Lissie - Arts Centre, Norwich, 18/2/2023

by Nige Nudds

published: 26 / 4 / 2023

Lissie - Arts Centre, Norwich, 18/2/2023

Nige Nudds watches and photographs American singer-songwriter Lissie play an emotive set at a gig at the Norwich Arts Centre on her first British tour in ten years.

Article

Tonight, Lissie is at the wonderful Norwich Arts Centre; a converted church that has recently been refurbished sympathetically for this most intimate venue, which suits Lissie perfectly. Tour support Cat Clyde from Ontario, Canada starts the show. She and her band gives us a bluesy, folky and country style set of tunes. Cat has a unique voice that enhances the almost familiar structure of the songs. She is having a fun time in front of an almost full Arts Centre. Lissie comes on to a rapturous welcome, with an atmosphere that is electric, as she opens with ‘Unravel’ from new album ‘Carving Canyons’. Her voice is pitch perfect and captivates the spellbound audience. Throughout the set she reveals her life story with tales of break-up, living in the country and how she dealt with the loneliness of the pandemic. The gospel-like ‘Oh Mississippi’ is something else and is a wonderful high point of many in this set. At this point I must mention the band, who have a magical chemistry in making this music. The guitarist Sam is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time and makes his Gibson solos sing very sweetly. There are similarities with a certain 70’s band, but Lissie’s songs are all original and are perfect for a live set. In one song she segways Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ for the middle six. ‘Night Moves’ is another highlight as are both encores ‘Everywhere I Go’ which is more rock than folk, with a little bit of Stevie Nicks’ inspiration. ‘Little Lovin’ ends the sixteen-song set, but this number should have been a Top 10 hit in the UK but was woefully overlooked and didn’t even make the charts. I for one cannot wait to see the brilliant Lissie again soon and not wait ten years.