Gig Review: Grace Elizabeth Harvey at Cafédral Ft. Jack Theaker and Ingalil

By the time I arrived at Cafédral (about ten minutes before the show started) the venue was completely packed, wall to wall, with people. I was only just able to squeeze myself through the door, secure a glass of white wine, and fight for a seat, and I don't mean any of that metaphorically. People were still trickling in through the door right up to starting time, and those without chairs lined the walls. I had never attended a show at Cafédral before, but having now been to one, I would say it is extremely underrated as a music venue. Adorned with fairy lights, plants and quaint decorations, the cafe was truly beautiful to just sit in, and it complimented the performers wonderfully. The right kind of intimate, as well. Although I was watching from the very back of the room, I never felt estranged or disconnected from the performers. Despite how busy it was, it never felt uncomfortably crowded. You could feel the anticipation and excitement very clearly.

After a brief introduction to the show from Grace Elizabeth Harvey, Jack Theaker stepped up to the stage. A Durham graduate himself; Jack was making his return to open up the show, and he did a fantastic job of it, setting the folk-y tone that would continue through the evening. His set was a mix of originals and covers of traditional songs. His original tunes covered a variety of moods and feelings, moving from big themes to smaller, personal stories. Closer ‘Merry England’, stood out, which is about landscapes, nature and the inevitability of death, as he later humorously told the audience. Another of his originals was written about Gilesgate, pulling together a ‘collage’ of stories from his time living there, and had a Ray Davies-ish observational lyrical style. Theaker has a good singing style for these narrative kinds of songs; his set carried the audience along through tale after tale without ever losing our attention. I also have to compliment his ability to banter with the audience, including one number in which he managed to get an audience choir going. A perfect opening act: any remaining tension or awkwardness in the crowd was long gone by the time he stepped down.

After a ten-minute break between sets, singer-songwriter Ingalil, began her set of original music. Still a student at Durham, she is a recognisable figure in the student music scene. Her songs are more introspective in nature and performed a little more quietly (providing a nice contrast from the first set. |Set to sparse but beautiful guitar, Ingalil was able to deliver an incredibly atmospheric performance, drawing the audience in for the duration of her set. As said, her songs have a personal touch in their lyrics, from social anxiety to romance. Her second number, ‘Favourite Graveyard’, also had a Durham touch to it; as Ingalil revealed to the crowd, her favourite graveyard is the one outside St. Oswald’s Church, which received a big cheer from the crowd. My personal favourite was ‘I Demand That You Don’t Break My Heart’, a soft song with a more romantic edge.

Last but certainly not least, Grace Elizabeth Harvey took to the stage for her set. She was accompanied by a full band. I have to compliment her band who worked brilliantly with her to enhance the music without ever taking over from Grace herself, adding depth and a bluesy feel to the songs. Grace herself is an incredible performer, and there were plenty of moments where the band fell away, and allowed her to carry the music alone before coming back in. The entire set was smooth, well put together, and looked and sounded effortlessly beautiful. Although every song was brilliant, I must admit my favourite was the opening number ‘Diane’, a song Grace said she wrote in an attempt to create a song less personally attached to herself. It is therefore based on a story she found online in a viral TikTok video, of a woman finding a diary of a heartbroken man missing ‘Diane’ in a vintage coat pocket. Without hearing the story, you could be forgiven for not realising, as despite her distance from characters, her performance was imbued with much emotion and feeling. Another highlight was ‘Birdsong’, a little more introspective and slightly melancholy, performed with a more acoustic sound. This song highlights Harvey’s vocal ability, and shows off her lovely, folk tone really well. Between each song, Harvey had good interactions with the audience; every song was introduced by an anecdote, or an interesting story/thought that, once you had heard the song, increased your enjoyment of it. All in all, it was a fantastic set, which could be heard in the audible noise of disappointment at the announcement of the final song of the night. This last number was, however, the much anticipated single, ‘Familiar’ and it did not disappoint as a final number. A stunning tune, with some beautiful and heartbreaking lyrics, performed to the same incredible standard as the rest of her set.

A truly beautiful end to a beautiful evening!

(Well, until the shouting for ‘another one!’ started. Which Grace kindly answered by playing ‘Diane’ for a second time.)

By Holly Hughes-Rowlands