Event: Acoustic Afternoons, featuring James Holt, Ben Whitley, Miles Temp and poet Karl Hildebrandt
Venue: Round The Corner, Kempston Street, Liverpool
Reviewer: Stuart Todd, Liverpool Acoustic
The busy Sunday afternoon event took place at Round The Corner, situated in the Fabric District. Acoustic Afternoons is a regular event organised by Liverpool Entertainment, Music and Arts Network (LEMAN). They’ve also been presenting music at Cross Keys and Carnival Brewing Company.
Manchester singer-songwriter James Holt opened the event to an excited crowd. The Bolton wanderer didn’t put a foot wrong, playing five numbers in the first of two sets (including a Beatles cover of Ticket To Ride). He closed the first set with the beautiful melodic sound of Mystery Girl, which included an introduction that told the amusing story of the Tik Tok cat. There was a natural rapor between the artist and the audience. http://www.jamesholtmusic.com
James handed the mic over to Karl Hildebrandt, who kept the crowd engaged with a set of poetry and spoken word.
Ben Whitley is a 19 year old local artist working his way up the ranks. Armed with an acoustic guitar and harmonica around the harness, the folk troubadour performed a blistering set to a busy and receptive audience. A cross between early Dylan and Donovan, the influence of Woody Guthrie is also prevalent in his music. The ballad All Along The Line was a highlight of the set, with a finger picking guitar style that recalls Don’t Think Twice from the album Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. You can listen to his current album Maybe It’s A Way Of Life on YouTube and is available to download from all streaming services.
The youngest performer to take to the stage was 16 year old Miles Temp. Wearing a T-shirt that read “A Light In The Dark”, the artist has recently been played on BBC Music Introducing. Opening with the song Polaroid Picture, Miles played a strong confident set to a Crowded Room (which happens to be the current single release). Appropriately Miles finished the set with the track The End, which was released last year. Expect to hear more from this artist in future. linktr.ee/milestemp_
James Holt returned to the stage and closed the afternoon with a full length set. His expressive voice is a cross between Neil Finn and David Byrne, with a Beatles influence in the guitar chord changes. Amongst the highlights he played a song based on the book/film The Great Gatsby and Butterfly, which was half sung in German. James also paid tribute to Christine McVie (of Fleetwood Mac) by playing Everywhere. He rounded off the event by playing The Wedding, which was recorded at the now defunct Parr Street Studios in Liverpool. You can watch a music video of The Wedding on YouTube
The overall sound of the event was excellent and well organised. As a venue Around The Corner has a great vibe and is a welcome addition to the local music scene. You can find out more about LEMAN events by visiting their Facebook page.
Review © Stuart Todd 2023 Liverpool Acoustic – all rights reserved