CHARLIE DORE | LIVE REVIEW
Acapela, Cardiff, Sun 21 Jan
Charlie Dore has been many things in the world of entertainment, from actress to collaborative writer, but it is in her role as singer-songstress in her own right that she seems most at home.
Dore’s sidekick on this Dark Matter tour is her old friend Julian Littman, of Steeleye Span and together the pair used a variety of instruments that included guitars, ukulele, piano accordion and mandolin. Dore’s voice is so melodic, sometimes even mesmerising, it is almost another instrument and I would love to hear her sing acapella.
The first three songs in the set were rather dour, but as the evening progressed and artists got into the swing of things, the tone picked up. There were a few tuning issues during which the duo entertained by sharing their reminiscences. Old songs such as Ain’t No Doubt (once a hit for Jimmy Nail) and Pilot Of The Airways (Dore’s 1979 hit single) sat comfortably alongside material from her latest album, and with each song the 70-strong audience – which included her followers from Newport Folk Club – got to know a little more about the singer’s life and loves.
Dore seems to be having an existential crisis of late and her new material has been inspired by light bulbs, death and neutrinos; yet whatever the subject matter, her lyrics are always intelligent with an element of humour and always tell a story. The Acapela club is an intimate venue that’s great for artists and audience to connect and was the perfect place to showcase Dore’s finely tuned blend of folk-rock.
words LYNDA NASH