Preview: Mica Millar, David Ford, Limerance, & The Wonder Stuff’s Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls
There are four fantastic gigs coming up in the next two weeks and Liverpool Acoustic will have a reviewer at each and every one! Why not venture out of the house and support one or two?
MICA MILLAR
Support: Little Grace and Neil Noa
Wednesday 13th September 2017, from 8pm
Buyers Club, 24 Hardman Street, Liverpool, L19AX
Tickets: Early Bird £5 / ADV £7 / MOTD
skiddle.com/…/Mica-Millar-Not-The-Fir…/13017166
Following her debut Liverpool performance at Liverpool Loves Festival in August 2017, soul powerhouse, Mica Millar has announced she will return to the city to launch her second solo single “Not The First” on Wednesday 13th September 2017 at Liverpool’s Buyer’s Club with support from up and coming Liverpool artists, three piece electronic-soul outfit, Little Grace and acoustic-soul singer/songwriter, Neil Noa.
After performing a sold out hometown launch show at The Deaf Institute, Manchester on Wednesday 30th August 2017 the artist has this week been awarded BBC Introducing’s prestigious “Artist of The Week” and will perform live on BBC’s Georgey Tonight this Thursday which will be broadcast across every local BBC Radio station following a week of play-listing for her latest single.
Described by The Manchester Evening News as “The next big thing”, Mica Millar has firmly established herself as “an artist to watch in 2017” (Karen Gabay, BBC Radio/ITV). Performing in August as part of the Liverpool Soulfest curated line-up alongside Cherri V, Milo Tain and Raheem Alameen, and Robert Vincent, Pixie and Delphina Kings, programmed by The Guide, Liverpool, Mica Millar “Blew the crowd away with a powerful performance” (Kelly Parker, Liverpool Soulfest) and was welcomed with open arms by the hundreds in attendance at the outdoor Liverpool Loves event in Derby Square.
However, this was not her first taste of Liverpool’s thriving music scene – Mica Millar featured on Liverpool Label, Viper Recordings “Viper Presents Drum & Bass 2016” compilation album last year, with “North Base ft Mica – Give You Up”, reaching No.06 in the Itunes Dance Album Charts & No.12 in the UK Dance Album Charts.
Millar’s early live performances have seen her take to the stages of some of her hometown’s most well renowned concert halls including The 02 Ritz and The Contact Theatre as well as performing at Manchester International Festival and further afield at Nozstock The Hidden Valley, Hereford, where she was one of only two support acts to be included in the Hereford Times review alongside headliners The Sugar Hill Gang and Happy Monday’s, sighted as “a surprising find with an incredible voice” (Rebecca Cain, Hereford Times).
Quickly gaining support both locally and nationally, Mica recently appeared on BBC Introducing Manchester and Mike Sweeney’s BBC Breakfast Show, stunning the presenters with her live performances of “My Lover” and “Not The First”. “I’ve listened (live) to Etta James, Janice Joplin, some great singers over the years. Mica Millar’s voice is incredible…I suspect in the future, she’ll be doing a lot bigger venue’s than that and hopefully she’ll remember us here”.
BBC Introducing’s Michelle Hussey & Natalie Eve Williams, were left “speechless” and “mesmerised” saying, they were “big fans” and “This is the calibre of artists we have here in Manchester. Just wow”.
Other early avid supporters include the likes of Soul Music and Radio veteran Andy Peebles, best know for conducting the last British media interview with John Lennon, who said Mica was “As good as it gets”, and Gary Stein, the former Director of Music at Bauer Music Group and current Managing Editor at Global’s Heart Radio who tweeted that he had “re-discovered music tonight” after watching Mica’s three-hour showcase at Matt & Phred’s Jazz Club in May.
Armed with her soulful six-piece line up of musicians, including her trio of female backing vocalists, the “Not The First” launch show will see Mica Millar headline a night of original, contemporary, live Soul music with support from up and coming Liverpool artists Little Grace and Neil Noa at Buyers Club on Wednesday 13th September 2017.
Facebook Event Page: facebook.com/events/461908317507456/
Listen to and Pre-Order Mica Millar “Not The First” at hyperurl.co/notthefirst
DAVID FORD
Sunday 17th September 2017, from 7pm
The Zanzibar Club, 43 Seel Street, Liverpool L1 4AZ
Tickets £10 from wegottickets.com/event/412455
The most audacious 2-man show comes to Liverpool on September 17th as David Ford teams up with drummer Darren Beckett. Expect drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, all at the same time, no tricks, no loops no backing tracks. Small band: Big sound. Yours for a tenner.
LIMERANCE
Support: Karen Turley, The Medicine Men DJs
Wednesday 20th September 2017, from 8pm
Studio 2 Parr Street
Tickets £5adv/£9adv with EP
mellowtone.skiddletickets.com/event.php?id=13018224
Local favourites Limerance launch their debut EP ‘In The First Place’ in association with Mellowtone. Support is from the talented Karen Turley.
Check out our review of the Limerance single Shine On.
THE WONDER STUFF’S MILES HUNT AND ERICA NOCKALLS
Friday 22nd September 2017, 7pm doors, 8pm start
Music Room, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Tickets £14
liverpoolphil.com/whats-on/miles-hunt–erica-nockalls
‘We Came Here To Work’ is the third studio album by The Wonder Stuff’s Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls. (Sept 9th : Good Deeds Music Ltd)
Having celebrated the band’s 30th anniversary in 2016 with a new album and an extensive touring schedule the duo decided to head into calmer waters at the beginning of this year by returning to their acoustic project.
When asked about the release of a third Hunt/Nockalls album Hunt replied
“As much as I love rockin’ out with the band there is a side to me that enjoys a more relaxed approach to making music. Erica and I have been touring as an acoustic duo for ten years now and we thought it was about time we added some new material to our acoustic arsenal”.
Remarking on the differences between the music the duo write for their acoustic project and the music they write for
The Wonder Stuff Hunt said
“The music that The Wonder Stuff make is for nights out with your friends, what Erica and I have hopefully done with ‘We Came Here To Work’ is made music for nights spent at home in more genteel company”.
Peppered with Hunt’s trademark acerbic lyrics and Nockalls’ pleasingly angular string arrangements ‘We Came Here To Work’ is a stark and reflective piece of work.