Words: Tom Gensler
Photography: Luke Brennan
Lichfield-born singer-songwriter Emily Alice is an absolutely incredible solo artist who
weaves pop vocals with a more modern indie instrumental background, evoking acts like
Marika Hackman, Lizzy McAlpine and Phoebe Bridgers. We went down to The Grove in
Nottingham to watch her debut headline set, which is also the first set of hers to feature a
full band. She was supported by the amazing Eva Cave and Spensax.
Eva Cave is a simply brilliant solo artist. Her vocals are lush, smooth and laced with
emotion whilst her guitar playing is soulful and relaxed, leading to a unique and beautiful
sound. The guitar tone has a surf feel to it, a familiar twang that’s both strong and warm.
Her set reminds me of a stripped-back Alvvays, a vibe that's really well executed and hard to achieve. It's really captivating too, testament to her ability to hold a full crowd with just her vocals and a guitar. The actual guitar playing here is amazing, for me, with a mix of
jazz and more modern female-driven indie style, evoking elements of acts like Laufey and
Beabadoobee in a solo set. Vocally, the lyrics flow beautifully over the melodies, and
everything just layers up to create a concise, united sound that's really beautiful and very easy to listen to. Overall, I really enjoyed Eva’s 30-minute set, all her musical ideas come across perfectly, created through her pure talent, and I’d really like to see her with a band one day, as this music she plays would be elevated in a band environment, but that's not at all saying that she isn’t a truly delightful solo act.
It’s always good to be completely surprised by an act, and Spensax certainly surprised
me, in more ways than one. Tonight, he’s filling in for Louie Walsh, who was originally
scheduled to play but pulled out last minute due to illness. Spensax’s act consists of a
combination of him rapping, with extremely well-played live saxophone, also done by him,
to a laptop click-track. He performs a mix of originals and covers, and it's overall a really
really enjoyable set. He has undeniable energy and suave, added to by a comfortable
confidence, which really evolves once he takes to the saxophone. I love live brass, it has a
special feel, something entirely different from a guitar or keyboard, and Spensax really
makes the most of it. He has this familiar, classic style, a fusion of funk and soul and jazz,
but he effortlessly ebbs and flows over really smooth melodies and that makes it for me.
He’s truly honed his abilities and I’m here for it, completely. His rapping is really good too,
with a smooth flow and excellent line delivery. The beats are chill. It all really comes
together and honestly, it's a brilliant act for anyone who likes chill hip-hop.
Hailing from Lichfield but attending university in Nottingham, Emily Alice is the newly
adopted gem of the local scene. I saw her perform a brilliant solo set for The Bodega’s
International Women’s Day event and really enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to seeing
her with a full band, and for her debut headline show, this most certainly did not disappoint.
However, this wasn’t just her debut headline show, as this show at The Grove marked the
first performance of her with her full band, consisting of guitarist, Bailey, bassist, Ted,
drummer, George and keys player, Ethan.
She opens with Us Girls, taken from her 2024 EP The Wallflower, a personal favourite of
mine. The song has this sort of wonder to it, acting as a positive ode to her friends and
what they get up to, whilst also showing off her songwriting ability at its best. The intro
feels familiar and sets the song’s tone perfectly, a warm segment that beautifully bleeds into
the rest of the song. Emily’s smooth vocals really make this song, being effortlessly resonant and sweet at the same time. The band come into full action here, too, with their musical backbone really working to provide Emily with the perfect backdrop to
work over. George’s drumming here is next-level, his beat fits the vibes so well.
Another high point of the set, is a rousing cover of Lizzy McAlpine’s Orange
Show Speedway. The original lo-fi rock-leaning vibe is taken to a complete new level by
Emily and the band, pushing it into the live setting with ease. Bailey’s guitar tone here is
simply excellent: it's evocative of modern indie but doesn’t overpower the rest of the
sounds at play, it just exists comfortably in the same space, adding to the instrumental
beauty, ready for Emily’s big, soaring, but extremely well-controlled, vocals. The original’s
romantic naivety and wonder really shines through, matching the tone of the rest of the set
extremely well.
Not For Me is another favourite of mine from Emily’s catalogue, and hearing it live with a
full band was an incredible experience. It utilises a steady build, created in part by George’s usage of a shaker, which I personally always love to see live, they’re a fun but practical addition to a live setting. A really clever part of Emily’s songwriting is her skilful usage of twinkly open chords, which are employed throughout most of her songs but have
maximum impact here. In Not For Me, the open chords serve as another layer to the
overall chord structure, created here by Emily’s melody and Ethan’s lush key playing. It's
brilliant, honestly, serving as a true testament to Emily’s ability to create instant sing-along
classics that are musically interesting and resonant.
The closer, Please Stay, is absolutely beautiful and fantastic in every way. It's Emily’s
latest single too, and is much anticipated throughout the set, and the wait is totally worth it. Its chord structure is slightly alike to the opener, Us Girls, which creates the beautiful idea that Emily’s performance is a sort of cycle, a view into her world and what she takes from everyday life. Please Stay, on its own, is an absolute tune. It has a familiar motion to it, a sense of movement that really elevates the song. Again, here, the band and Emily’s vocals merge incredibly well to provide a really beautiful, united and powerful sound.
Overall, this was an absolutely brilliant set and the perfect end to a night of amazing
music. Emily’s solo sets are amazing to watch and showcase her skill as an artist in her
own right, but for me this debut band performance truly showed her musicianship and
potentials, in the perfect setting and surrounded by family and friends. If you enjoy female-
driven guitar music, such as Lizzy McAlpine and Boygenius, then Emily Alice is a must-see
and must-listen, and I’m certainly expecting huge things to come from her this year.