Paloma Faith at Somerset House

Last night I had the privilege of going to see the phenomenal Paloma Faith in concert at Somerset House in London. I was a massive fan before last night but seeing her perform live has further concreted my complete adoration! As if it weren't enough that she has the kind of voice that you'd recognise after just one note, it turns out she is completely adorable too. Witty, self deprecating and refreshingly honest and unpretentious.  Her East London accent belies the grace of movement she displays on stage. I googled her bio when I got back last night and it was no surprise to find that she has trained in ballet and contemporary dance. The phenomenal staging probably a nod to her later studies in theatre directing at Central Saint Martins College. This lady really is the whole package...

The venue was a new one to me. Somerset House is a beautiful and historical building smack bang in the heart of London . As a concert venue it's central courtyard makes for a stunningly intimate audience experience, and it's neo classical architecture is achingly gorgeous when lit against the night sky. The heavens were smiling on us last night and after what seems like weeks of continuous rain (including downpours yesterday afternoon just before we set off!) the skies cleared and stayed that way for the rest of the night. This really was the most civilised "gig" I've ever been to. What turned out to be a lovely summer evening spent watching an undeniable talent. I'm still on a high (as you can probably tell from my gushing!) 24 hrs later and it has to go down as one of my all time favourite music events...

So in summary, I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you're not already a Paloma fan, go check out her album(s) now! "Fall to Grace" is her brilliant latest release and her 2009 album "Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?" is one of those albums that...well it's just delicious; AND, if you haven't been to Somerset House before, it's a fabulous venue that plays host to all manner of arts and cultural events. You can check out their summer schedule here.

Right, I'll stop gushing now. Sorry about that!

image sources 1 and 2