12 October 2024 (gig)
14 October 2024
My mates have been rabbiting-on about Omeara for a while now. And, to be honest, it got to the point where I avoided going just so they couldn’t be proved right. Yeah, I’m 42. And? Anyway, the place is amazing. I love it. It’s intimate, but not claustrophobic. And the atmosphere, established by the raw brickwork and moody lighting, is just perfect for an artist like Pearl Charles.
Her live show feels like a natural extension of her songwriting — it’s rooted in 70s soft rock and country, but it has a breezy, modern edge that keeps it from leaning too hard into nostalgia. The band behind her is tight, but never showy — even if the smiley bassist loves a boogie around the stage — providing a seamless backdrop for her airy and dreamy vocals. There’s an easy fluidity to Charles’s sound, blending an almost cosmic country with pop melodies that are catchy without being saccharine.
Tracks like ‘Only for Tonight’ and ‘What I Need’ show off a knack for crafting songs that feel both familiar and fresh, and there’s a warmth in the melodies that easily embed their way into your head. The arrangements let the songs breathe, too, which is vital for a sound like this. Her vocal hooks never feel forced, just natural. And the lyrics are a fine balance between introspection and accessibility. We get a good glimpse into her life and personality, without anything being overly confessional.
Her ability to walk a line between eras, without feeling derivative is what sets Charles apart right now. A lot of artists try, and a lot of them get it horribly wrong. The influences are clear — shades of Fleetwood Mac, Emmylou Harris, and even a bit of ABBA — but she manages to make everything feel distinctly her own. And, the looser delivery of these songs live creates an added depth. They just get into you a little more intensely.
It’s obvious that Pearl Charles is in her element on stage. She’s not showy; she’s comfortable. She moves from centre stage, standing to play guitar while singing, to sitting at her piano and singing with a fix on the crowd. There’s a classic era feel to the whole performance that feels readymade for this venue. And, while I’d not heard any of Charles’s stuff until this week — true story — I feel like I’ve just seen an artist I’ve been digging for years.
Photo credit: Paul States
