Live At Zedel, London
****
 |
| Scott Alan |
Back in London for a one week residency in January, Scott
Alan was in sparkling upbeat form as he played to a packed audience at Live At
Zedel. With the human condition having long been Alan’s muse, the last time he’d
played this venue had been a short season that proved to be an introspective
glimpse into a soul heavy with sadness. One year on and it is clear the
songwriter is in a much happier place. With boyfriend Jerry sat in the
audience, the gig was a collection of songs new and old, woven into a set-list riddled
with Alan’s hallmark rapid fire irreverence.
Opening with Goodbye New York, a number from his new album Lifeline,
Alan brought a Billy Joel like intensity to his performance. The song, inspired
by his move away from Manhattan to Florida was wry and reflective yet at the
same time vibrant and set a neatly balanced tone for the evening.
On the night of this review there were three featured guest
vocalists – Tyrone Huntley, Kayleigh McKnight and Tim Newman. To much joshing banter
from Alan, Huntley was up first delivering sweet interpretations of Kiss The
Air followed by Sail. Newman followed with an equally nuanced albeit distinctly
different style, to take on I’ve Already Won. Alan himself wrapped up the first
half with another new song (inspired by Jerry), My Unexpected Melody.
The second act kicked off with McKnight and Huntley
delivering a powerful duet before a stunning solo from McKnight in I’m A Star,
alongside a powerful accompaniment from Alan’s piano work, had the audience
cheering.
Perhaps the evening’s most powerful moment was Huntley’s
take on Anything Worth Holding Onto. One of Alan’s signature tunes the number
reaches into the very heart of depression, demanding a well-honed voice to open
up its carefully crafted complexities. Huntley grasped the melody, holding onto
both its strength and its desperation. He stamped his own hallmark on the
number in a way that has not been seen for many years and has been long
overdue. It was a brilliant, memorable performance that defined a rather lovely
cabaret.
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