Featured image and gallery: Gracie Hall
Haffway starts the evening – the Nashville-born singer/songwriter’s powerful voice
commands the entire room and despite being new to most in the Deaf Institute, the
audience hangs onto his every note. His charismatic presence engages the room as he chats
freely to the crowd.
‘I Don’t Need You Anymore’ taps into the well of melancholic songs produced by many
artists from the small towns of the Bible Belt and Midwest, painting a picture of a yearning
for something that isn’t good for him.
Elle Coves then springs onto stage in a 60s-inspired tan jumpsuit, mirroring the matching cowboy
hats and boots seen scattered in the crowd. Her song ‘Lost Cowboy’ has become a fan
favourite since its release in October, with fans screaming “Don’t take me for a love-drunk
home-run kid”. Elle’s songs are so personal to her but are relatable to her predominantly
younger female audience.
Even though the room is small, her voice fills every corner; powerful and emotional. With a
cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Is it Over Now?’ and the final bridge of ‘Out of the Woods’ thrown in
for good measure, Coves cements herself as a new indie-pop princess and someone to keep
an eye on for 2024.
Playing an unreleased song called ‘Blonde on Blonde’, which a select few girls at the front
already knew most of the words too, Elle hints at future releases and excites everyone.
Ending the set with her first single ‘Before I Fall Apart’, the room jumps with her. The song
sounds like a coming-of-age cinematic soundtrack and encapsulates how this first headline
tour will feel for 19-year-old Elle herself.
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Featured image and gallery: Lucy Elson-Whittaker Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra come to the Palace Theatre in Manchester to celebrate the release of their new album, Night Blooms. Liverpool-based Brooke Combe opens the evening with a stripped-back set alongside her guitarist, her soulful vocals instantly captivating the crowd. Blending heartfelt performances with quick-witted…
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