Words by Ceri Black / Pics by Jermaine Lloyd
Ghana born and London raised Kwabs (aka Kwabena Sarkodee Adjepong) has his feet firmly set in the RnB/soul scene.
Having previously supported Sam Smith on his European stint, Kwabs has now embarked on his own solo tour that has seen many venues nationwide sell out.
Tonight he graces the stage at the Hare & Hounds, and I am pleasantly surprised to see Kwabs accompanied by a full band and backing vocals, having half expected a backing track to be the only accessory.
Greeted by an eager and excited audience, Kwabs’ deep and powerful vocals reverberates around the room with full intensity.
His opening number, ‘Saved’, is performed by both band and artist almost perfectly – creating an atmosphere that makes me feel indisputably teary eyed.
It is clear from his onstage presence that Kwabs has a background in performing; he conducts himself with a confidence that could almost be mistaken for arrogance, but rightly so. Engaging with the crowd is never an effort and at one point he has the entire room dancing to ‘Into You’, something I have never seen before.
But a personal highlight of the set is Kwabs’ cover of the Arctic Monkeys hit ‘Do I Wanna Know?’, which, to my astonishment, make more sense as a song with a soul edge to it.
And, as with many artists, Kwabs leaves the best until last – finishing tonight’s set with his most famous track, ‘Walk.’ With bass vibrating through the room, and dancing on stage as well as off, the evening is rounded off on a high note and a smile.
I leave the Hare & Hounds with no doubt that Kwabs has the talent, and determination, to continue winning audiences and critics for a long time to come.
For more on Kwabs, visit http://kwabsmusic.com/
For further listings from the Hare & Hounds, visit http://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk/event-listings
