Nicole Atkins

Tuesday 30th April, the Lexington, London, Nicole Atkins. Back at probably my favourite small venue in London where I have seen some of my most memorable gigs in the last five years. Tonight its country, soul, rock, r&b songstress Nicole Atkins. This is my third attempt trying to see Nicole after having tickets to two London shows last year to be thwarted by snow and last minute holiday I am finally here and boy was it worth the wait.

I have seen many bands play a song or two down off the stage in the audience but I have never seen an artist start a set like that. But Nicole Atkins is not any old artist. She has got a sassy don’t give a shit attitude that’s sadly missing in the homogenised world of music at the moment. We need characters and personalities like Nicole to counteract the Swifts and Ezra’s of the world.

I’d like to describe Nicole’s voice and style but its equal measure of the dark soul of Amy Winehouse and the torch song qualities of KD Lang, add a dash of Patsy, a soupcon of Peggy Lee and there you have it. Vocal perfection. Tonight we are treated to the full range of her vocals, coupled with some great between song banter, stories and dad jokes.

She is joined on stage by what she describes as a scratch five piece band with the guitarist allegedly just joining them at sound check. If true then wow as he certainly had the licks.

The bulk of the set still draws heavily from the excellent ‘Goodnight Rhonda Lee’ from 2017 but tonight it’s interspersed with tracks from the new star studded album sadly not out until next year.

Highlights for me tonight are probably the Smokey jazz of ‘Darkness turns into day’, the funky ‘Sleepwalking’ and set closer Patti Smith’s ’Pissing in a River’ where she joins us back on the floor before just walking out the back.

An exceptional talent, a great voice, good songs and a thoroughly engaging performer. A tough live act to follow this year.

Just a word for the support act Caleb Elliott who turned in an excellent set tonight as well as accompanying Nicole in the main set. Again good songs with a voice that has a touch of the Ryan Adams about it without all the associated ‘dodgy stuff.

Till the next time keep on rockin y’all

With looks and a voice that could melt hearts, New Jerseyite Nicole Atkins pretty much has it all. The 35-year-old was raised on Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and girl groups, and that’s something you can’t escape in the style of music that she sings. While her heart may be in East Coast USA, Atkins’ teenage years saw her spend time in North Carolina and experiencing both the indie rock and country scenes there and by the time she’d come to record debut album Neptune she’d formed a backing band and decided to make it in Sweden. That album showcased Atkins’ myriad talents: an incredible swooning voice, brilliant song writing and guitar work, it might be her best work so far given it made Atkins appearing to have arrived fully formed. As she releases her third record Slow Phaser, Atkins has added some rock and pop nous to her classic sound. Live, she’s irresistible. A performer you cannot take your eyes off, Atkins commands the stage simply through her voice. A track like ‘My Baby Don’t Lie’ is a low-down dirty country stomp, ‘Vultures’ is a sultry, bluesy torch song with an underlying aggression and the set closing ‘The Tower’ is a track where it’s just Atkins and her electric guitar, and it’s a stunning way to end a show. Pick your heart up off the floor as you leave.

Nicole Atkins concert in Milan was held in a small club. Wise choice I'd say. Small club, small numbers: great entertainment from song one to the very last one. Nicole sang twice among us, leaving the stage empty. She opened the concert with her bare voice and an acoustic guitar. And ended in the same way. It felt homey, sacred. I only missed a bonfire and the waves sound in the distance to make last night superb.

Dear Nicole,

It was a fine and lovely performance you gave us with your band! We really enjoyed ourselves in that cozy theatre in Groningen. We very much like the way you start your show by standing in the crowd and sing in the purest form like we are out in the open field.
Keep on going!
Cheers,

This was a brilliant show, Nicole has one of the most outstanding female voices that I have seen live. Hopefully we’ll hear a lot more from her. I spoke to her briefly after the show, she was as really sweet.