On Tuesday night I went with my wife to Guildford. We drove down in time for an Italian meal and then to the G Live Theatre for a concert by Gabrielle. I have liked her music for some years. My wife is not really a fan but was willing to come to this one at least. The theatre holds around a thousand and most though not all seats were taken - chiefly by white females over 35. Fans were quite vocal and most of the evening were coming up to the stage for selfies with an ever obliging Gabrielle. We were in good seats slightly to the side. Those in front of us had paid extra to enjoy a meet and greet before the show (Gabrielle's note on the set list refers to Joanna one of these mostly ladies).
We began with a warm up - four or five numbers from backing singer Phebe Edwards and guitarist Mac Douglas. Gabrielle came on half an hour later and worked through the set list above. Gabrielle, 46 and Hackney born, turns out to be a rather chatty woman, curbed only by her manager's earpiece remonstrations. Personally, I feel ordinariness is over-rated though her friendliness, co-operativeness and appreciation for the audience was great.
The young band consisted of keyboard (Emlyn Maillard), drums (Jesse Grant), with Mac on acoustic guitar and Olivia Williams the other backing vocalist. They were more than competent and the lack of a bass player was not detrimental. Gabrielle provides likeable pop music delivered with a strong but relaxed, slightly gravelly voice. The content is rather pop psychological but very positive and largely unexceptionable. She told us she had been unwell but seemed to manage the whole thing with a consummate ease. She paced things well and had us all on our feet for the obvious encore. Great fun.
