Words by Althea Patterson
As the short lived summer becomes a distant memory, an extra layer of warmth is required; it’s time to flip on some music that matches the snug, mellow weather and yellowing leaves. Luke Sital-Singh is just the aural equivalent of mashed potato and melted gruyere I need.
The mixed Glee Club crowd, of mature married couples, cute first daters and beer swilling ladies, were warmed up nicely by the quite brilliant Ade Suleiman. He looked like a rudeboy but sang like a Prince, where the tone of Jah Cure met the impassioned Jazz delivery of Amy Winehouse. My toes tapped hard.
Strolling onstage with a cuppa, a drummer and a barefooted bassist, Singh looked like a younger, more handsome Woody Allen carrying Bob Dylan’s guitar. He remarked, with an admirable deprecating sense of humour, “Don’t be fooled by the name of the venue, we’re all miserable.” With laughter ringing, he plucked his strings and burst into ‘Inaudible Sighs’, dominating the tiny stage with his searing clear-as-crystal voice.
With my head nodding appreciatively to ‘You Love, You Love’, a song crying out to be a festival anthem, I am then stunned into stillness as his tremulous voice lets out ‘Bottled Up Tight’. And Singh’s beautiful song ‘Luna’ (an ode to a stranded whale) had a sumptuous lullaby quality I simply adored.
Constantly asking if we were enjoying ourselves, Singh went through his new Tornadoes EP with ease and humour. His voice seduces you to listen, most notably on ‘Nearly Morning’ and ‘How to Lose Your Life’ – both displaying heartfelt lyrics and impressive range; I did spot a few people wiping away tears.
Singh’s encore was his breakthrough track ‘Fail for You’ – just him, the stage and a guitar. Captivating and powerful, with lyrics to break even the hardest of hearts through their poetry. Even the air conditioning had to quieten in awe.
Exiting the stage with his cuppa, no fuss or dramatics, Luke Sital-Singh is the winter warmth I was looking for – but also confidently cool.
For more on Luke Sital-Singh, visit http://www.lukesitalsingh.com/
For more on The Glee Club, including full listings for music and comedy, visit http://www.glee.co.uk/