorn – sometimes improbably deep, but always rich. Her accent shines through, and even with a full band, it never gets swamped.
Beginning with songs off her current album Fast Food, the mood changes halfway through the set as Nadine turns to her debut LP Love Your Dum and Mad. She swaps guitar, which apparently she’s only recently taken up, for electric piano – and these songs are slightly sparser, making for a nice change of pace. Guitarist Nick Webb somewhat surprisingly pulls out a cornet for one track. At a close listen, there are nods to Britpop and 70s horror as well as more obvious comparisons like PJ Harvey or even Bristol’s own Rose Kemp.
It’s hard not to fall for Nadine Shah a little bit watching her onstage. Not only is she an incredibly talented songwriter and performer, she’s also just really likeable. This gig sold out the day before the show: next time, perhaps she’ll be selling out somewhere even bigger.
Nadine Shah played The Exchange, Bristol on Friday, April 17. For forthcoming Exchange lineups, visit www.exchangebristol.com/whats-on
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