How did Elles Bailey go down in Newbury? ‘A powerhouse performer and a great live act’

Elles Bailey with support Demi Marriner

at Arlington Arts, Snesmore,

on Saturday, March 1

Review by BRIAN HARRINGTON

AFTER brief opening comments from Elles, which included introducing us to her dog Roxy, who was attending her first indoor show, Demi Marriner, who would later appear with Elles as part of her band, gave us a 30-minute opening set.

Accompanying herself on acoustic guitar Demi showed that she has an incredibly powerful voice with a huge range and that she is an accomplished songwriter. She will be back with her own band at Arlington Arts in May. Not to be missed.

Demi has two albums to her credit to date and she is hard at work on a third. Her excellent set included Sins, Distorted Desires, Best Of Me, for which Elles joined her on stage, and the excellent and vitriolic Good Guy Act which will probably feature on her next album.

Elles, with her band, came on stage to the strains of Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles and while I have seen Elles before, I continue to be impressed by her generosity and support for other artists and her boundless love of performing live.

She is 100 per cent authentic and genuine.

Opening with Enjoy the Ride, Elles gave the jam-packed Arlington audience a fantastic one hour 45 minute set that rapidly had people clapping along and waving their arms in the air.

I loved Ballad of a Broken Dream, a track that highlights the fact that talent and success do not always go hand in hand.

1972 reflected on what we may have lost in our obsession with our mobile phones. Her cover of John Martyn’s Over The Hill was sensational, as was her own track Hell Or High Water.

Elles finished her main set with Better Days as a tribute to Catfish frontman Matt Long who tragically died last year, before returning for an encore of Turn Off The News and Sunshine City.

Elles is a powerhouse performer and a great live act.

Absolutely superb.