Music / Review
Review: Rachael Chinouriri, Strange Brew – ‘She had the audience in the palm of her hand’
After her four-day residency at Hoxton Hall in London sold out pretty sharpish, Rachel Chinouriri added four extra dates to her tour, including taking her sound to Strange Brew over the bank holiday.
Fresh off supporting Lewis Capaldi on his most recent tour, excitement was in the air as she turned to headlining her own gigs.
Chinouriri has been a rising star in the indie/alternative scene over the past few years, releasing hit after hit. Her EP, Better Off Without, was a summer favourite last year, and since then we’ve seen a steady number of soulful indie bangers released.
is needed now More than ever
Boyish kicked things off, an indie rock duo flying in from San Francisco the morning of to deliver a fun set of upbeat hits.
Their jetlagged but upbeat, lucid demeanour made for a great opener, with Rachel Chinouriri wholesomely cheering them on from the side of the stage.
Chinouriri hit the stage full of energy, taking the time to weave the story behind each song into her set.
The crowd was very receptive to hearing the messages behind the tracks, as Chinouriri made a great storyteller in both speech and song, treading the hard line of interacting with your audience and performing with ease.
The most powerful moment was when Chinouriri sang So My Darling, a song about taking the time to tell the people close to you that you love them, with Chinouriri taking the hand of a fan as she sang.
Visibly emotional while singing, you could see a ripple throughout the crowd as multiple people grabbed those close to them.
Chinouriri’s songs are soulful and introspective at times, but the set was perfectly balanced with more upbeat tunes that got the crowd singing and dancing along.
From two-stepping to call and response, Chinouriri had the audience in the palm of her hand, with everybody game to have a great time.
Main photo: Kyran Wood
Read next:
- Review: Belinda O’Hooley, St George’s – ‘She stops the whole of St George’s in its tracks’
- Review: Laura Cortese and Friends, The Folk House – ‘Cortese injects pure sunshine’
- Review: Cub Sport, The Louisiana – ‘A mix of genres combined to create beautiful soundscapes’
Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
