The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Tuesday 15th July 2014
This is a past event.
Headline Act: Leanie Kaleido
Once labelled by Play Music magazine as ‘audio ganja’, Kent/Sussex-based singer-songwriter Léanie Kaleido interweaves soothing vocals and quirky lyrics with infectious melodies that will indelibly worm their way into your head and take up residence permanently.
Her unique style is mellow and wistful but slightly warped; sometimes gentle, often dark songs, peppered with tongue-in-cheek ditties about exploding breast implants, a travelling witch, Doctor Marten boots and recurring dreams.
Influences have come from a variety of paths, including the blues music played by her father (Top Topham of The Yardbirds), and from a childhood diet of Bob Dylan, Joan Armatrading, Kate Bush and Elton John, to the Stone Roses, the Cocteau Twins, Tori Amos and PJ Harvey, as well as her love of classical music, and her study of literature and philosophy that have helped shape her lyrics along the way.
Her début album, Karamelién, and the brand new follow up, Quicksands & Shadows, have both received national airplay and excellent reviews in the press.
R J Ellory, musician & international bestselling author, sums up the new album: “Quintessentially English and beautifully-constructed, these tracks invoke the very best of our homegrown singer-songwriters. Think Beverley Craven, Lily Allen and Dido, and you're on the right road, but Léanie is never anything but fresh and original. Listen, then listen again, and you’ll be captured...’
The Knockities
Described by a BBC radio station (safe to say it wasn't followed by a number from 1 to 6) as 'new and exciting,' we have recently been gigging at the Forum and the Grey Lady as well as recording our EP at Unstudios.
We are a two-piece young band with an emphasis on song writing and the complexities and intricacies of melodic variation. We like nice tunes. Our influences range from Laura marling and fleet foxes to the arctic monkeys, somewhere on the rock side of folk and the alternative side of pop. A giggle pics reviewer recently described us 'local kids playing indie tunes,' and pleased as we are to make an appearance on the esteemed website, we don't really think of ourselves as indie, but unique and individual.
Chloe Martyn
Chloe Martyn is a singer songwriter from Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School. She has been playing at the Grey Lady since April 2010, and plays various other gigs in the local area. Chloe has been writing music for over six years now, starting back when she was ten years old. During the past couple of years she has written the majority of her songs. Playing at the Grey Lady for the first time that April encouraged and influenced her to work on new material.. She has now finished her first album, Avoiding Further Heartbreak, and has been to the recording studio to record a three-track EP, which features The Truth Is, Lost My Pride, and Avoiding Further Heartbreak.
Music has always and will always be a big part of Chloe’s life, as she says “I feel my love and passion for music is what has enthused me to write my own. I hope that even if music isn’t my profession, that it will always be my hobby.”
Second Helpin'
Second Helpin’ were formed in 2011 after John S Grant and Robert Harmer met on the Internet ! following Rob answering an Ad that John had put on “Kent Gigs” and it seems they got on well.
Rob had been playing Electric guitar in bands playing Rock and Roll / Rock covers for years but had been brought up as well on listening to Country Music. He is influenced by this style of music but credits guitarists such as Eric Clapton and Joe Bonamassa as influences as well.
John began his musical ventures with Acoustic guitar with early influences such as Loudon Wainwright and Bruce Springsteen but like Rob he is influenced by many music genres. He is perhaps more of a late developer in performing but began with an Acoustic duo, then a blues/rock covers band.
Second Helpin’ began with playing covers at Jam nights around the Tunbridge Wells area and linked up with the Acoustic Valium Project where they were encouraged to write their own material. Their music is difficult to put in to a defined category but there is Country and Blues (John’s Harmonica really lifts this) and bits in between.
Vocal harmonies form a big part of what they play and so too does humour and this is evident in their first 11 track CD, ”The Road.” Following a very difficult period of non-music related issues in the last 12 months they are now re-emerging and gigging.
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