29 August 2009 (gig)
30 August 2009
It was a relatively quiet night in Camden Town this Saturday night, largely due to numerous festivals taking place around the country, and so the numbers for Jamie’s first headline show weren’t as good as they could have been, or as he deserved. Jamie Ley performs on his own, with just his guitar (or occasionally his ukulele) as accompaniment. He plays Americana tinged folk music, with lyrics based largely on loves and loss. He is, however, not James Blunt, and this is a VERY good thing.
Jamie took the stage on Saturday faced by about 40 people, largely seated, but dealt with the potential indifference very well. His voice is incredible, very deep and powerful, sounding similar to Ian Ball of Gomez, and this inevitably helped him win over those present. Excellent renditions of 'Forest’, 'Suzy Sang’ (a song about having a singing partner and then not) and new track 'Duck Feathered Pillow’ helped grab the attention, as did a couple of 'cheesy’ jokes that garnered a couple of laughs.
Jamie bears his soul with his songs, and his honesty shines through at every opportunity. His drive was on show as well when a technical hitch meant that he had to finish a number without electric accompaniment. This he handled very well, again that voice shining through. Completing his set with another expert example of simple songwriting at its finest, the night was an undoubted success. Jamie could definitely do with playing to a more partisan crowd, but with the quality of catalogue that he has, it’s hard to imagine he’ll be playing to crowds this small for much longer.
www.myspace.com/jamieleymusic
