JANE WEAVER + HALO MAUD – CONCORDE 2, BRIGHTON 1.5.24
Cheshire born Jane Weaver, could well be one of the most talented musicians you may never have heard of. Rarely troubling the chart compilers, but having amassed a loyal and longstanding following of committed fans, this brilliant singer-songwriter-instrumentalist has been crafting her eclectic and esoteric musical style for over three decades, initially in two bands, Kill Laura and Misty Dixon, but for the last twenty years as a solo artist.
Arriving in Brighton at the Concorde 2 on May Day in support of her ninth solo album ‘Love In Constant Spectacle‘ which was released on 5th April by Fire Records, Weaver is known for her genre-defying sound that effortlessly blends elements of electro-folk, electronica, alt rock and psychedelia.
The new album is described as thus: Recapturing the melancholy of her early work whilst propelling it forward, she sketches scenes as we watch new colours, shapes and languages emerge and fill the frame. ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ sees her take measured steps towards a vivid, dreamlike record, that offers resolve in the face of life’s inevitability.
I’ll admit I’m a relatively recent convert to Jane Weaver’s music having discovered her back catalogue through the portal of the trippy space-like 2015 single ‘Mission Desire’ which turned-up on my Spotify recommendations a couple of years back, said track receiving a mid-set airing tonight and although brilliant, far from the star of the show. The set consisted of no fewer than eight selections from the new ten-track album interspersed with older releases and the new music really does deserve its place alongside some of the best songs of her career, the album is arguably her best yet.
Lining up with her four-piece band, she exuded enigmatic energy and magnetic charm, holding the crowd in the palm of her hand, effortlessly drawing them into her cosmic world. Whether she was belting out anthemic choruses or delicately whispering introspective meaningful verses, there was an authenticity to Jane Weaver’s performance that resonated deeply with everyone in attendance. If you’re a fan of Stereolab, Goldfrapp, Broadcast and the like, you need to be checking out her music.
Pick of the new album tracks was the title cut ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ a kaleidoscopic delight, ‘The Axis And The Seed’ with its low-slung bassline and ethereal vocal, ‘Happiness In Proximity’ which borders on trip hop without quite traversing, ‘Is Metal’ all funky guitar breaks and Numanesque synths and the brilliant ‘Univers’ a hazy dreamlike track that builds to an uplifting crescendo of a chorus with accompanying shimmering guitars.
Other highlights included ‘Heartlow’, a 2021 single which has an evocative sound that could have come straight out of the 60’s psych era, ‘Modern Kosmology’ with an electro-folk vibe brought alive on the stage and the penultimate track ‘Flock’ which has more mainstream appeal but still manages to feel as if it belongs here.
Following a brief interlude at the end of the main set, Jane and her band returned to the stage to offer up the final and best track of the night, the swirling ‘I Need A Connection’ , her soft otherworldly vocals floating across textured layers of dreamy synth with a refrained lyrical finish.
If you know, you know. Truly mesmerizing.
Jane Weaver setlist:
‘Quantify’ (from 2024 ‘Quantify’ / ‘Deep Perelle’ single)
‘Perfect Storm’ (from 2024 ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ album)
‘The Revolution Of Super Visions’ (from 2021 ‘Flock’ album)
‘Emotional Components’ (from 2024 ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ album)
‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ (from 2024 ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ album)
‘Heartlow’ (from 2021 ‘Flock’ album)
‘Romantic Worlds’ (from 2024 ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ album)
‘Mission Desire’ (from 2014 ‘The Silver Globe’ album)
‘Modern Kosmology’ (from 2017 ‘Modern Kosmology’ album )
‘The Axis And The Seed’ (from 2024 ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ album)
‘Is Metal’ (from 2024 ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ album)
‘Slow Motion’ (from 2017 ‘Modern Kosmology’ album )
‘Univers’ (from 2024 ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ album)
‘Family Of The Sun’ (from 2024 ‘Love In Constant Spectacle’ album)
‘Flock’ (from 2021 ‘Flock’ album)
(encore)
‘I Need A Connection’ (from 2015 ‘The Amber Light’ album)
Support was provided tonight by the enchanting French artist ‘Halo Maud‘, a singer and multi-instrumentalist previously lauded by the Brighton & Hove News as far back as 2018 when we enjoyed her intimate set at the sadly defunct Rialto Theatre (now Alphabet) Review HERE.
Fast forward five years, six months and Halo Maud provided a perfect aperitif to the main act as there are natural synergies in musical styles and creative process.
Halo Maud released her second album via Heavenly on 22nd March 2024 called ‘Celebrate‘ and every track we were to hear tonight was selected from the new album. My colleague and I noted a distinct shift in style from the earlier Brighton appearance with a more-up tempo, rockier and psychedelic sound but without compromising her unique bi-lingual vocal style.
Together with her two bandmates on drums and bass guitar, the set was bathed in distorted guitars and synths with Maud undertaking duties on both. With nods to Bjork and Babii in both quirkiness and musical execution, every track was a cracker but my standouts were ‘Terres Infinies’ (Infinite Lands) which has a low-fi baseline but then breaks out into a joyous expansive chorus and ‘Pesnopoĩka’ influenced by Bulgarian wedding tradition but musically a million miles away from that, with a fabulously warped guitar solo and delectable vocals.
For those attending Brighton’s ‘Great Escape Festival’, I highly recommend you catch her only appearance at The Charles Street Tap on Friday 17th May at 7:20pm.
Halo Maud setlist:
‘Intro’
‘Celebrate’ (from 2024 ‘Celebrate’ album)
‘Terres Infinies’ (from 2024 ‘Celebrate’ album)
‘Slowly Surely’ (from 2024 ‘Celebrate’ album)
‘Catch The Wave’ (from 2024 ‘Celebrate’ album)
‘You Float’ (from 2024 ‘Celebrate’ album)
‘My Desire Is Pure’ (from 2024 ‘Celebrate’ album)
‘Pesnopoĩka (segue)’ (from 2024 ‘Celebrate’ album)
‘Entends-Tu Ma Voix’ (from 2024 ‘Celebrate’ album)
