LUCY SPRAGGAN | LIVE REVIEW
The Globe, Cardiff, Tue 19 May
Arriving at the sold-out Cardiff venue, it’s clear that acoustic folk-popper and one-time X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan has a very strong and passionate following. The crowd is squashed as tightly as possible to the front of the stage, leaving plenty of room towards the back of the packed venue.
Down to the music, though. This wasn’t really a gig you could sit back, take in and casually enjoy the songs. There was almost a competitiveness in the air: each Spraggan superfan was singing louder and harder than the other, in a bid to prove their loyalty. While it must be amazing for Lucy Spraggan that she has such a strong and passionate fanbase, it made proceedings feel almost uncomfortable for those of us who were not as familiar with Lucy’s work.
Accompanied by a three-man band – one eccentric keyboard player, a miserable-looking bass player and a guy on the Jamaican drums – Lucy describes her music as “A-flop” which is, a mix of acoustic, folk and hip-hop. I struggled to recognise anything as complicated as this. Witty, quirky lyrics aside, I failed to pick out much in Lucy Spraggan’s set to elevate it above the fare available in any local pub on a Saturday night.
words DENIECE CUSACK