Rock n' roll in my soul...

Nikki from Never the Bride - www.neverthebride.com

We were invited to attend the Songbirds evening hosted by Nikki Lamborn and Catherine (Been) Feeney by wordweaver at a pub called The Bedford in Balham. Excited, worried (what music will be played, will it be cool, will we fit in, will we get caught in traffic, will we find the place more importantly) made us leave early, don our coolest clothes (giggles) and off we went in Zuki for our first musical adventure.

We missed it, first time round, did an illegal u-turn and randomly drove down a road, wondering where the living heck will we find parking? We did, we scuttled to the pub. It is huge - go up the stairs, past all the cool wanna-be's q-ing up for the comedy, shove them all aside and find the stairs to the Tavistock room which is where the music will be happening.

We made it, sat down at our booked table. The excitement was palpable and FG and I were in a giggly nervous mood and our friends Almay and Darren were there already, as was our South African friend, singer and actress (with annoyingly beautiful white teeth) Anzel. Soon the room started filling up. Wordweaver and her partner arrived. We chatted, the place was abuzz! We wanted music, dammit!

Nikki came on stage and things quietened down - she did the welcoming speech, her co-founder of Never the Bride settled behind the keyboards and the next thing we know, there was this fury of voice, hair, attitude and sex belting out in the most amazing voice two songs that had everyone rocking. Man, they were outstanding - honestly. I am a convert. Nikki just struts and oozes sexyness everywhere and at the same time, she manages to create an atmosphere of recklessness and you just want to jump up and wave your arms at her and shout along. Rock n roll wannabe's can learn oodles off her - she worked the ground and was naughty, funny and the consumate showman. We were given two songs by Nikki and Been as they warmed the crowd, before she introduced a pretty young thing called Ngwara from New Zealand and stepped off stage.

Ngwara and her keyboard player turned things down a bit, playing two haunting songs. Ngwara's voice, I thought was nice enough and then suddenly, she did something odd. She looked into the audience, found someone and poured her heart out to this person. We were wrapt up in her melancholy. It was fab.

Next on stage Nikki lured Mel Gareh - www.melgareh.com and http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=42898843 - who just proved that you should never underestimate pretty girls. She was dynamic and with her guitarist Sophie they set the stage alight. She has a voice that reminds you of Tori Amos, and Alanis. There is just enough huskiness to her voice to draw you into her world and we were soon swaying under her spell. Her music is accoustic rock and folk rock and I think she will go far.

Mel Gareh - see, sexy and talented!

Next up, Nikki introduced Susy Thomas. - www.susythomas.com - Earlier the evening, we heard a sound check she did and she seemed a nice enough girl but as she only sang a few bars of music and played her gorgeous guitar (insert jealous face) we weren't sure what to expect. Holy smoke! Her speaking voice is just gorgeous sexy huskiness and she settled herself on her little chair, flicked her hair back and opened her mouth and blew us away. Liquid molasses, is a term that comes to mind. I was stunned, I wanted to be her. She was the coolest human being I have been around in a long long time. The girl can sing! She can play guitar and she was funny and so down to earth. She worked the crowd and had us cupped in the palm of her hand as she did her songs. I was blown away by her and can't wait for her single to come out in June. She has converts, that's for sure! Her sets were gutsy and the songs she had written were very personal, special things and they came across exactly like that - gifts she shared with us.

Susy Thomas, a star in the making!

Next up was a husband and wife duo, Richard and Belle, better known as Bellissima. Richard looks the business - ultra cool with his kinky hair in a pony tail and then up steps this four foot slip of a blond who looks like someone's favourite aunt, you know, pretty but unassuming. Nikki ribbed her for being the Doris Day of music. We all laughed nervously wondering "what the hell, she can sing?"

And holy smokes, again. It just proves that you should NEVER pigeon hole people. This tiny blonde lady opened her mouth and the voice that came out of her would blow you hair back, and off, if you had to wear a wig. Man, she was a liquid dynamo of sound. She had everyone howling, hooting, clapping along to their songs and her hubby wound his accoustic guitar and I wanted to attach myself to his leg and be his shadow to learn how to play like that. I have NEVER in my life heard anyone sound like that. I can't begin to describe her voice. The power of it should be harnassed to blow our political enemies straight out of the water. They wouldn't stand a chance. She rocked, she bluesed us to absolute smithereens. It was honest to goodness pure sound that you could lift you head up to and howl. It was primal and brilliant. We were exhausted afterwards.

There was a break for everyone to chat and eat and drink something. All of us turned to one another and went "again, again!". The amount of raw talent that they had on stage on Friday put every single crappy musical talent show you have ever seen on TV to shame. It was awesome and awe inspiring. We couldn't wait for the second set.

And it started all over again.

It was an evening like nothing I had ever experienced before. The music was outstanding and we will no doubt become regulars if Nikki could swing a monthly gig at the Bedford with enough support.

Wow - we drove home and could not stop talking about Susy, how she just made you feel rich and wrapped in silk and chocolate and then how Belle blew everyone out of the water with a voice that had so much character and depth to it, you felt like you had been transported somewhere else entirely, and felt annoyed for waking back up in the real world.

Please, Nikki - make the magic so we can come back!