By Sophie Brown, PhD Chemistry
American singer-songwriter Lissie returned to Bristol for the opening sold out night of her latest tour promoting her sixth studio album, When I'm Alone: The Piano Retrospective.
With her last visit to the city boasting a performance at Thekla, the rougher edges of Bristol's vibrant music scene have instead been replaced for a softer aesthetic at St George's. The minimalist stage arrangements - a Steinway grand set under rich red lighting, highlighting the luxuriously gilded religious centrepiece that mirrors the Greek Revival architecture - created an ethereal elegance. To the right of the solo microphone, an amusing addition of not one but two gold-wired wine bottles appeared. This, with some relief, seemed to be an overestimation by stagehands - instead, the singer held a light-hearted air of sophistication as she sipped from a large glass of red throughout her set, obligingly topping up the glass for her pianist accompanier from time to time.
From her opening performance of 'Don't You Give Up On Me', the sold-out auditorium settled into an emotionally rousing evening of adept vocals and musical artistry. The most striking observation is that Lissie's live voice retains a power that doesn't always translate into her studio recordings - a gift that very few artists can sincerely boast. Sultry low registers with feminine gravitas that then soar into sweeping melodies were elevated even further by the exquisite acoustics of the venue.
Whilst Lissie certainly didn't hold anything back with her powerful vocals, a richer musical arrangement might have lended a better platform for this accomplished performer's capability, as well as more deftly conveying the emotional grit and energy that the singer effortlessly radiates. From Lissie's noticeable pacing across the stage, there was the sense that the minimalist accompaniment was keeping the usually untameable, animalistic fire of her performance on a leash.
This became more apparent in her album-titled track ‘When I’m Alone’ that - given the excitement and singing-along audience members - no doubt remains a firm favourite long after its appearance in her debut album, Catching a Tiger. Nevertheless, having created such a distinct and powerful atmosphere for both live and studio recordings of this song, it is hard not to feel that the piano accompaniment didn't really do Lissie enough justice. Despite a beautiful rendition, there was a small niggling sense that an extra dynamic was missing, with the typically intense heat and raw emotion of the song falling a little short in its delivery.
However, it is clear that Lissie is aiming for a more subtle, reflective atmosphere on this tour, whilst demonstrating self-awareness with introductions that didn't take themselves too seriously: "This is the melodramatic version of this song, I think I need my scarf", making reference to a long flowing fabric of smokey hues that she draped and manoeuvred around herself as a Kate Bush-like prop throughout her set.
With vulnerability both in her lyrics as well as in her openness and humour in describing painful moments from her life between songs, it is hard not to feel moved and inspired by Lissie's artistry and talent for telling her own story. ‘Ojai’ made for her encore and, tied with her gratitude of growing up in the Midwest and now returning to her roots in her recent move to a farm in Iowa; there is a sense of coming home that created a satisfying resolution to the musical narrative. Marked by the well-deserved standing ovation from the audience, Lissie created an emotive and polished performance with a warmth that remained long after the final notes on the piano keys had faded.
Featured Image: Sophie Brown / Epigram
