Nell Bryden + Feelix at the Roundhouse

In the intimate Studio Theatre at the Roundhouse, Feelix followed by Nell Bryden delighted the audience with amazing performances.

A duo comprising of singer Kat Eaton and guitarist Nick Atkinson, Feelix recently released their debut album and are currently accompanying Bryden on her solo UK tour promoting her own new record Shake the Tree.

Feelix played just a handful of songs in front of a few spectators, but this was enough to demonstrate their talent nonetheless. Eaton introduced the tracks, explaining a little about each one, and delivered an emotional show. The gem was a cover of David Guetta and Sia’s Titanium that Feelix recorded for a project called The Acoustic Challenge, which sees them render acoustic versions of many famous tunes (most of them requested by the fans!). Kat’s warm and rich vocals made up for her forgetting of some lyrics and having to seek help from notes at her feet. She even went temporarily blank when thanking Nell Bryden for allowing Feelix to accompany her on tour, but her absent-mindedness was accounted for when singing Escape from the Real World … She must have been daydreaming indeed!

Nell Bryden and her band subsequently took the stage to play for what had by then become a sold-out venue full of enthusiasts who quietly but sincerely appreciated the concert. Bryden and her backing band enthralled fans with an hour and a half of excellent music ranging from folk-rock songs such as What Does It Take and Only Life I Know to blues-influenced ones like Tonight, and even a lovely cover of Foo Fighters’ Learn to Fly.

The show was a well-balanced mix of carefully selected tracks, and credit must also be given for Bryden’s attitude towards the public: always smiling and energetic, with that charismatic personality that entertains and engages, narrating anecdotes related to her songs or making jokes about the minor technical difficulties encountered during the gig… and she is one funny woman! Nell and her band members poured their hearts into their act, especially during the encore when they played Sirens and Shake the Tree, the first inspired by the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City and the second dealing with the carpe diem philosophy the songwriter must have embraced soon after.

The standing ovation at the end was perhaps a little excessive but the brilliant performance of the songs, their meaningful lyrics and the passion that Bryden spread really deserved the warm reception.    

 

Rita Vicinanza
Photos: Bartek Odias

For further information and future events visit Nell Bryden’s website here.

Watch a live performance of Shake The Tree here: