1st of 2012 Brit Award winners play XOYO

24th January 2012 – Q Now: The Sessions – Emeli Sandé supported by Michael Kiwanuka

Michael Kiwanuka probably had the hardest job for a support act at this series of gigs – opening for Emeli Sandé, already highly recognised by being the Brit’s Critics Choice and nominated for the British Breakthrough Act – but his own placing of 3rd in the critics choice meant he came highly recommended. In a fairly low key set his mix of soul and folk enveloped the filling venue, preparing the audience for the upcoming vocal display.

From Q Now - The Sessions - Emeli Sanda plus Michael Kiwanuka

As the audience waited for Emeli, the anticipation built as the tempo of the tracks being played by the DJ increased… With a smooth backing band behind her and occasionally on the keys, Emeli’s vocals resonated through the venue – possibly a little too big for such a confined space – she could easily blow away a venue such as the Royal Albert Hall. The highlight of the evening, for me, was a medley of her collaborations with house hold names that has already seen Emeli in the charts for most of 2011. Surely the days of Emeli playing intimate venues such as XOYO and Borderline for the HMV Next Best Thing series in February are numbered – the larger venues that her voice demands beckon. Surely no one in the audience left without knowing they had been privileged to hear Emeli in such close proximity.

Has this series reached it’s high point? To Kill a King, Howler and the Rizzle Kicks will attempt to raise the bar again on the next three nights.

Set Lists:

Emeli Sandé	Michael Kiwanuka
Tiger Where I Sleep Suitcase Lifetime Clown Next to me Breaking The Law Hope Medley Montage! Maybe Daddy Mountain Heaven My kind of Love	I’ll Get Along I’m Getting Ready Rest Tell Me a Tale “Lasan” Home Again I Don’t Know

Q'ing round the block for Q Awards Gig

The fourth night of the Q Award’s Gigs in the run up to Q Magazine’s 25th anniversary awards was headlined by Ed Sheeran – and he certainly brought his fans out early – it wasn’t quite as cold as it had been on the previous couple of nights – but it was still a brave audience that were queuing round three corners by the time the doors opened – with people joining almost as fast as security could let people in once they where open!

From Ed Sheeran 2011

Unfortunately much of the audience missed some or all of the opening act, We Were Evergreen, because we where still queuing outside - despite being there well before the doors were due to open... I'd suggest venues need to be able to beef up their entrance teams if faced by an early arriving audience - it is only fair to try your best to get them into the venue before the openers come on stage... From the end of their set that I heard, this trio hailing from France where a little out of their depth with such a large audience so excited about the headliner – would be interesting to listen to them in a smaller venue with a less distracted audience…

By the time Ed's main support act, Emeli Sandé, came on stage security had managed to get most, if not all of the audience into the venue. While many of Ed's fans might not have heard of Emeli, her powerful vocal soon had their attention! Ed later confided that one of the reasons he’d accepted the gig was so that he could book Emeli to support him – whether the choice was his to make or not, Emeli captivated the audience. She’ll soon be headlining her own tour, and with her contribution to Professor Green’s current hit is one to watch for the future.

Unusually, the preparation for the headliner consisted of emptying the stage except for a pedal board and two orange mics… Ed Sheeran looked a little lonely on the stage with only his guitar – but he would remedy that with three guests, and by filling the venue with his voice, guitar and clever use of the pedal board. Moving between all the genres in Ed’s range from acoustic rock to R&B Ed demonstrated why he’s nominated for Q’s breakthrough artist award as well as best male artist and best video.  Ed then introduced Pixie Lott who’d played the same series of gigs earlier in the week – their duet of Kiss Me meet a mixed reaction with Ed’s die hard fans who’d queued round the block to see him, rather than Pixie – but it demonstrated both Pixie and Ed range – contrasting with more upbeat style both usually perform. Ed’s next collaboration of the night was with Wiley, changing things up by mixing rap with Ed’s more mellow sound. The reception with Ed’s mostly student fan’s was good – the success of Professor Green and Emeli Sandé current collaboration demonstrate how popular mixing rap with other genres has become… The last collaboration of the night added Example to the length list of top talent that had graced the stage during the evening. The remix of You Changed the way you Kiss Me had the audience in the palm of the artists hands.

As the audience left the venue, most would have felt that the long queue in the Autumn chill had been well worth the wait – any that didn’t where at the wrong gig or very hard to please.