Gig Review: Katie Melua and BOY - Hammersmith Apollo ✭✭✭✭
Katie Melua & BOY
Hammersmith Apollo
Wednesday 10th October: Katie Melua’s, Secret Symphony European tour hits London, starting the evening off was the Hamburg-based duo; BOY, a beautiful duo, contagious songs, catchy hooks and stunning vocals.
They performed songs from their debut album; Mutual Friends, an autobiographical affair about two girls from different lands who met, became friends, began making music together. The first song ‘Drive Darling’ is such a calming song, absolutely stunning. ‘Oh Boy’ described as an unhappy love song. When both the girls sing together it’s in perfect harmony, they sound perfect together. ‘Boris’, this song shows exactly why these girls singing together are a brilliant match. ‘Skin’ a song about the dark side of nightlife, being at a party with a room full of people but still feeling lonely. Their last song in the set was ‘Little Numbers’ the debut single has had huge YouTube success and you can understand why, the song is outrageously catchy. The songs have certain charms, bringing in different instruments, such as; piano, guitar, drums and bass.
BOY are simply effortless when performing, but what they seem to achieve is calmingly beautiful. Their album Mutual Friends is a must have. Songs you can’t get out of your head and lyrics that come from the heart.
Katie Melua takes to the stage and provides the audience with a set filled with songs, much to the delight of the audience. Most of the songs are from her album, Secret Symphony. Melua first broke onto the music scene with the song ‘Closest Thing To Crazy’ as a 19-year-old singer, with just a beautiful voice and a guitar. Now at the age of 27 and married, she stands on the stage alone with just a guitar, however later on she is joined by a string quartet, a guitarist, a bassist and a pianist. Her music has definitely travelled and grown with her, and it comes across in her new material.
We were treated to some of her older numbers including ‘Piece By Piece’, ‘If You Were A Sailboat’ and ‘Mary Pickford’ and ‘Call Off The Search’, which almost felt like it was dedicated to her new husband. My favourite songs performed and taken from her most recent album had to be ‘Moonshine’ and ‘Forgetting All My Troubles’, which Melua announced would be the next single and the only song on the album she wrote completely by herself. I also loved the song which is taken from the album The Katie Melua Collection (2008), ‘Somewhere in the Same Hotel’. She finished the night of with the classic ‘Nine Billion Bicycles’.
This wasn’t one of those concerts you go to and you’re standing and dancing the whole way through, it was a very laid back, mellow and calming evening, just to sit back and listen to some beautiful music.
4 stars out of 5 ✭✭✭✭
Review by Christina Benneworth
Listings Information:
Katie Melua and BOY
14th October: Manchester, Bridgewater Hall
15th October: Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall
16th October: Gateshead, The Sage
Further listings can be found here: http://www.katiemelua.com/Live.aspx
Katie Melua - http://www.katiemelua.com
BOY - http://www.listentoboy.com/