Playing a solo headline show in Birmingham for the first time, Jade Helliwell brought her ‘Heroes & Heroines’ tour to the midlands on a dark and cold November night. Jade’s show is very much a friends & family affair – she’s engaged to guitarist Luke Thomas and had fellow artist Laura Oakes on acoustic guitar and backing vocals, who has just got married to Jade’s drummer. ‘Yep, we’re like Abba,’ Jade joked at one point in a set packed full of big vocals, big notes and big ambitions.
With close friend Kezia Gill in attendance and fellow artists like Gary Quinn watching too, the small, hot downstairs room at The Sunflower Lounge was treated to a bill that highlighted the breadth and depth of talent from the three female artists on the stage.
Opener Emily Lockett kicked things off with 20 minutes of Taylor Swift-esque Pop-leaning songwriter tunes that are a little Country round the edges. Songs like ‘Blew My Mind’ and ‘Rush Hour Crush’ were delivered with aplomb to a welcoming crowd but it was the double-whammy ending of ‘Front Porch’ and the very infectious, 80s leaning banger ‘Do You Wanna Go Out?’ that were the highlights of the set. Emily is a talented artist with a real knack for nailing down a melody and building a chorus around it and that shone through in this small, intimate setting.
‘I’m the one in the middle,’ Gina Larner joked, taking the stage next. This Brighton based artist is a relatively new name for us but we were impressed with her stage presence and powerful vocals. Promoting new album, ‘Something Good’ it was obvious to see why Larner has supported artists like Ronan Keating and KT Tunstall. Clean, crisp vocals and big Pop melodies abound as Larner played songs like ‘I Think I Love You,’ ‘Whiskey’ and ‘Heavy Heart.’ Think The Corrs jamming with Kate Bush and a little West End sheen, that’s where Larner’s sound seemed to land and it was an interesting and melodic set from an artist well worth keeping an eye on.
Taking the stage to ‘Woman I Am,’ Jade Helliwell immediately owned the room with her rich, powerful vocals and warm presence. Playing songs from the earliest part of her career (even pre-viral video with the busker in Leeds) right up to set closer and latest single, ‘Heroes & Heroines’, Helliwell treated the crowd to set full of depth, a little humour and her trademark brand of Country which has seen her win multiple BMCA awards in the past few years.
By third song, ‘Smoke,’ the Sunflower Lounge was beginning to really heat up nicely as Helliwell and her band turned up the gas with a cracking version of said song involving a great solo from Luke Thomas and some crowd participation on a singalong at the end. This energy carried on through to the medley of two of her older songs, ‘I Have a Good Life’ and ‘Never Learn’ as Helliwell spoke about her career pre-viral video days before this part of the set culminated in a very rowdy, sassy version of ‘Boom Tick’, which the crowd really enjoyed.
Helliwell skilfully bought the mood in the room down for a mid-set rendition of what is probably her most meaningful song, ‘Telephone,’ dedicating it to both her grandparents who she lost within six months of each other a few years ago. This song is a superb showcase of what Helliwell not only can do with her vocals but her writing skills too. It’s a relatable, impactful song that was followed by a masterful version of ‘Over the Rainbow’ that brought the room to a total standstill & was one of the real highlights of what is a very vocal-heavy set.
With the band returning to the stage for what was essentially the second act the pace picked up again as Helliwell ran through newer songs like ‘Nothing But the Radio On,’ a song with an intriguing genesis and great guitar solo from Luke Thomas. In Carrie Underwood’s hands ‘Nothing But the Radio On’ is a bona-fide chart hit as is ‘Undercover,’ both of which feature on Helliwell’s most recent EP ‘Woman.’ ‘Stormchaser’ took the crowd back to 2019 but fitted nicely into the flow and vibe of the power and passion that Helliwell was channeling as the set thundered towards its climax with her most recent release, ‘Heroes and Heroines.’
Jadę Helliwell is a powerful, engaging stage performer with a whole bunch of Yorkshire charm and an ability to lift a room with the notes she can hit. Alongside the power, though, there is a passion and an ability to craft her own impactful songs or record songs by the likes of Laura Oakes and other writers. This was a carefully planned set designed to take the crowd on a journey through her career to date. High notes, big notes, emotional notes and humour all featured as the show ebbed and flowed across the 75 minutes in Birmingham and as the last chords echoed around this small, intimate venue the crowd was left in no doubt that we had just been treated to an evening of classy, heartfelt and accomplished music done with real heart & soul.
Setlist: 1. Woman I Am 2. Drive 3. Smoke 4. If I Were You 5. Drink This Wine 6. I Have a Good Life / Never Learn 7. Boom Tick 8. Telephone 9. How Love Goes 10. Over the Rainbow 11. Lead Me On 12. Nothing But the Radio On 13. Undercover 14. Stormchaser 15. Heroes & Heroines Date: 20th November Venue: The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, UK.
