★★★★☆
On a mellow and melancholy Friday 13th at Stereo, Fenne Lily took to the stage to give a live rendition of her debut album On Hold, which was only released a week earlier. The fresh-faced songwriter has been growing a reputation over the last couple of years for her delicate vocal delivery and intensely vulnerable lyrics. Her brutal, direct and openly self-deprecating onstage banter is also, somehow, a highlight of any show. Fenne Lily is a performer who brings everything into the moment; she is witty, honest and hyper-attentive in a way that engages her with every member of her audience at once. For as much as her set is rehearsed and professional, the whole occasion feels incredibly intimate, personal and unique, on a much smaller scale than the actual experience. It's a bit like hanging with your new best friend for the first time.
The two supports in Millie and Alexander Alexander test the crowd's attentiveness, with the latter drawing complete silence as he steps away from the microphone, relying entirely on the acoustics of the concrete bunker that is Stereo's basement. The exercise goes exceptionally well and several bleak songs pass calmly before the headliner is politely welcomed on stage.
