In the heart of Chelsea, one of New York’s finest Americana songwriters, Rachael Sage, kicked off her Under My Canopy tour in style. On a breezy Sunday evening, Sage invited audiences into a world of compassion, warmth, colour, and storytelling - performing beloved favourites, selections from Canopy, previously unheard material, and even welcoming special guest appearances along the way.
PizzaExpress Live at The Pheasantry is arranged like a swanky jazz club: dimly lit tables encircle the stage, scattered with small spiralling suitcases as audience members tuck into a delicious selection of Italian cuisine while the performance unfolds around them. Sage’s collection of heartfelt, timeless songs provided the perfect soundtrack - although it was difficult not to remain completely captivated by her stage presence throughout the evening, even while enjoying plates of pasta puttanesca and pepperoni pizza.
Emerging in a sparkly red dress that shimmered beneath the spotlight - “less rainbow than usual,” she joked - Sage’s colourful presence was striking yet playful. Keeping the set conversational and interactive, her sharp humour drew gentle laughter from the crowd between songs. Accompanied by her cellist and violinist, fittingly named The Sequins in honour of their glittering attire, she effortlessly serenaded the room with each carefully crafted number.
Much of Sage’s previous album, Canopy - a record celebrating and embracing her place within the LGBTQIA+ community - was showcased through intimate, stripped-back renditions, alluding to the forthcoming acoustic companion album, Under My Canopy. Highlights included the joyous “Live It Up”, “Just Enough,” the welcoming title track that encouraged audience sing-alongs, and more melancholic moments such as the tender ballad “Nexus”, inspired by a non-binary teenager suffering from severe bullying.
Sage also used the evening to highlight her role as the first official artist ambassador for Rainbow Mind, speaking passionately about the charity’s invaluable work and mental health resources for the LGBTQIA+ community. The merchandise stand even featured collaborative T-shirts raising funds for the organisation. The performance of “Nexus” became one of the evening’s most emotional moments, serving as both a reminder of Sage’s compassionate advocacy and a reflection of the empathy woven throughout her songwriting.
Transitioning seamlessly between grand piano, keyboard, acoustic guitar, and even hand-clap-led a cappella moments, Sage ensured the performance remained constantly dynamic. Whether revisiting older fan favourites such as “The Other Side” or debuting newer material such as “You were Allowed,”, she demonstrated not only her skill as a multi-instrumentalist and arranger, but also her ability to make each performance feel spontaneous and deeply personal.
Whether weaving intricate countermelodies or drawing listeners into worlds of folk-inspired storytelling through her whimsical vocal delivery, Sage is clearly a songwriter who truly comes alive on stage. Leaning fully into theatricality, she even closed the set with a spoken poem that left the room in hushed admiration.
If that sounds like your kind of evening - pizza included or not - be sure to catch Rachael Sage on the remainder of her Under My Canopy UK tour, as well as at upcoming shows supporting Wet Wet Wet.
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