Simply superb evening in Newbury with Nell Bryden and support Isabella Coulstock

Nell Bryden, with support Isabella Coulstock, at Arlington Arts, Snelsmore, on Friday, June 16. Review by BRIAN HARRINGTON

TWENTY-one-year-old Isabella Coulstock has a vocal quality and stage presence well beyond her years and, playing a guitar which she received as her 13th birthday present and used to compose her first song Crazy Cowboy (which she included in her set tonight), she immediately connected with and impressed the audience.

Stylistically Isabella is part country and part Americana folk. She has the distinction of being the youngest artist to appear in the Bob Harris Under The Apple Tree sessions on BBC Radio 2 and she has already supported Jools Holland.

If ever a singer songwriter deserved attention and success Isabella does. An excellent set from a prodigious talent.

I have seen Nell Bryden before and, somehow, she gets better each time. Performing tonight with a keyboard player and a percussionist on a stage decorated with LED rope lights, table lamps and white faux roses she gave the audience a stunning show of her original material both old and new, along with her witty and, at times, revealing commentary.

Her vocal range is amazing and she accompanied herself on both 12 and six-string acoustic guitars.

Musically, Nell ranges through country to rock-influenced sounds with ease.

This was the first night of her 2023 tour. Her genuine pleasure in being back on tour playing to live audiences was a joy to see.

Opening with Meridian (I Love The Same), she included the poignant Amy in the setlist along with the excellent Buildings And Treetops and the wonderful Smoke In My Heart from the soundtrack to her novel Little Wing.

I loved the new songs including Those Days Are Over, Hail Mary and Believe Again, a song about finding love after the breakdown of her marriage.

Her well-deserved encore consisted of the brilliant Sirens, before ending with the excellent and upbeat Second Time Around.

Simply superb.