Brandi Carlile at Union Chapel

With a mixture of old and new songs, Brandi Carlile took us on a journey of feeling, foot-tapping and laughter at Union Chapel in Islington this week. 

The beautiful candle-lit interior, combined with Carlile’s stunning a capella, set us up for an intimate evening of music and storytelling. Carlile’s connection to her lyrics, evident in her open expression and tone, gave a real depth to each and every song. It almost felt like we were allowed to look into her mind and share her thoughts.

Carlile and the musicians travelled around the audience, singing and playing, serenading the crowd. Everyone was part of the action – even those stood stiffly at the back of the chapel were tapping their feet and cheering. Carlile and her band are obviously close, congratulating one another via hugs and thumbs-up after every single song. It became a bit tedious after the first three songs, not to mention a little cheesy. Nonetheless, to see such an array of instruments – guitar, fiddle, piano, cello – played to such a high calibre and in such close proximity to the audience, while relying on nothing but the acoustics of the chapel, was a real treat.

Each song was a story, the ups and downs of which were told not just lyrically, but by the flawless range of Brandi Carlile and her vocal ability to travel smoothly from a soft whisper to a gutsy roar. Carlile is a perfect example of what live music should be – she’s not afraid to expose her voice in its rawest, most vulnerable form, and her band members weren’t afraid to feed off the audience, giving a first-time spark to each song.

Roisin Kelly

For further information about Brandi Carlile and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Wherever Is Your Heart here: