Perhaps losing out on numbers to the ‘Platty Joobs’ celebrations, Roxanne de Bastion politely kicked off her tour in Cardiff last weekend. Aptly welcomed by Bastion herself as “our tiny gig at the Tiny Rebel,” the audience may have been modest in size but the talent in that room was anything but sparse: a brilliant night of music, anecdotes, musings and a demonstration of the most well-mannered heckles ever made, wrapped up with a lighthearted sense of community.

First and foremost, Roxanne de Bastion is a brilliant storyteller and her music – though great on record – is made for live performance. During her set, it seemed like she connected with every single individual in the room: a subtle yet powerful presence that can command a crowd by creating the sort of intimate atmosphere which would remain unchanged whether facing 20 people or 20,000. A quick moment, too, to appreciate her flowing black outfit, accented with white, heeled Chelsea boots – an aesthetic dream, especially with the backdrop of Tiny Rebel’s exposed brickwork.

In a world full of messy and often unhelpful opinions, Bastion offers a peaceful and intelligent perspective, reflected in both her musicianship and her speech. A true master of her craft, she was accompanied by a solid team of talent: Zoe Konez, who also opened the show with witty commentary, gentle road-trip musical vibes and immense skill on guitar, and Jay Chakravorty who played multiple instruments with mesmerisic style and ease, sometimes within the same song.

The pros of witnessing this tour are endless. I have visions of this gig becoming reflected on in years to come, where Roxanne de Bastion may recall the friendly crowd of 25 in Cardiff as she prepares to play to a sold-out arena of thousands. 

Tiny Rebel Cardiff, Sat 4 June

words and photos JOSEPH ELIJAH for BUZZ CULTURE