Music / Reviews
Review: Coffee Club Live, Paintworks – ‘A sense of community that not every gig brings’
In a time where the live music industry is struggling, Coffee Club Bristol have taken the initiative to use their airstream caravan space for a series of intimate gigs where local musicians can truly connect with their audience.
Tonight’s show features Sam Paul and Izzie Auty-Dawe.
An unusual place to be heading for a night of music, on arrival the airstream’s soft lights shine out to the small crowd sat outside drinking beverages and eating empanadas before the first act of the night.
Ushered inside, the door to the airstream closes and the musical intimacy of the night begins. The caravan is kitted out with benches and chairs for the audience, giving a listening party vibe with mellow lighting and cosy décor.
The airstream is an unusual venue for a gig, but the inside space creates a pleasantly cosy and intimate experience
Izzie Auty-Dawe opens the gig with Front Row Seats, a melancholy song with Izzie’s impeccable vocals and guitar setting the atmosphere for an emotional set.
After announcing she will be playing a mix of released and unreleased music, she then warns the audience her songs aren’t very happy and to not to be embarrassed by crying. This gave me permission in the later part of the set to quietly cry to the song I Got You.
Throughout the set, Izzie’s smiles and chats in-between songs bring a lightness to her set, where her music manages to put deep emotions we all feel into the perfect words, giving room for reflection on the trials and tribulations of life.
Izzy Auty-Dawe brightens up an emotionally potent set with some lighthearted between-song chat
Between acts the vinyl player at the front of the caravan issues the faultless music of Jalen Ngonda’s LP Come Around and Love Me. Coffee Club Live say: “The idea for an album playback is to break the live performances with a full LP and thus a 45 minute break, allowing for listening and conversation between gig goers and artists.
“We put the album choice to a vote on our socials pre-gig to get an idea of the mood!’
In an inspired move, Coffee Club played an LP in full as a break between performances
Sam Paul takes the stage, no introduction needed, and immediately dives into By The Hour.
Complementing his vocals and guitar, he adds a soulful touch with the harmonica, setting the tone for his set.
Don’t Leave Me On Hold strikes a deep chord: like many, I’ve known heartbreak, and hearing a song like this in such an intimate, welcoming space feels like a shared release, a reminder that others carry the same feelings.
Singer-songwriter Sam Paul also adds harmonica to his performance
Throughout his performance Sam’s powerful voice fills the caravan, weaving Blues and soul into the perfect atmosphere. Another standout is Fly Tip Mattress, a Blues-infused track that explores themes of change with raw honesty, and a firm audience favourite.
At the end of the night I leave with a sense of community that not every gig brings. Both artists said the tight knit space and intimacy scared them, but for the audience the intimate setting gave the impression of listening from the comfort of our own homes, with a room of friends.
Coffee Club live continues on April 1 with guitarist Henry Ayling.
All images: Vicky Cornelius
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
