Sat 20 Nov 2010, St John the Evangelist, Canton, Cardiff
Supported by Ffred Jones and Jessica Lee Morgan
Words: Stephen Nottingham
It’s becoming a cliché in Cardiff to say that Paper Aeroplanes are about to take off, but on the evidence of this concert it’s hard not to agree. In one of Cardiff’s finest churches, the band, together with two rising Welsh singer-songwriters, treated the congregation of music fans to a show that will live long in the memory.
The event was organized by Newsoundswales. Founded in 1988 to provide an online forum for independent music in Wales, live concerts are a new development. This well-attended gig, with its perfect match of venue and performers, was a very encouraging start.
Cardiff-based Jessica Lee Morgan opened the show with a set of songs penned over the years, back to when she was a teenager. Well she did grow up in a musical family, being the daughter of Mary Hopkin and record producer Tony Visconti. Her debut album I Am Not showcases her impressive stylistic range. Highlights of her set included Leave The Lights On, I Am Not (not on the album!), and a reflective version of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance that segued into a song about performing covers.
Ffred Jones was in fine voice during a wide-ranging set of his own material. From Newport, Ffred has released several EPs and is recording his first LP. He recently busked around the Welsh coast in aid of Tŷ Hafan, the children’s hospice. After a few solo numbers, he was sympathetically accompanied by Miriam on cello. His cover took the set in an unexpected direction, when he was joined by rapper Ibo for a highly original version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.
Sarah Howells and Richard Llewellyn, the duo who comprise Paper Aeroplanes, were joined by Katie on violin and Sean on bass and keyboards for this concert. Sarah remarked that playing their songs in the St. John’s acoustic was like hearing them anew. Stripped of drums, the beautiful melancholy within the jaunty pop songs from their recent debut album The Day We Ran Into The Sea came to the fore. Cliché (“Watch the YouTube video,” urges Sarah), Lifelight and My First Love were among the highlights. The duo encored with a haunting Newport Beach, steeped in nostalgia for their native west Wales. Proud of their recent Radio 2 playlisting, bigger things await Paper Aeroplanes as they spread their wings.