Review: Lizzie Esau, The Louisiana – ‘Pleasurable bopability’

This was the kind of evening where it’s cold damp and less than inviting to go out but I knew deep down that going to live music and especially at The Louisiana.

This is a venue for emerging artists and tonight we have three all in their early stages of their musical adventures, as bands anyway.

First up tonight is five piece Bristol band Clemencie, who play a form of sparkly, enthusiastic driven pop.

Lead vocalist Grace is bounding with energy as she jumps up and down, she admits mid song that she may have committed to early as she tires before the end of Get Through It.

Smiles are shared throughout the performance especially between Grace and snyth/backing vocalist Molly (who’s voice and harmonies clearly show she could be a lead vocalist too).

Clemencie injected a much-needed spark of positive energy into my Wednesday evening.

Baby Blue slows everything down as Grace’s vocal takes centre stage, as she delivers a flawless performance of a song, I wish they had on streaming formats so I could listen to again!

We are picked back up by new single What IF One Day He’s You? There is more jumping with Grace thanking everyone in the world as the band jams to a now filling Louisiana. Those who turned up late missed out here.

Next up is Wynona taking us on a heartfelt, ambient dream-lead pop journey. Sunday Girl is a song that instantly takes me way to sunny imaginary festival field.

Hurting My Head from new EP Split Ends has an effortless groove with the vocals landing, soothing and shimmering as Lizzie Esau sways, filming behind me as engrossed as the rest of us.

Say You Love Me is the perfect set closer, with the line ’You say you love me then you don’t’ delivered with passion and conviction as every heart break lyric should be.

I’d be happy right now if they were the headliner. I’m even happier that there is yet another band to play.

So the scene was set and now the room is filling for Lizzie Esau expressive, active interpretive performance of both lyrics and music.

Taking every opportunity to get close to the crowd, performing about 10cm away from the front row. Live Lizzie and her band are loud, a lot louder than I thought they would be in fact.

Each song takes on a new life, the heavier tracks are way heavier, the band are lively too with guitarist Shaun playing like he’s having the time of his life and bass player Joe looking like he’s transfixed by rhythm.

Lizzie encourages the crowd to bop along to What If I Kept Driving. Lyrics delivered with clinical precision; this should surely be on the BBC6 music playlist?

I think Lizzie has hit the nail on the head as her music definitely has pleasurable bopability.

“Lets Go!” Lizzie shouts as she then manages to keep perfect time whilst whipping her head back and forth to Lazy Brain as the band let loose and look to be enjoying themselves a lot.

Bleak Sublime is every inch the single I had listened to before the show with the chorus lighting up the room even managing to get the crowd to provide a backing woooahs and oooohs in all the right places and then more with the band throwing in a jam mid song to beef things up.

There is a perfect 10 second encore,they put the guitars down and pick them up straight away.

Lizzie then jumps into to crowd as she had looked like she wanted all night to get involved, as drummer Alex bring the show to a climatic end with an epic drum solo.

A great night had by all and a lineup where each band complimented the other in styles and a night where I saw three new bands to look out for.

Main photo: Matt Barnes

Read next:

• Review: Peace, Komedia – ‘It’s finally cool to be indie again’
• Review: Slowdive, SWX – ‘A woozy escape from reality’
• Review: Art School Girlfriend, Rough Trade – ‘Mix of electronic, rock, pop and a bit of shoe-glaze’ style’

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