LadyHawke at Rough Trade East

Among the records of legendary and contemporary music icons at the Rough Trade East, London, an intimate crowd gathered on Monday night, 20^th February.

As Ladyhawke entered, we could feel that she was more like a terrified and timid mouse than a bad-ass rock star–although the platinum blonde locks under a shaggy bohemian hat could make you think otherwise.

One thing is clear, talking to a crowd is not Pip Brown aka Kiwi born Ladyhawke’s strong point. However, as soon as she began to sing, the crowd was transfixed, the connection was instant and her voice was undeniably beautiful, sounding even better live than it does on her records.

Opening to the upbeat track with the unavoidably catchy hook line “na na na na na”, Blue Eyes was an inevitable crowd-pleaser and set the atmosphere for the short gig, which only lasted an hour from start to finish.

Playing several tracks from her upcoming second album Anxiety, including the title track, Black White and Blue, The Quick and the Dead and Sunday Drive, LadyHawke’s initial discomfort on stage manifested into an awkward charm which defines her performance style. Even when admitting that she had messed up some of the lyrics, the combination of her humble fragility and hypnotizing voice makes you more inclined to give LadyHawke a hug rather than a ‘boo’.

The whole gig oozed a casual awkward-chic which let the talent speak for itself. It was an immensely enjoyable listening experience, more so than on her album. Brown’s voice is so distinctive and fluid it puts you into a spellbound state where you cannot turn away.

Ending with her biggest hit so far Playing with My Delirium, the crowd jeered and sang along.

As soon as it was over, the mouse scurried back into her hole in the side of the wall.

Mya Joel

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Watch the video for Black, White and Blue here