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

iTunes Festival 2014: Imelda May at Roundhouse

iTunes Festival 2014: Imelda May at Roundhouse | Live review
7 September 2014
The editorial unit
Avatar
The editorial unit
7 September 2014

Music review

The editorial unit
★★★★★

Highlights

Wild Woman

Links

Twitter Facebook Website

Dublin-born blues/jazz/rockabilly singer-songwriter Imelda May graced the stage at Roundhouse in Camden last night to open for Tony Bennett as part of iTunes festival.IMELDA MAY at Roundhouse - GuifrePeray - The Upcoming - 09

Appearing on stage in a tiger stripe dress with 50s rockabilly hair, May wowed the crowd with her deep, sultry voice and a set that, at its best, evoked the effortless cool of John Travolta and Uma Thurman’s famous dance scene in Pulp Fiction, or a black and white Jim Jarmusch film. This atmosphere was heightened all the more by the spectacular lighting of the venue and the fact that May’s band members all look and dress like Hollywood mobsters.

The second song Wild Woman was perhaps the highlight of the set, featuring driving guitars and a fierce vocal performance from May. On the more upbeat songs like this the singer belts her words with force, at times recalling Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

In spite of her Dublin roots May sings in an American accent, though in her case it’s a conceit that feels totally acceptable – to take another Dublin based example, rapper Reggie Snow could hardly spit his verses in his native accent and nor could May sing in hers. In the context of certain genres it just doesn’t work.

Certain songs dipped a little from the precedent set by the highlights – in particular It’s Good to be Alive, in which May got the audience to sing her lines back to her, complete with customised lyrics: “Oh my God it’s good to be alive at the Roundhouse…with iTunes!” Here the atmosphere came close to that of a pub singalong and the band’s retro sound became almost like a novelty act, albeit momentarily.

Overall the set was very good; the songs were fairly diverse and nearly always engaging and May stood out as a hugely confident and immensely talented performer.

★★★★★

Steve Mallon
Photos: Guifré de Peray

For further information about Imelda May and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Wild Woman here:

Related Itemsimelda mayitunes festivallivereviewroundhouse

More in Live music

The Rollings Stones give Glasto a run for its money at BST Festival in Hyde Park

★★★★★
Sarah Bradbury
Read More

Eagles bring a nostalgia-laden evening to the BST Festival in Hyde Park

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Ed Sheeran at Wembley Stadium

★★★★★
Bev Lung
Read More

Elton John sparkles on his Farewell tour at BST Festival in Hyde Park

★★★★★
Cristiana Ferrauti
Read More

Twenty One Pilots at Brixton Academy

★★★★★
Regan Harle
Read More

Imagine Dragons at MK Stadium

★★★★★
Katherine Parry
Read More

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds at Kenwood House

★★★★★
Francis Nash
Read More

Nile Rodgers at Kenwood House Heritage Festival

★★★★★
Jonathan Marshall
Read More

Interpol at the Roundhouse

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Music review

The editorial unit
★★★★★

Highlights

Wild Woman

Links

Twitter Facebook Website

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Ed Sheeran at Wembley Stadium
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Eagles bring a nostalgia-laden evening to the BST Festival in Hyde Park
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • 50 Next: London chef Santiago Lastra recognised in Bilbao as one of the 50 young people shaping the future of gastronomy
    Food & Drinks
  • Only Murders in the Building: Season Two
    ★★★★★
    disney
  • Tigers
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Chelsea Flower Show 2022: Greenery and wellbeing
    Fashion & Lifestyle
  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
  • Minions: The Rise of Gru
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Baby
    ★★★★★
    sky
  • Nitram
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
  • Minions: The Rise of Gru
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Rollings Stones give Glasto a run for its money at BST Festival in Hyde Park
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • “He used to spit at the audience, roll on the ground, he did, in fact, hump that plastic dog – he was the original punk rocker”: Baz Luhrman, Tom Hanks, Austin Butler, Olivia DeJonge and Alton Mason on Elvis
    Cinema & Tv
  • Eagles bring a nostalgia-laden evening to the BST Festival in Hyde Park
    ★★★★★
    Live music
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

Little Revolution at the Almeida | Theatre review
iTunes Festival 2014: Tony Bennett at Roundhouse | Live review