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Review: Leo Nathan, the Mount Without – ‘Wholesome togetherness’
The Mount Without is a restored church tucked away right at the bottom of St Michael’s Hill.
It mixes 900 years of history and gatherings, and is now a stunning setting for the arts: the ideal place for a night of Leo Nathan’s acoustic-led indie soul music.
Bristol-based artist Leo has appropriately bookended his The World Is My Audience tour with venues in the city.
As I arrive, I’m instantly captivated by tonight’s support and fellow band member Kat Abel. The place is silent, people sit in concentrated quiet admiration with the archways framing Kat centrestage on keys.
What a greeting, Kat’s voice floats around the hall and settles sweetly in my brain. There’s something about her sound that is restorative, and calming – an emotional fusion of soul and jazz, with a voice that would grace any genre. One fan loudly whispers “Corrine Bailey Rae!” and I can hear the same kind of warmth.
Musicians gradually join, including Leo Nathan to end her set and before I know it I’m doing a Gold Tequila shot with Kat at the bar as people surround and tell how her music touched them.
Having seen Leo three times at Glastonbury this year, I was keen to catch him at his own gig and to celebrate the release of his new EP Born In Sunshine.
The shoes are off as Leo delivers a masterclass in vocal soul, his stirring jazz-enthused songs made for this setting.
There is a subtle raspiness to Leo’s voice, delivered with a smile, that is reflected right back at him. With that voice in these acoustic surroundings the results are an explosion of joy. The crowd feel like a close knit community: they know the words throughout.
The World Is Your Audience EP’s opener provides the perfect marriage of Kat and Leo’s vocals: they harmonise and support each other, clearly sharing a symbiotic relationship and each appearing in awe of each other’s abundant talent, as are we.
It’s not long before the dancing starts. As the tempo lifts the middle is filled by the seated singers while the dancers are left and right, creating a cacophony of fun.
There are outbreaks of ballroom dancing, and the seated people’s view may have been obscured by this reviewer’s moves.
The night is filled with wholesome togetherness, upbeat and emotional, all filled with a groove that makes the people move.
Churches were built to hold gatherings, and it’s great that the Mount Without continues to do so. I’ll be back for the Crick Crack Club Christmas Carols show on December 7. What better place?
All images: @irenehacefotos
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