Comment Editor Colette Fountain reviews Billie Marten’s intimate gig, arguing that it was the perfect venue to showcase her vocal talents and connect with fans
The last time I went to a gig was in 2017, so it felt very fitting that my first time back was to see Billie Marten – the singer who was a staple during my GCSE and A-Level revision after she released her first album, Writing of Blues and Yellows in 2016.
Billie was performing at The Castle and Falcon in Balsall Heath, a relatively small venue located in the back of a pub, but the space was perfect for her soft vocal tones.
The gig had two support acts, opened by Will Blackaby (who goes by the name Blackaby), an artist I hadn’t previously heard of but whose music I thoroughly enjoyed. His vocals felt very British, reminding me of Rex Orange County. Blackaby performed as a solo act as he was a late addition to the concert, but I felt that in many ways his voice was perfectly complemented by the solo guitar. Some of my favourite songs that he performed included ‘Georgie Wants a Garden’ and ‘What’s on the TV?’ Blackaby’s skill on the guitar made him a joy to listen to.
The second act was Northern Irish singer Conchúr White, whose raspy voice and gentle falsetto made him a great addition to the line-up as his musical style was similar to Billie’s, helping to maintain a similar theme throughout the night. Like Blackaby, Conchúr performed on his own, accompanied by guitars, which again really highlighted the beautiful tones to his voice.
Throughout the show, she maintained a great relationship with the audience
Then it was time for Billie to perform, accompanied by a bassist, guitarist and drummer. Throughout the show, she maintained a great relationship with the audience, asking how we were and making sure that we were engaged. I think this was a huge advantage of the small venue (as I’ve only previously been to stadiums), as it meant that the gig felt a lot more intimate. Not only was this brilliant for her to showcase her music which is often very emotional and personal to Billie, but it was also the best way for me to get involved with live performances again as there were quite a few people on their own, like I was, which made me a lot more comfortable.
I was not sure if the concert would at times feel awkward, as Billie’s music is best listened to alone in my opinion. It is not very high energy and often relies more on its lyricism, although the instrumentation and guitar riffs are still wonderful. However, I did not feel like this at all as the crowd gently swayed in time to her music – it certainly was not the type of music that you would expect to start a mosh pit to, but I felt that the energy of the crowd fit in well with her music. This was another example of when her performing style was ideal for the venue as it ensured that she kept the crowd engaged, despite her gentle music, through dancing and singing along, something which happened a few times throughout the gig but never to the point where it was drowning Billie’s own voice out.
her penultimate performance […] provided a great opportunity for the audience to join in
One of my favourite moments from the concert was when she performed the song ‘Mice’ from her 2019 album, Feeding Seahorses by Hand, during which the crowd joined in, subtly accompanying her vocals. Similarly, her penultimate performance of one of her most popular songs, ‘Milk and Honey’, provided a great opportunity for the audience to join in, again highlighted by the small venue which created a sense of community among the audience.
Mid-way through the concert, Billie took some time away from her band to perform songs acoustically, my personal highlight of the night. She took song suggestions from the crowd (further adding to the sense of intimacy created throughout the concert) which included songs like ‘Vanilla Baby’, another crowd favourite.
Billie’s performance was incredibly enjoyable and the concert was amazing from start to finish
My only criticism of the concert was that at times I felt the wonderful softness of Billie’s singing was lost in the sound production, when the instruments became too loud. This only happened a few times during the show though so did not prove to be a significant issue.
Overall, Billie’s performance was incredibly enjoyable and the concert was amazing from start to finish. Billie even stayed behind after the performance to meet people in the crowd, ending a night in which she had maintained an excellent relationship with her fanbase. Billie’s tour continues into December and I would highly recommend tickets to anyone, as the fanbase was from all walks of life.
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