Alison Moyet at the Round Chapel

Amazon Prime introduced their new series of intimate gigs on Monday 12^th June, with a performance by Alison Moyet at the Round Chapel in Hackney. With several Brit awards, Grammy nominations and millions of records sold worldwide, this was predictably a special night for the songwriter’s many fans, and the church setting was appropriate for the kind of adoration many in the crowd had for her.

The night began with a brief interview with journalist Pete Paphides, where the singer talked openly about her childhood, and explained how moving to Brighton gave her the inspiration for her new album, titled Other and set for release on 16^th June. The introduction with the affable and down-to-earth Moyet perfectly set the tone for the evening, despite the full band sound that accompanied her performance.

Opening the set with a track from her upcoming release, a nervous Moyet was lit up in blue light and immediately commanded attention with her masterful control of her powerful voice. A huge show of appreciation from the crowd came as she moved into the second song of the night, the 1983 single Nobody’s Diary from the synth duo Yazoo where she made her name. From here on in the artist had the audience in the palm of her hand, as she played a mix of tracks from Other, previous solo albums and numbers from her time with Yazoo.

Backed by two musicians, each playing synthesizers and occasionally picking up acoustic, electric and bass guitars, The singer-songwriter treated her fans to a fantastic performance of classics, old and new. The biggest cheers came from hearing the opening bars to hits such as Only You, When I Was Your Girl and Situation, the latter of which had the whole room on their feet, rising from their chairs to dance and express their love. Moyet sang Love Resurrection and Don’t Go for her encore, which had the crowd bouncing and singing along.

This was a terrific show delivered by a seasoned artist, in a beautiful setting that seemed built specifically for this occasion. The evening was proof, if proof were needed, of why this artist has had such an enduring career. The only shame of the night was the all-seated venue, as many in the audience struggled to restrain themselves from dancing to Moyet’s blend of Gothic, disco and synth elements. Eventually they couldn’t hold themselves any longer and everyone was on their feet – a fitting end to an emotional night of heart-on-the-sleeve synth classics.

Calum White
Photo: Hinnerk Ruemenapf

For further information about Alison Moyet and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Other here: