EMILY CAPELL // LENDING ROOM, LEEDS
EMILY CAPELL – NO WORRIES TODAY - EXCEPT FOR A BROKEN-DOWN VAN
EMILY CAPELL PERFORMING AT LEEDS’S LENDING ROOM - 06.02.2020
PICTURE BY: | JOHN HAYHURST @SNAPAGIG.COM
★★★★☆ (4/5)
I’m ashamed to say this is my first visit to the superb Lending Room Venue in Leeds, a room which forms part of The Library, a former Fire station and now a large pub/music venue. It is a great place for a gig. Stage is high enough, so everyone can see and plenty of space for a dance, mosh or shoegaze nod, and a good-sized bar at the back for beer. This is ten times better than places like The Key Club or Hyde Park Book Club and I’m glad I’ll be back next week for October Drift.
Tonight, though I’m here for a witty London girl with a beehive hairdo and a Gretsch guitar that impressed me so much three years ago at the Isle of Wight Festival – Emily Capell. I’ve since made sure I catch her at least twice a year, usually at festivals (Cornbury, Kendal Calling & Live at Leeds), but this is only her 2nd headline tour date, in support of her debut album ‘Combat Frock’. The title is a homage of sorts to The Clash and Joe Strummer in particular, as Capell is a self-confessed big time Strummer fan. They are late on though due to their van breaking down and at one point we thought they wouldn’t make it and tour support singer-songwriter Joe Slater would have had to do a 2-hour set. That wouldn’t have been a bad thing for him as he is definitely impressing fans up and down the UK with his brogue scouse acoustic singalongs.
Opener in Capell’s set and on the album is ‘101 Walterton Road’ - it’s a fiery little rockabilly toe tapper, named after the squat that Joe Strummer lived in pre Clash days and already she is in her full performance mode, usual position with right arm raised and then a side step wiggle and twist, swinging her large Gretch guitar which covers most of her slight frame. ‘No Worries’ follows and is as always dedicated to anyone who wears a band T-Shirt but doesn’t know any songs by said band. Nirvana and Joy Division in particular. Tonight, she also dedicates the song to anyone living around these parts who supports Tottenham. The song takes in other celeb names such as Kurt Cobain and Kanye West and the way she sings “No No No No Worries” has to be heard, it’s like a strange growl coming from the back of her throat as she breathes in.
Emily Capell is unique artist, I don’t know anyone else doing this kind of thing, the melting pot of talent where she draws experience from includes country star Johnny Cash, the aforementioned Joe Strummer, a bit of The Specials Ska Rude Boy antics, and maybe even The Smiths. There’s definitely a jazz influence somewhere in there, and her social commentary lyrics cover unrequited love, celebrity lust, world events and the everyday life and troubles of a twentysomething female in North West London. This is all wrapped up in a soft gentle voice, cheeky smile (sometimes a growl and a scream), and she could have been mod styled by fellow ‘Beehiver’ Mari Wilson.
Newer songs ‘Ipso Calypso’ and ‘I Found a Footballer to Marry Me’ are similar in cheeseyness and style, perfect for a live show and there is even some dancing on and off stage. ‘Brixton Prison’ follows which is to the tune of ‘Folsom Prison Blues’, and her brilliant backing band even manage some Jimi Hendrix style guitar solos behind their head and the intro to Only Fools and Horses theme tune. It’s a collection of part mod ska rock’n’rollers with some ace comedy banter from Ms Capell who ensures that everyone leaves this place with a smile of their face. Shame the band didn’t extend to a bit of brass too, would have loved to have heard some ‘Ring of Fire’ but we can’t have everything.
Her band have got some new matching shirts on this tour too which made them look like darts players on a night off. Emily does introduce them with their actual names tonight rather than the usual Kardashian sisters.
They also left the life size cut out of footballer Joey Barton in the van, as it usually sits to the left of the drums. This is there because Capell is a footie fan of QPR and she has a song dedicated to him – yes really!! It’s called ‘Joey’ and has a chorus which is basically repeating his name over and over - football chant style, if he was still playing at Loftus Road the fans would probably have adopted it. Other songs reference Danny Dyer, Tupaq, Smiley Culture and others I’m not aware of. All served with a massive side order of Capell’s razor sharp wit and fun. ‘Lunatics on de Run’ is unashamedly a ska tune that you could imagine the likes of Pauline Black singing
After a fake off stage walk and back on again, her final song is ‘Bonanza’ and whilst she usually previews this as being dedicated to the name of the plane that crashed and led to the deaths of Buddy Holly, Big Bopper and Richie Valens, it actually has nothing to do with that – it has more relevance to the 70’s Western TV programme. However, the thing this song has is an earworm chorus that will bury itself into your psyche for days, it’s simple, basically “B-B-B-B-B-Bonanza” replayed several times over and it will then vegetate there for weeks.
As there are still a few dates left on this tour I would encourage anyone to go see Emily Capell, she is unique, funny, brilliant to watch and listen to – I just wish the sets were a little longer.
Check out her album launch party show here https://youtu.be/X3_Dw5ZYQ40
SETLIST: | EMILY CAPELL : LENDING ROOM, LEEDS - 06.02.2020
101 Walterton Road
No Worries
Ipso Calypso
I Found a Footballer to Marry Me
Tupac
Brixton Prison
Joey
Bombs to the Beatles
Twisting on the Waves
Until Monday
Lunatics on de Run
ENCORE:
Who Killed Smiley Culture?
Bonanza