GABRIELLE APLIN | LIVE REVIEW

Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Fri 12 Feb

Under a smoky spotlight in Cardiff University’s Great Hall, Gabrielle Aplin started her show with a haunting solo performance of Coming Home from her sophomore album Light Up The Dark, casting a haze of captivated silence over the crowd. The audience remained enthralled by her performance for the entire duration of the show, a testament to her remarkable stage presence; a skill that many young artists do not have and one that can take years to cultivate.

Playing a mix of new material and older classics, each track kept the audience excited for more. During the set’s quieter moments, Aplin kept the energy interesting and even moved a member of the audience to tears during her touching tribute to the late David Bowie, a cover of Space Oddity. In the louder moments of the set, and with a full band behind her, Aplin performed beautiful arrangements of her songs: stunning harmonies, beautiful instrumental pieces and an array of flashing lights that made the stripped down elements of her set list all the more poignant.

In addition to Aplin’s own show were two support acts that had been carefully selected to give the audience an all-around entertaining experience. Opening the show was a local act, Hannah Grace who stunned the audience with her simple and catchy pop melodies, beautiful jazzy voice and sections of scat improvisations that gave me goosebumps. Reminiscent of iconic stars like Ella Fitzgerald, Grace’s set could only have been improved by the addition of a full live band. She was followed by Lewis Watson, whose mixture of soft melodies and gravelly vocals won the hearts of every teenage girl in the crowd, with relatable lyrics and soothing guitar pieces.

All in all, a fantastic event filled with some of the best folk music the UK has to offer. Gabrielle Aplin, along with her band, performed a show that balanced upbeat energy with stripped-back moments of truly touching music. An unforgettable set by every performer – the future can only get brighter for these young stars.

words LLOYD BEST photos CHAD & PAUL