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A sold-out venue is a very good sign with a concert, hence why I anticipatedly arrived with such eagerness to Cardiff’s Tramshed on the evening of Wednesday 13th.
I was excited with the hope of basking in an evening of sublime song and breath-taking vocals by one Laura Marling. I was not disappointed.
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A newbie to Marling’s repertoire, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from her show. Some lovely acoustic songs from a small band on stage perhaps. But no, Marling carries her shows solo, and what a job she does.
Opening the set with a four-strong salvo of songs from her 2013 album ‘Once I Was An Eagle’, the 15-minute compilation, of which she playfully remarks to the audience “I thought I’d ease you in with a short 15 minute song”, set the tone for the rest of the evening, in that Marling has no problems with commanding a stage and playing as if she were joined by others.
Her soulful singing along with her exquisite guitar playing made for the most beautiful music. From a rampage of stumming with ‘Take the Night Off’s’ to the witty lyrics and biting from ‘I was An Eagle’, there was clearly a lot of thought behind starting with these songs. Setting a scene for the audience, the music established what many in the crowd already knew, that this was a show of spectacular intimacy with a very talented woman, taking us on her journey through song.
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The faultless vocals and mesmerising music made you feel no loss by having no-one else on stage with her. You’re simply entranced by her presence. I couldn’t get my head around how quickly each song seemed to go by. Not due to their shortness, but simply because I found myself so positively lost in the music that nothing else in that moment seemed to matter, and I could immerse myself in the show.
‘Master Hunter’ was a personal favourite of mind, with the slightly edgier guitar and notes creating a darker and more haunting effect. ‘Song for Our Daughter’ was another that stood-out for me, with her lyrics written to a fictional daughter about, as Marling puts it herself, “all the confidences and affirmations I found so difficult to provide myself”, providing a striking and heartfelt setting.
Laura’s stagehand deserves a special mention from the night, as she revealed herself that he had to lend an extra helping hand with putting her guitars over her shoulders due to an unfortunate fall in the woods days prior, which resulted in her putting her back out, making twisting for guitar straps an uncomfortable affair.
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The blistering heat of the Tramshed seemed irrelevant, as no matter how hot and flustered I may have been getting, the distraction of Laura’s performance was enough to help me leave those troubles behind. How she kept so in time, so in tune and so consistent with her playing whilst making it seem simply like second nature to her boggles the mind and left me simply in awe- with a hint of jealousy that my 4-chord wonder songs would never amount to quite her level.
A stage presence to capture a room, a talent that will leave you wondering how she does it and a sharp wit, it’s hard to find fault. Laura Marling is truly a master of her craft, with a painstakingly beautiful show, this is an artist you must try and see live at least once.
Review by Gabriela page for Keep Cardiff Live
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