On Thursday (23/10/14), I went to The Institute, Birmingham to finally go and check out this "Nick Mulvey" I'd been hearing so much about. Before going I'd only actually heard one song of his - "Cucurucu" and I still remember the exact moment I heard it on the radio. I'm glad it stuck with me because it sounded amazing live. First, let me start off with his support act...
Sivu - another name I'd heard bopping around the interwebs of late. So much so, that once he said his name I immediately knew how it'd be spelt. Either way, this piqued my attention. It was unfortunate that he was doing the show without a band; merely accompanied by a pianist. I feel like his live performance would've benefited hugely from a band but hey-ho. He started off with his song "Sleep" and as he went on, I do remember thinking that his sound was a little too mellow for me to enjoy for a whole set. He had a nice voice but nothing about it seemed to stand out as unique, which ultimately made it seem a bit boring. However, there were some strong points and he came a across as a genuinely nice guy. Good connection with the audience and a strong finish with his song "Better Man Than He". I just don't think I enjoyed it enough to pay money for his music. Maybe his debut album - Something On High - can convince me on spotify.
Then Nick Mulvey stepped on stage and there was a clear definition of levels. I can't remember the last time that it was so evident who the main act was. The first thing I noticed about Nick was that he is an amazing guitarist! But then he started singing and I wasn't looking at his hands anymore. His voice is mesmerising. I don't really want to compare him to Ben Howard but his voice has the same impact. Great stage presence, and I was almost immediately drawn in by his bass/double bass player. Every time he came in on a song it was magical. Even when the band stepped off stage to let Nick perform some solo acoustic tracks, the mood of the room didn't dampen and neither did the quality of music. Some how, even in a reasonably big venue the show felt extremely intimate from beginning to end. If I knew more of his songs prior to the show I feel like I would've been completely in my element.
During the encore he performed a cover of Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home" which was actually really nice. As many covers of that song as the world has already heard, this still managed to sound a little bit fresh and did bring a smile to my face. All in all, I would have to say that Nick Mulvey certainly gained a fan after this night. Have a listen to his debut album First Mind if you get the chance - you will not regret it.
Overall Rating - 7/10
Here are some pictures from the night...
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