Release night of Connor’s new EP ‘Devil of the Night’ and a show was on the cards!
The support act was the lovely singer songwriter, guitarist, Phoebe Austin, who penned many songs over lockdown and added them to her set. All her songs were dripping with story and meaning and her guitar playing gave the emotional tone to the tracks. A charming sounding guitar and Phoebe’s voice has good control and suited the story-telling theme as it was filled with. Several times she reminded me of Foxes. ‘You see my house on fire, a wreckage of desire’ was a great line
After a quick break, the stage lights glared and Connor Adams and his band came on stage to a huge applause and the next hour and twenty (ish) minutes was packed with a fantastic vibe.
It’s difficult to categorise Connor Adams’ music. I can tell you what it isn’t – it’s not heavy metal or garage, however it is a superb blend of pop & rock with a sprinkle of folk and soul and maybe a bit of country – does that help? What I can also tell you is that the music that comes out of this 5-piece band is quality from the very first note and the gig was incredibly enjoyable as you are instantly drawn into their upbeat, heart-warming, soulful, rocky, folky, country tracks!
Connor has a level of charisma and warmth that you are instantly drawn towards and he makes the whole crowd feel as though we are friends. Talented band members consist of guitar (Nic), keys (Georgie), drums (Toby) and bass (Alex) and with Connor playing guitar also, there is a huge full band sound with plenty of guitar changes. Mr Keeble certainly brings some skills and unique energy, Georgie’s harmonies were delightful and it was splendid to hear both the drum and the bass at a level where they were playing with the tracks and adding another layer rather than being in the background. Loved it.
To be honest, it’s even harder to describe Connor’s voice. For a 25 year-old it’s much older than it’s years with a tone that gets you inside. If I could describe it as drink, Connor’s voice would be a Gentleman Jack.
The EP is three tracks:
‘Don’t Play With a Heart’
‘Devil of the Night’
‘Deeper’
They are all instant radio songs and ones you would have on repeat until you learnt all the words so you could sing loudly. The ‘ooooos’, the ‘oh baby now’s’ and other catchy sing-along sounds capture you straightaway – why are these guys not in the charts already? I recommend you download the EP now.
As well as the EP, there was plenty of original material and they also added in a few covers such as Fleetwood Mac, Miley Cyrus were stunning. This band are pretty spot on in every way. We were delighted to have guest singer Bronwyn Cooper from Underline The Sky, join the band for a song – she’s both lovely and fabulous.
The Box Tree, formerly Gresham’s, the same great venue just a re-brand so make sure you update your FB links. Pods of six was not the usual level of crowd for the venue but it worked with the current restrictions and the show Connor put on was a full-on stadium gig – it was a fabulous injection of live music at a venue. It was a truly great, enjoyable, entertaining, and epic evening. They know how to put on a show!
This review first appeared on GrapevineLIVE .
Photo credit Ric Markin Media
Links:
The Box Tree
Connor Adams