It’s a Wednesday night, but at the Sunflower Lounge you’d hardly know; tonight, the crowd are giddy with an irresistible excitement. Neve Georgette and Charlie Bennet are playing. It’s a night of new beginnings.
Neve Georgette
Local singer-songwriter Neve Georgette opens in her first show back in a year. It’s been a tough year, as she admits throughout in starkly vulnerable commentary. The pressures of work and relationships are ones we can all sympathise with, and she’s at her best when embracing that vulnerability in her raspy vocals. In a particularly moving cover of Sam Fender’s ‘Spit of You’, she delivers the lyric ‘stomach hurts all of the time’ with a knowing humour (and I can certainly relate to that particular struggle). And it’s that mix of vulnerability and cheekiness that charms the audience, buoying her through a respectable set.
It takes her a minute to find her feet. Returning to live performance is no mean feat, but it’s clear that the crowd is keen to receive her: ‘The Queen Has Risen’, says a sign in the crowd. She makes fun of the backward Q, but continues the performance determined to prove that she is, indeed, the queen. Her final two songs are brilliant. It’s her two singles, starting with ‘You Were The One’, a mournful reflection on failed relationships that she animates with a particular anger. Her other single, ‘All It’, provides a defiant closer with a slight echo of the bright indie of Clario or Circa Waves, married with a teen talkback. She ends with a triumphant look to the future; ‘if you see me at the bar, mine’s a Disaronno and coke’. I’m excited to see how she develops, and would be interested to see her perform with a full band. With such charisma and sweetness, we’re all converted fans by the end of the night!
Charlie Bennett
Bedroom indie sensation Charlie Bennett is also a Brummie, and this is a serendipitous performance. Their first headline gig was at the Sunflower Lounge, two years ago. Today, the Sunny is hosting the start of their first-ever headline tour, following the release of a brand new EP, Sweetie. It’s a return to roots. The group (also featuring Meg O’Caster on bass and Owen Milton on drums) are evidently delighted to be back.
The band is greeted with whispers of excitement which quickly build into cheers. Charlie Bennet has a real sense of themself; repeating, to the audience’s amusement, ‘I’m Charlie Bennett’, while insisting upon the authenticity of their ‘bedroom’ style. Yes, it’s really, really recorded in a bedroom! Many of the hits begin as voice memos, and even with a live band and studio versions, the tracks never lose that charming DIY feel. The composition is rough and ready, but with emphasis on the ready.
They split up the set with some acoustic performances, which finally give Charlie’s vocals a chance to shine. ‘Local Chippy’ is a fun one, demonstrating the playfulness of the lyricism and also providing a fun opportunity to guess the chippy it’s written about! (My money’s on the Dolphin in Selly Oak. This is why we love Brummie musicians.)
It’s the sense of community that makes this night so special. The group provides instruction on when to dance, when to sway, and when to simply jump up and down; and the crowd is more than obliging. They lead a singalong to ‘Baby Blue Ford’, an earnest indie anthem that recalls the tiktok-able hooks of Will Joseph Cook. The brilliance of the music is its simplicity, completely animated by the band’s energetic performances and audience connection. They even manage a moment of audience collaboration, where, hilariously, an audience member plays a kazoo solo. It’s a cracking kazoo solo. Charlie’s numerous ‘thank yous’, giggles, smiles, grow into confidence, and they find their rhythm with ‘I’ll Give You the Moon’. Back from his role as head hypeman during the acoustic set, Owen Milton on drums performs with precision and ferocity. They bounce off each other with a genuine sense of fun, like they’re having the time of their lives. To quote verbatim my notes from the night: it’s so nice when bandmates are friends.
It’s clear that Charlie Bennett has a real rapport with their fans. The set takes conversational interludes, where they speak about their songwriting process, the origins of the band, and their famous love for strawberries. As the set draws to a close, Charlie leans towards the front row, turns the setlist around for them; ‘you choose the encore’. They make the excellent selection of ‘I’ll Give You the Moon’, and it is twice as good the second time around. It’s pure energy, and the room illuminates, determined to give them a good sendoff. It seems the future of the Birmingham music scene is sunny; it’s oodles of fun; and it smells faintly of strawberries.