It's not a usual occurrence for me to find myself on any guest list of any sort.
Especially a guest list of a VIP showcase of some amazing talent.
And talent in the form of Jack Flash no less!
But low - and - behold that's exactly the situation I found my self in last night!
Quite amazing stuff eh!
The "VIP Guestlist" event was held at Huddersfield's The Verve Bar. The bar is a really laid back, informal student-type bar, but it's definitely not like any of the bar's I visited back in my Uni days I can tell you!
The Verve is fairly small, with both an upstairs and downstairs seating area. There is a balcony upstairs that overlooks a beautifully lit "stage" area, which is perfect for live VIP performances. :)
Good Lights! |
The decor of Verve is pritty unique too. Whilst you have the usual bar table and chairs, there is also the odd brown leather sofa and chair combo thrown in, adding a bit of "classic sophistication".
There are old...well...what can only be described as school D.T woodwork benches - dotted around, now living life out as tables, whilst padded sections of gymnastic vaults act as seats - genius.
The walls hold a mis-mashed mixture of framed portraits, cartoon drawings and collages, that all "just work" together, to add to The Verve's unique look.
I particularly liked the "Customer's Must Not " notice standing proudly next to the bar. It made me wonder just how many times any of them have actually been heard by the bar staff!
The bar staff were really friendly and approachable too. And the alcohol was cheap - always a bonus!
So that's the bar, now we need the VIP
And yep, the VIP of the evening was Huddersfield born MC, songwriter and producer Jack Flash (www.jackflashuk.co.uk).
I first heard of Jack Flash numerous months ago, when the Hubby was listening to battles on YouTube. I've always liked watching the battles and appreciate the talent that the battlers have.
But when I first heard Jack Flash, I remember taking a bit more notice than usual.
Listening to "There No More" for the first time, I was hooked - it's just - "Wow".
It's a very moving, emotional song, and not something you can listen to just once. It's too thought provoking - you need to hear it again and again. I loved it.
Naturally then, when The Other Half announced that he had an invite to a "if your names not down, you're not coming in" showcase of Jack Flash with his new live band, and that little old me was to be the "Plus 1" on the invite, I did a little happy dance - I was an extremely happy bunny.
And trust me, I was not disappointed.
The performance was beyond fantastic.
The passion Jack Flash has for what he does came through in every single song. The lyrics were so real, hard-hitting and meaningful. I was totally drawn in.
Having invited only a select few people, the atmosphere was really intimate and relaxed, and obviously with everybody there being fans, and really feeling the energy coming from Jack Flash and the band, the vibe in the room was fantastic.
On't Sofa - www.ontsofa.com - (Twitter, Facebook) were there too, and they captured the whole performance... kinda hoping they didn't capture me in the "audience shots" though I must admit! :)
On't Sofa are a fairly new music and video channel, who work with musicians all across the spectrum, from Indie to R&B to Hip Hop and beyond. They work throughout the UK and are passionate about bringing real, live music to audiences, without editing or changing the live sound at all. It really is a case of "What You See (or hear) Is What You Get", ensuring audiences hear the true, brilliant sound of the artist.
And tonight was no exception
We were treated to a rendition of Jack Flash's new song "Dangerous Pursuit", which was also filmed with On't Sofa earlier. It went down a treat - another bit of fantastic 'story telling'!
Then, to top off his performance, Jack Flash decided to give us a bit of a freestyle. And when I say "a bit of a freestyle" I mean a fantastic, extremely clever kind of a freestyle.
The crowd totally loved it!
And what wasn't to love.
To use my favourite word again - it was amazing.
So amazing in fact, I thought a quote from it was very apt:
"this year here, next year the O2"
I don't doubt that one bit
The band kept the crowd captivated and were crazily good. They just fit together perfectly, creating an addictive sound you just wanted to hear again and again. There's no way anyone would ever think that they haven't been playing with Jack Flash for years.
Astoundingly talented people.
I think I may even have fallen a little bit in love with the beautiful, sultry voice of Jade America Harris. Her voice complements Jack Flash's style perfectly.
I had a fantastic night, and was honored to be able to be there...I can't wait until next time!
Jack Flash is crazy talented...and a really nice guy too...he even stopped for photographs. :)
If you haven't checked him out before, then you really need to, even if you don't think this style of music is for you - trust me, have a listen and you'll change your mind.
He's fab!
"Progression" is out now too to buy on iTunes for £6.99 - bargain.
Now I've just got to persuade The Husband that I need the album more than he does!!
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