On one of the wettest autumnal nights in quite a while, a good crowd squeezed into St Lawrence’s Church in Biddulph, North Staffordshire to see the musical debut in the area of Isle of Wight chanteuse Sorrel Nation.
Nation often plays in different line-ups and this gig was no exception – Theo Holder on cello, Sam Anderson on resonator guitar/vocals and Hollie Garwood on guitar, backing vocals – and musical saw – formed the band on this occasion, all providing a richly textured sonic mix which blended well with the short natural reverb tail of the acoustics in the building.
The show was split into two sets and covered a range of material from Nation’s live and studio releases – the title track of “Lost In Route” and selections from her recent “Live And Acoustic” EP and other single releases were interspersed with a smattering of new songs. One striking aspect of the new material was the rich use of harmony behind the main vocal, creating a gorgeous, vibrant depth to the overall sound, juxtaposing well with Nation’s often sublimely translucent vocals.
There was a tasteful selection of covers too – Nation remarked that she’d been to see Gillian Welch at the London Palladium a couple of weeks ago before performing her almost Mazzy Star like take on Welch’s ‘North Country’. There were also a couple of audience sing-along moments which were well received before the double whammy closing cover of ‘White Rabbit’ and the encore cover of ‘Who Knows Where The Time Goes’. It wouldn’t be too far from the truth to say that part of Nation’s heart is grounded in the myths and magic of 1967.
This was one of those gigs where there was a synchronicity of band/venue, time and place – Sorrel Nation in a cosy red-illuminated church while rainstorms and gales lashed outside was an ideal setting for her soulful folk-americana – call it what you will – it’s a delightful formula.
Photos by and with permission of Nick Barber
