Jakes Unplugged!
By Emma Whitehead‘I was there.’
Three little words which Thabo Mkwananzi, the compere for the evening, said with simple perfection.
‘I was there.’
These three little words suggest a sense of proudness, a reflective phrase- 'I was there.' And I saw it for myself!
Now I’m not meaning to boast when I say ‘I was there’, but if you speak to anyone who was at Jake’s on Thursday evening; friends, artists, family and music lovers, they will tell you what a fantastic evening it was! (Okay, so maybe a slight boast).
After a platter of delicious tapas courtesy of Jake’s Cafe and Restaurant, plus a drink on the house purchased with a rather snazzy poker chip, everyone was well and truly warmed up and ready for the music to begin.
Rhiannon Mair opened the evening with her original acoustic songs, ranging in emotion from melancholy to foot tapping grooves. This was her first time in Harrogate, and she was stunned to play at a gig where the audience were completely engrossed in every performance. I certainly didn't see anyone having to scowl at the irritating person next to them who wouldn’t be quiet (as is usually the case at gigs). Rhiannon has just released an album funded by her fans, and I can see why she has such firm grounded support!
Billie Tweddle - our Harrogate gem! Billie is somewhat of a veteran (already?) to the Jake‘s Unplugged events, yet each time I see her, her performance hypnotises the audience and each time gives you another experience with her presence and talent. As I have said before, she is only thirteen; Simply wow!
Fiona Bevan was up next, having just written a song with One Direction, she stunned the audience with her voice and lyrical talent. She is always a joy to watch perform and I have to mention the hair. A perfectly coiffed blonde afro... Hair like that, AND a voice like that!
Antonio Lulic has a fantastic voice, imagine a gruff northern/southern mix. He performed with John Parker on bass, who is (I am proud to say I have met) one half of Nizlopi, the pair who gave us the JCB song back in 2005. Antonio and John both provided a fantastic finale to the evening with their up tempo performance and musical genius.
Need I say more about the utter quality of the artists who graced one of Harrogate's more prestigious music events on Thursday evening… you’ve guess it, I am proud to say ‘I was there!’.
I can’t wait for the next Jake’s event next month on the 22nd May. If you want to experience another both professional and fun evening like no other then make sure to get your ticket in advance as they sell like gold dust, so that you too can say ‘I was there!’.
Tickets from jakesunplugged.bigcartel.com
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