Flo Morrissey and Matthew E White at Union Chapel

A church isn’t the most conventional venue for a gig, but then there isn’t anything conventional about Flo Morrissey and Matthew E White. The duo performed a collection of songs from their collaborative album Gentlewoman, Ruby Man in the stunningly beautiful Union Chapel last night. While their music isn’t the kind to get audiences up on their feet, it was the pair’s evident chemistry and admiration for one another that really stole the show.

Given the venue, the acoustics were tremendous, with Morrissey’s voice soaring as they performed tracks including Grease and Looking For You. Proving she was more of a creature of the studio than the stage, the songstress let White do most of the talking, but with her voice captivating everyone, including White himself, she was more than forgiven for being a bit shy.

Perhaps most enjoyable, aside from the fantastic numbers, were the stories White told the audience about the making of the album. Between performances he shared amusing and sweet anecdotes about how different songs came together. This included Morrissey admitting she wanted to cover Nino Ferrer’s Looking for You simply after she stumbled across it on her friend’s Spotify Discover playlist.

White also stressed that he wanted the record to be seen as a group album with the band having as much input as the vocalists. At that point he proceeded to give them the stage to perform a rousing instrumental set. Soon after, Frank Ocean’s Thinking Bout You was given an evocative reworking with the twosome swaying from side to side. Fans were encouraged to stand up during the gig, though most chose to stay seated and shuffled along to the music in the pews.

The night ended with a dazzling performance of Look At What the Light Did Now, as a hypnotising light show that consumed the entire chapel. It was the perfect way to end a concert that was not only bursting with talent, but humour and charm too.

Yusuf Tamanna
Photo: Paul Hudson

For further information about Flo Morrissey and Matthew E White and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Look At What the Light Did Now here: