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Cassandra Jenkins

by 13 Comments

Venue:

The Louisiana, Bristol

Date: 10/11/2021

Well, this was terrific. Long term KD watchers will know that her album from the beginning of the year bowled me over, and it’s still the best ambient indie folk jazz record of the year by a mile, but I did wonder how such a finely produced, intimate, record would translate live. Very well it turns out. She has five people in her backing band (the photo over there was quickly taken during a (seemingly) spontaneous solo encore) on second guitar, keys, drums, and bass plus a saxophonist, who also doubled up on flute, and was undoubtedly the MVP of the night. The whole soundscape was mesmerising, an enthralling mesh of ambience, texture and melody. None of the intricacies of the album were lost, and the constant build of the album’s cornerstone Hard Drive worked so well, with a brilliantly synchronised abrupt ending. I even did the cliche thing of standing there with my eyes shut for a minute, letting it all wash over me and take the day away.

13/10, would go again.

The audience:

Fabulous, to be honest. Probably about 75% masked, and amazingly quiet throughout the performances. I didn’t hear one bit of chatter during a song (at one point Ms Jenkins thanked us and said she could hear herself breathing on stage). Plenty of enthusiasm between songs though, with loud applause and people excitedly blurting out how much they loved it

It made me think..

I missed live music.

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Comments

  2. I’m intrigued, Kid. I know you have taste ‘cos we has bin to some of the same gigs. I’d like to explore, but I’m not sure if I’m exploratory enough to splurge 12 quid on a bare half hour’s worth of music. Yeah, I know, quality not quantity. Is there a link you can provide where I can hear some of her stuff?

    I see she has already scheduled a release in 2022 of a follow up album with a cheeky title.

    Oh, and what’s the score with this Brizzle venue? Is it any good? I certainly haven’t been there myself, and after experiencing the sad excuse of a space that calls itself The Station, I’m somewhat suspicious of local venues with a definitive article!

    • You can hear the album on her Bandcamp page: https://cassandrajenkins.bandcamp.com/album/an-overview-on-phenomenal-nature

      I also stuck the videos for my two favourite songs in the review I did back in February:

      Cassandra Jenkins – An Overview On Phenomenal Nature

      It really is a phenomenal (pun intended!) record, one that takes the traditional singer-songwriter format into some lovely sonic spaces. I can’t see it being beaten for my AOTY. It is short but then again there are plenty of bad long albums, right?

      As for the Louisiana, I’m surprised you haven’t been there! It’s been around for ages, and famously hosted the likes of The National, Coldplay, Placebo, Scissor Sisters and The White Stripes early in their careers. It’s essentially a room above a pub, just off the Harbourside near to Wapping Wharf. Capacity is 140 according to their website – it’s certainly intimate. They have a virtual tour on their website: https://www.thelouisiana.net/news/view-the-louisiana-360-virtual-tour It’ll take you longer to click your way up the stairs than it will to look around the gig room…

      • Thanks Kid!

        I was down at Wapping Wharf only yesterday, looking for a sarnie – I went to the Better Food shop; really yummy ace hipster sandwiches for £3.50.

        Sorry I didn’t connect this post with your earlier review – I’ll take a look. Interestingly, I note that she has a track on the ‘Best of 2021’ CD that showed up a couple of days ago on my copy of Uncut – I’ll give it a spin this afternoon.

        And yes, you’re right, 31 minutes of good music is worth a millenium of drivel.

  4. Well, there I was about to write a post about Cassandra’s show at Söder Theatre last night. Great I can now add to your review instead.

    Her show here was the penultimate gig of her month-long tour in Europe. One more show is Oslo and then she’s off back to New York. She mentioned how she has performed with several different combinations of musicians and had three different sax players during the month. That’s kept her busy teaching her songs to new band members. She was upbeat about all this and appreciated the excitement of trying songs in different ways. But it does seem an odd way to treat an up-and-coming artist.

    She had had a ten hour drive up to Stockholm with merch-table man, Boris, was doing the driving. First time in Stockholm and she confessed to feeling a little fragile after all that travel.
    To my surprise the room was only half full. I’d have though the Södermalm hipsters would have been out in force.
    I had expected a band so I was a little taken aback that it was just herself and guitarist Lilah Larson.
    Cassandra commented that we were getting the pared-down version.

    At first I was a little disappointed but it turned out to be a fine example of how less can be more. With only two musicians there is more space, more intimacy, more chance to talk to the audience.
    It’s dreamy, evocative music and the lyrics are always articulate and thought-provoking. And her gorgeous voice went from strength to strength.

    Togged out in a glittery silver robe, she is now a blonde and it suits her.

    She has a natural charm and we got amusing anecdotes about trying to find three-legged dogs for a video shoot on the Upper-West-Side, getting the chance to record two songs at Abbey Road and much else. The audience were varied and the average age was probably high. A greying, rather tubby, Jerry Garcia lookalike standing in front of me was wearing a Rammstein denim jacket.
    Cassandra has broad appeal!

  8. Not sure that it has been mentioned so I thought I’d point out that Cassandra is back in action. She has just played a one-off gig at Rough Trade East. New album out in July and new tracks sounded good tonight. Back in Europe for more live dates later in the year. Second track from new album released tomorrow. Meanwhile here is the first track. Gorgeous stuff!

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