The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureMusicLive music

Lissie at Union Chapel

Lissie at Union Chapel | Live review
1 July 2014
Joe Manners Lewis
Avatar
Joe Manners Lewis
1 July 2014

Under a backdrop of gorgeous stained glass and stone, Lissie’s look is unimposing: a plain white T-shirt, blue jeans and ankle high boots do little to give away the Californian’s angelic voice. Running straight on stage and into her set, stripped back opener Oh Mississippi immediately displays Lissie’s vocal talents. She performs without an opening act,  but it doesn’t matter too much, the audience is here for her.

Of all the parts of her ever-fluctuating band, Lissie’s voice has the least trouble filling the chapel, and it’s that which is the biggest draw here. Only a handful of tracks manage to deviate meaningfully from the folk rock blueprint, making the set both familiar and occasionally repetitive. Hearing They All Want You with accompaniment from the chapel’s organ is a treat, but even here Lissie’s folk rock roots shine through.

With a three-piece string section, backing singers and a multi-talented band you’d think there’d be room for some more interesting arrangements, but unfortunately this isn’t the case for the most part. Record Collector is the most interesting structurally, collapsing into a middle eight only to furiously rebuild into a crashing crescendo for track’s finale.

It’s a strange crowd of fans that fills the echoey space at Union Chapel. When listing artists with regards to her penchant for covers, Judas Priest gets as big a cheer as One Direction. Fortunately Lissie goes with the former, performing a satisfying cover of Electric Eye. Judas Priest’s lyrical darkness fits well with her celestial vocals, and its absence, once heard, is missed in the rest of the set.

Lissie emotes heavily through every track. Travelling from despair on tracks like Here Before to utter joy on Little Lovin’ and whether on the verge of tears or pumping her fist in the air, she imbues each track with an emotional gravitas. Her last song, Further Away (Romance Police), is punchy and vibrant, ending the gig on an up note that wasn’t always present in the set.

Lissie continues to show great potential. Each time she performs the hallmarks of experimentation creep a little further in, making her sound feel more legitimate and absorbing. The covers that brought her to the publics attention are still the highlights of the set, but the folk rock still needs a little more of a twist to make it truly breathtaking.

★★★★★

Joe Manners Lewis
Photos: Charlotte Allen

For further information and future events visit Lissie’s website here.

Watch Lissie perform Oh Mississippi here:

Related Itemslive musicreview

More in Live music

South Facing Festival: Richard Ashcroft and his band were on impressive form from start to finish

★★★★★
Francis Nash
Read More

South Facing Festival: Jungle bring their signature neo-funk to Saturday night

★★★★★
Jessica Wall
Read More

Patti Smith at the London Palladium

★★★★★
Jennifer Sanin
Read More

The Libertines at Wembley Arena

★★★★★
Sophia Moss
Read More

Kaleidoscope Festival cements its status as a family favourite at Alexandra Palace

★★★★★
Jessica Wall
Read More

Yola at Koko

★★★★★
Natallia Pearmain
Read More

John Legend at Somerset House

★★★★★
Jonathan Marshall
Read More

Primal Scream at Alexandra Palace Park

★★★★★
Sophia Moss
Read More

Black Midi at Somerset House

★★★★★
Jasper Watkins
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Nope
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Ed Fringe 2022: Hungry
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Kasabian – The Alchemist’s Euphoria
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Eiffel
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Tips for creating a peaceful home
    Feature of the week
  • Kasabian – The Alchemist’s Euphoria
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Rita at Charing Cross Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ed Fringe 2022: Hungry
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • “Even people who’ve been through adversity might say ‘Well, I wouldn’t change anything because I wouldn’t be who I am'”: Eva Noblezada and Flula Borg on Luck
    Cinema & Tv
  • “Film offers a way of looking at the past, the present and the future simultaneously. That’s its wonder”: Sarah Beddington on Fadia’s Tree
    Cinema & Tv
  • Kasabian – The Alchemist’s Euphoria
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Rita at Charing Cross Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • “Even people who’ve been through adversity might say ‘Well, I wouldn’t change anything because I wouldn’t be who I am'”: Eva Noblezada and Flula Borg on Luck
    Cinema & Tv
  • Nope
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Five Days at Memorial
    ★★★★★
    apple
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

What to expect from The Mimic’s second series
Ron Pope at Oslo Hackney | Live review