There is a lengthy queue forming way before the doors open on Amy-Jo’s hometown show. People are packed like sardines in the entrance, clearly eager to take a seat in the quaint hall of the Gregson Arts and Community Centre. I catch bits of their conversation from my seat in the bar opposite, discovering that they are a heady mix of family, friends, and supporters from the wider community. One or two appear to have stumbled across it on the off-chance – “I hadn’t realised there was a singer on tonight” – “I saw the advert” – “Are there still tickets available if I pay now?” Such are the roots of the independent musician’s story, and Amy-Jo is no different. Yet as much as growing a fanbase is hard-won, I suspect, given the performance that ensues, that those new to her music will not have taken much convincing that she is indeed a rising star.
For beneath the wooden beams and cream-coloured walls of this community venue, Amy-Jo exudes a professionalism that warrants a much bigger platform. She strides onto the stage with unassuming confidence; bright and breezy; and greets the audience with an effervescent smile. It seems she is in part delighted, in part overcome by the turnout, but also, in another sense, simply coming as herself. There is no façade to her performance style. The way she greets and has photos taken with those afterwards proves that. And this sense of unbroken identity is also captured in the songs that she sings. Not only in respect of her original material but her chosen covers too. She stamps her heart on each one, with a style that is inclusive of Country, Pop and Soul.
Set-opener ‘Love Before the Internet’ captures a certain vintage vibe underlined by the chic dress worn by Amy-Jo throughout. She is, in many respects, an “old head on young shoulders”, with a mature storytelling prowess that is encapsulated in a very modern musical sensibility. Tracks like ‘Coming Close’ and ‘Shoulder Pads’ exude this sense of contemporary classic, while her unique take on ‘Dreams’ (Fleetwood Mac) and ‘Jolene’ (Dolly Parton) is like old wine being poured into new wineskins. The strained vocal in which she presents the latter is particularly noticeable in its interpretation, bringing a sadness, almost of despair, not obvious or so overt in the original.
The supreme comfort with which these well-known songs sit alongside material from her debut EP, ‘Songs from the Bay’, is a measure of how accomplished she has become in the craft of songwriting. This is epitomised in the closing numbers of her set: latest single ‘Caught Me on a Bad Day’ is as inducing as Maroon 5’s ‘This Love’. Before this, a piano-led section features an extra show of vulnerability, as the tears flow from ‘Someone You Can’t Let Go’, a heartfelt ballad dedicated to her Grandad. Meanwhile, a special request for The Proclaimers ‘500 miles’ sees kids congregating at the front to join in, following an exclusive performance of ‘Young in Love and Broke’ which has the audience transfixed.
It is no wonder that so many came to watch their local talent and responded with such applause at the end when they are this good. Amy-Jo may be just getting started as a hometown headliner but she has the ability to make an impact far beyond her Lancastrian home.
Like what you read? Listen to Amy-Jo’s ‘Songs from the Bay’ EP on Spotify here.
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