THE FRONT ROW

As the back-end of Storm Ciaran hit the already sodden streets of central Liverpool last Friday my spirits were undampened as I traipsed through the puddles into the welcoming, smokie, glow of The Kazimier Stockroom, warmly anticipating some cloud busting live music.

First artist of the evening was American singer HAIVEN, who was eventually backed by a five-piece band, her tardy drummer arriving halfway through the second song of her set. Originally from Michigan, USA, HAIVEN, along with others in her band is now studying at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) – alma mater to such notables as The Wombats, Circa Waves and Holly Humberstone. Her sound had an arty, East Coast, power-pop feel to it. Her set started brightly with Bella Donna and Meadow Beach Park (It is a real park – on Long Island, NY), and kicked into gear with the lively break-up/revenge song H.O.T..

Cruel Girl was a demonstration of HAIVEN’s arty style, being a thoughtful reimagining of the Hall and Oates song Rich Girl, examining the song’s subject matter from the opposing female viewpoint. HAIVEN’s set came to a close with the perky yet melancholic Everything Sucks.

On the day that Now And Then by The Beatles was released there was an element of synchronicity about seeing an artist called Lennon and her band perform in Liverpool. Fiona Lennon began her set with I Want You To Leave and Ain’t No Other before hitting the heights with the achingly optimistic break-up song Stay High. Lennon has a soulful soprano voice that melds beautifully with her simple country-rock guitar riffs.

The addition of a backing band has added depth to Lennon’s material, especially the clear, crisp, electric piano fills which don’t so much act as a counterpoint to her vocals, but mirror and magnify them. Her set ended with an excellent cover of the Carly Simon classic Your So Vain, and her forthcoming single Dreaming which will be released on November 17th.

Welsh singer/songwriter Megan Wyn has undergone an intriguing transformation. Originally from Anglesey, Megan has been performing as a solo artist since the age of sixteen. Her stock-in-trade was melodious, acoustic songs delivered with an air of innocence. Earlier this year she deleted her back catalogue, informed fans that their would be a change of direction, and to watch this space. She has emerged from her chrysalis as a fully formed indie-rock frontperson. Dressed all in black, armed with her electric guitar, and backed by her black leather-jacketed band there could be no doubt about her new trajectory.

Megan opened her headline set with the soaring Lover, melodic Better of You, and the song she described as ‘the most personal song I’ve ever written’ You Don’t Get It’. The song is about dealing with the insecurities she felt when moving from her rural home to metropolitan Manchester. The song had a buzzing, resonating undercurrent that seemed to permeate your body. Wyn put down her guitar, giving her the freedom to patrol the front of the stage and stare down the audience as she belted out Waiting For A Reason. When she passionately sings tunes like this, and the swirling Jealously you can feel the power and energy of singers like Lia Metcalfe of The Mysterines in Wyn’s vocal performance.

There was time for a clever cover of Push The Button that I’m sure all the numerous previous members of The Sugarbabes would have approved of, before Wyn played I Know What I Want, and the song that first brought her to the attention of many observers – Polaroid. A memorable night for Wyn and the crowd was brought to a close with her soon to be released next single Are You Bored Yet? (answer – no we’re not), and the already out there Familiar Faces.

2023 has certainly been an interesting year for Megan Wyn, and judging by this showing 2024 promises to be an equally compelling twelve months, no matter what the weather.

Ian Dunphy.