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She may well be top of the charts and an ‘an overnight sensation‘, but she is still a girl from the Valleys. A nervous intro showed her inexperience to the crowd, but as soon as she opened her mouth and belted out ‘Rockferry’ the reason this gig was a sell-out became very clear. Her voice is as good live as recorded, though the Dusty comparison is not helpful: she’s got Dusty’s moves and her make-up for sure, but Duffy lacks the sultriness of the original queen of white girl soul.

Highlights were the deep soul of ‘Syrup and Honey’ and the free download ‘Breaking My Own Heart’. Halfway through she fluffs it thinking she’s in Nottingham, and once again her inexperience is clear. But no one cares – she’ll get it. This is just the start of what will be a huge career.

Komedia, 10 March
Alison Swann

Pushing our way into a tightly packed Komedia, it’s easy to see that Brighton based Fink has no trouble pulling in a crowd.

His first album ‘Biscuits for breakfast’ earnt him a huge international following and saw Fink touring all over the UK supporting Zero 7. This was quickly followed by gigs at The Green Man, The Big Chill and an unusual one at Bestival in which, unfortunately, drummer Tim Thornton and bassist Guy Whittaker were not able to make it so Fink pushed on regardless, playing percussion and bass on his acoustic guitar. I’m still searching for a copy of that show.
The new album ‘Distance and Time’ is a cracking follow up to ‘Biscuits for Breakfast’. From the beautifully subtle ballad ‘If Only’ to the rhythmic throb of ‘This is the Thing’, the whole journey is sewn together with gravely, brooding, heartfelt lyrics and an incredibly full sound for a 3 piece band.

With a well chosen mix of tracks from the first and current albums, the evening at Komedia was rounded of to huge applause with a cheeky cover of the old Kraftwerk hit ‘The model’.
It’s a real privelage to go to a gig and hear a band who sound as good if not better than they do in the studio and i would recommend that you check Fink out at your earliest convenience.

Well that’s what i ‘fink’ anyway!

Brighton is home to many things un-British, alien to our history and culture you might say. But what Brighton actually is, is a place for the future, where the styles, sounds and ways of living co-exist in an incredibly diverse melting pot of creative talent.

One day, everywhere will be a little more like Brighton. And so, it’s no surprise to find the UK’s best alt-country/bluegrass band plying their wares here, and tonight’s gig saw them launch their excellent second album, Samurai. Better produced than their rough n’ ready debut, Samurai is full of gorgeous, melancholy songs of love and loss, delivered by Irish lead singer Gareth McGahan, in his inimitable parched style. Prominently featuring violinist Mike Simmonds, and riding the wave of a bobbing, double-bass driven groove, the MFC stay well clear of country cliches, and deliver a masterclass in economy, style and songcraft.