WITH past performances in locations as diverse as New York's Carnegie Hall and Glastonbury, alongside tours of both Asia and Europe, Paisley-born singer-songwriter Carol Laula's appearance last night at The Jam House was something of a homecoming.
Thanks to a recording career stretching back to the early nineties, Laula's fanbase is nothing if not diverse. As the thirtysomethings present (perhaps still at school when Laula's first album, Still, appeared in 1992) mingled with the more mature members, it was clear that anticipation was high. While the audience of around 30 would be called intimate in most venues, the near-cavernous environs of The Jam House did lead to some distance between the performer and her fans, something clearly not lost on Laula herself, as her comments proved.
Laula seemed relaxed as she appeared on stage with her three band mates to much applause, her somewhat subdued start to the set with Whispering Hurricane leading into some enthusiastic banter with the crowd. Revealing that she had debuted as a radio presenter "125 years ago" in the building during its former life as a BBC studio, Laula also introduced the audience to her mum who had inspired her song Crazy.
With In a Dream, the pace started to pick up, the band clearly starting to warm to their surroundings and Laula herself feeling enough at ease to start mixing up the playlist to suit her mood, the band taking these changes in their stride. Sunday Clothes was something much more inconsequential, a fun piece that led to some nice interaction with a member of the audience who had requested a song for later in the show.
It's probable that had Laula been on the same level, height-wise, as the audience, her ebullient sense of humour would have been given more free rein as the night progressed. Yet, songs such as the simple-yet-classic Just for You and the melancholy Amelia – with a rendition that highlighted her vocal similarities to Joni Mitchell – were evidence that the singer was thoroughly enjoying herself. Indeed, the stunning 2 B4 Lunch took proceedings to another level, its up-tempo arrangement and full-on band member involvement making it a real highlight of the evening.
From here it was a strong run to the finish, with the near-rockabilly Answers in the Mirror leading neatly into a clear audience favourite, the emotion-drenched White Dress – there looked to be many couples holding each others hands that little bit tighter as this one came to an end. It was left to the beautiful Think You'd Better to provide a strong close to the set and the evening itself: with the band giving it their all and harmonies from Mario Rea offering fine support, Laula left the audience shouting for more.
The full article contains 477 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
