LYRA + CECIL – CONCORDE 2, BRIGHTON 26.4.23
A couple of months ago, Nick, the Brighton & Hove News‘s Music Editor asked me if I’d like to review ‘Lyra‘ (stylized as ‘LYRA’) at the Concorde 2. My immediate response was “who?”.
A standard search of Spotify and YouTube was duly undertaken and liking what I heard I replied “yes!”. On tonight’s evidence, I’m really not too sure how she had managed to pass me by because her music certainly hadn’t, a number of the songs I was already familiar with because they have been used in commercials and various TV shows, so I’m unsure how I hadn’t made the connection. As she said herself when performing the track ‘Falling’ tonight, “who knew that song and didn’t have a fecking clue who I was?”. Up go a few sheepish hands including mine. “At least you’re honest” she laughed.
In fact, Lyra’s musical C.V. incorporates support slots for Westlife, Jess Glynn and James Bay in addition to playing a number of major festivals which included our very own ‘Pride’ in Preston Park last year (review HERE) as well as the Isle of Wight Festival. Signed to Universal, her career is certainly on an upward trajectory. This evening was the penultimate date on her first solo UK headline tour.
Twenty nine year old Lyra whose real name is Laura MacNamara, hails from the charming city of Cork in southern Ireland and Lyra is also the name of a constellation, so it was appropriate that her star shone so brightly in Brighton this evening.
As Lyra said herself, what looking-up her music online doesn’t tell us is anything about her story. She has a wonderful larger-than-life stage personality which is highly self-deprecating, searingly honest, incredibly funny and highly engaging. Each song came with its own little story told in her very distinctive Cork dialect, some sad, some matter-of-fact and many hilariously funny but almost all based on real-life experiences. I remember thinking to myself that she could probably hold her own at the Komedia as there were so many jokes, quips and one-liners. Near the end of the show, demonstrating her local knowledge of the area, Lyra joked about performing there – great minds!
Lining up with a drummer and keyboardist, what followed was a full-on showcase of her incredibly dynamic voice, accomplished electropop catalogue and relentless stage energy. I don’t think there was a single naff track from start to finish, every one of them was superb.
Highlights for me included the beautiful electro power ballad ‘New Day’ which was written during the pandemic. This is such a powerful live track and although slower than a lot of the others, it was the standout for me as the emotion and raw power in her voice really shone through. The poppy radio-friendly single ‘You’ released last month was a crowd-pleaser, as was 2021 single ‘Losing My Mind’. The dramatic overtones and shifting tempo of the aforementioned ‘Falling’ were another stand-out and we were also treated to an unreleased track ‘Lovers’ which got its first airing on this tour.
Stories and anecdotes interspersed the songs including mention of her Grandmother to whom she dedicated the song ‘Chess’ (and got very emotional), how her dad couldn’t believe her track ‘Emerald’ was chosen for a Guinness commercial and how she looks glamorous on stage but wears Spanx, writes her songs in her Penneys (Primark) PJ’s whilst on the sofa with her iPad (what she called the David Beckham effect), how she can’t dance (she can), ex-boyfriends, ex-school friends, there was a story to tell for all.
The set closed out with a blistering cover version of the late Stevie Nicks classic 1982 release ‘On The Edge Of Seventeen’ , which she more than made her own, giving it a complete techno makeover. This dance treatment of an absolute classic had the crowd completely animated from start to finish, ending the evening perfectly. Lyra’s mother and a number of friends were in attendance, some seeing her perform for the first time and I’m pretty sure they were wowed by what they’d witnessed.
A couple things I can’t quite understand. Firstly, how the venue was only half-full tonight and secondly, how Lyra hasn’t enjoyed greater UK chart success or airplay. No matter, this had been a thoroughly entertaining evening from a talented, highly charismatic writer and performer who in her own words is a “little bit cuckoo”. She thanked the crowd and mused that Brighton is “built on love and acceptance” and that’s why she particularly enjoys playing here. I along with everyone else present reciprocate the sentiment and hope that she returns again very soon.
Lyra setlist:
‘Whitelady’ (from 2016 ‘W.I.L.D’ EP)
‘Never Let Go’ (a 2019 single)
‘Rabbit In The Headlights’ (from 2016 ‘W.I.L.D’ EP)
‘Emerald’ (from 2016 ‘W.I.L.D’ EP)
‘We Are Beautiful’ (a 2021 Unsecret x Lyra single)
‘Mother’ (a 2019 single)
‘Lovers’ (unreleased)
‘New Day’ (from 2021 ‘The Circle° Sessions’ single & a 2020 single)
‘Chess’ (unreleased)
‘Lose My Mind’ (a 2021 single)
‘29 Box’ (a 2022 single)
‘Falling’ (from 2021 ‘The Circle° Sessions’ single & a 2019 single)
‘You’ (a 2023 single)
‘Edge Of Seventeen’ (Stevie Nicks cover) (a 2022 John Gibbons & Lyra single)
Support tonight came from up-and-coming Berkshire born female singer-songwriter CECIL (named after her Great Uncle) and her three piece band consisting of a drummer and two guitarists. CECIL has been receiving attention from BBC Introducing and has enjoyed airplay on BBC6 music as well as making an impact on the festival scene.
We were treated to a fabulous half hour set of 8 very accomplished compositions. CECIL herself appeared in a striking glittery one-piece outfit (she jokingly described herself as a human disco ball). CECIL has been singing from the age of 5 and like our headline act, she too has a fantastic voice. CECIL also likes to engage humorously with the audience! Her self-described style is ‘off-pop’ blending contemporary sounds with darker undertones. Check out her tracks ‘Scorsese’ and the atmospheric ‘Toybox’ (which in parts reminds me of Naughty Boy’s ‘La La La’) – a great song to end her set with. Both of these singles and more can be found on Spotify.
Cecil setlist:
‘Scorsese’ (a 2021 single)
‘Cavixar’ (a 2021 single)
‘Zonin’
‘Berlin’
‘Coney Island’ (a 2021 single)
‘Fans Only’
‘Follow It Up’
‘Toybox’ (a 2018 single)
