Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
Despite the unavoidable controversy surrounding a former member of this tour, the buoyant atmosphere surrounding Rescue Rooms renders any dubious feelings totally obsolete. Rob Lynch and Allison Weiss bravely battled through a heated period of uncertainty to continue with their UK tour, and rightly so. The pair each warrant considerable credibility as song writers, so it was only right that they stood tall.
Opening affairs for the night is indie/emo singer songwriter, Alex Hel, whose gentle, reverb tinted vocals personify the glowing warmth surrounding the intimate venue. Although there’s the occasional flutter in the consistency of his pitch, this only adds character to his charmingly fragile storytelling. His heartfelt material is desperate, but not attention seeking, as he tells short tales about the defining chapters of his life in the likes of “Berlin”, leaving us with little description in his speech, to allow a gentle narrative to capture the image of each story. Alex Hel has a role to play this year, so expect great things ahead.
Main support for the night comes in the form of the unmissable, Allison Weiss, who has rightfully earned a formidable reputation in the UK following recent tours with The Front Bottoms and Matt Prior. Tonight however, she blows away all expectations, proving that her effortlessly funny, charming and intriguing character matches the enormous talent within her. It’s a display of feisty melodies and vocal perfection, as the likes of “Making It Up” and “One Way Love” exhibit the sheer tenacity she possess, as she pours every ounce of vigour into her performance. Despite her infectious anthems leaving the crowd infatuated, it was her stunning cover of Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend” that stole the night for me. She continues to prove that for every pound of grit in her delivery, it is matched by the solemn beauty of her affirmative character and baffling talent. It’s only a matter of time before everyone has joined the Allison Weiss Feelings Club (in-joke…see, you missed out).
Despite the sheer brilliance of Allison Weiss, tonight’s headliner somehow induces a new perception of life itself through his unequivocal showmanship. I’ve heard heaps of high praise for Rob Lynch in the past, so it was fitting that I left the venue feeling as if my purpose on this earth had been realised. It’s simple; Lynch provides the sort of relatable, heart wrenching anthems that can’t help but spread wide smiles and inspiring glances to every person in the room. His simple, yet purposeful material offers every ounce of depth you could ever ask for, providing an eye opening realisation of how the complicated things in life are often the ones that leave us broken and bruised.
The personal tales behind “Whiskey” and “Widower” shine light over the darker times in his past, as Lynch shares the story of how delighted he was to hear that his mother learnt to find someone else in her life after the passing of his father. It’s his ability to translate the simple formula of his anthems into messages which resolve the moments where we feel totally inadequate. It’s so much more than a live show, as a typically stunning rendition of “My Friends and I” draws a close to an exceptionally gratifying evening. It was a stunning performance from one of the finest singer songwriters to ever come from Stamford. If you’re ever feeling lost, just go to a Rob Lynch show and watch every grain of negativity drift away
Links
https://www.facebook.com/roblynchmusic
https://www.facebook.com/allisonweissmusic
https://www.facebook.com/alexheluk
Words by George Fullerton.
Photos by Emma Courtney.
