Emiliana Torrini at ULU

Emiliana Torrini keeps the audience waiting a little longer than normal and apologises for doing so. She apparently got stuck in her other dress and needed some help getting changed, even ripping the dress in the process. Judging by the colourful and gorgeous outfit she changed in to it was worth a little collateral damage for her to look as good as she sounds. Despite not having the glorious acoustics of a church, like when Torrini played at St Giles in the Fields, her voice is as beautiful as ever as she starts the gig off with Fireheads.

After the opening track to current album Armani and Me Torrini launches in to a Fisherman's Woman medley, playing old favourites as Heartstopper, Lifesaver and Today Has Been Okay. More songs from the new album are introduced as being about happiness and love, Torrini bubbling over with delight as she relates to us how many songs she writes are about positive experiences, yet she shares how upset she was with a recent Guardian review thinking that the emotionally touching Bleeder was about 'fucking' when it actually dealt with the death of a relative.

The gig is more electric than acoustic, the venue lending itself more to amplification than the church. As a result some of the nuance of Torrini's voice is sadly lost in the punchier songs like Gun and Jungle Drum, the loud guitars drowning out the delightful vocals. But conversely more emphasis is granted to other tracks like Birds, where the greater dynamic range lets the different sections soar. Despite this, the quieter songs like Bleeder and wonderful Beggar's Prayer lose no effect from the choice of venue.

The venue also doesn't suppress any of Emiliana Torrini's wealth of charm. When passed a note from someone in the audience she is happy to ask if people have found a lost Russian hat, although laughs that she is a little disappointed as she thought maybe she was being offered the hat. Coming back for an encore a request for the title track from Fisherman's Woman is shouted out. With a look to her band and a couple of nods Torrini announces to localised cheers that they will play the song, adding that they were about to play it anyway but that it 'looks better this way'.

After the encore the cheering and clapping continue even after the venue turns up the house lights and music starts on the PA system. Torrini's songs have a way of making people happy and wanting more. It has been another wonderful evening in Emiliana Torrini's company and I hope that there will be more to come.

Posted in Audio |
Tags: emiliana torrini, gig, ulu