Eve Buckley Live in London: On the Verge of Something Great
Olivia Thorne
Leeds songwriter Eve Buckley makes her London live debut at The Forge at The Lower Third.
The sold-out performance comes in anticipation of promising an exciting 2025 for the northern artist; with the imminent Valentine’s day arrival of her debut EP, Some Kind of Solace. The Soho venue is intimate, with exposed brick walls and thick yellow light strings winding around and draping over the wooden beams above.
Buckley’s sound, a fusion of jazz, soul and funk lends itself perfectly to the snug setting, allowing for the audience to hang on every word of her deeply personal and revelatory lyrics. A deep pink light washes over the stage where Eve and her band play, commencing the gig with ‘Peace of Mind’. This sets the standard of what to expect from the evening, as Eve immediately owns the stage with a magnetic combination of vulnerability and poise.
The opener is mellow and smooth, with bluesy bass strings reflecting the singers’ need for ‘solace’, yet there is a calm optimistic tone in the steady drums and piano chords, ending with lyrics that ‘one day this air will clear’.
Buckley’s striking performance of ‘Tongue Tied’ marks a standout moment in the evening. Throughout the song, members of the audience are visibly moved, possibly friends knowing the track’s contact or perhaps affected by the authenticity and accuracy with which she relays her experience.
In the final chorus, Buckley sings ‘I’m tongue-tied’ before the band erupts instrumentally, engulfing the lyrics ‘you’ve taken my words.’ This moment is both arrestingly poignant and thrilling for a live audience, offering an artistic variation absent from the recorded version. The crowd is also given glimpses into her debut Some Kind of Solace EP, and Eve’s performance of ‘Ingrained’, the final song in the upcoming collection makes for a particularly memorable moment. She dedicates this to her mum, scanning the tightly packed room as she speaks. It’s a touching reflection on the shared female experience and how one’s understanding of their mother evolves upon reaching womanhood.
Before her closing song, Buckley makes sure to express gratitude to her management, her band, and the family and friends who have supported her through her journey thus far. Buckley’s jazzy style, dulcet tones and soulful vocals are a joy to witness live and, as the gig draws to a close, there is a real sense of having witnessed something special in Soho this winter evening.
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