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A review from 5D Music & Theatre writer Maria Robertson.
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This concert started with Florence Jack, who is a local singer-songwriter who plays keyboard. She was rather shy and nervous but once she was started singing she had a fantastic voice and some amazing lyrics. I really enjoyed her set and hopefully her confidence will grow the more opportunities to perform live to an audience she has. The first song was Favour, then Platform 4 which was written about being stood up at a train station. Next was the more upbeat Red Flag, then Lovely, Such a Shame and she finished with her new single, due out on 23rd April called Don’t Wanna know. A very unique sound and totally meaningful lyrics.
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Next up it was Lyra, who I saw last year supporting Westlife in the much larger P&J Live venue. To see her headline her own gig, in the more intimate setting of the Lemon Tree, was an utter delight. She bounded onto the stage, in the full gloriousness of a sparkly red dress and knee high boots that looked like they had suspenders going up under the dress. False eyelashes, false nails and blonde hair extensions (as she told us during our time together), she really is a beautiful vision. Well worth the sucky in pants from Primark and the Beyonce tights that apparently cost a fortune!
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Lyra has the most amazing singing voice and very unique dance moves as she happily bounds around the stage. Once a song finishes and she actually speaks to us you with her fantastic accent you realise she’s just a “wee Irish lassie”. She chats away to us as if we’re just friends and says she wants us to get to know her as a person by the end of the gig. She doesn’t want us to have barriers, other than the physical ones that health and safety demand she jokes!
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She tells us about self funding her debut EP W.I.LD. and how she spent ages coming up with the name, to stand for Wake – Induced Lucid Dream. Meanwhile she worked in Tesco selling baby food, even though she didn’t have a baby! She wrote Rabbit In The Headlights for her friend from the convent they were schooled in who got pregnant and was worried she was doing a bad job as a Mum, whilst coping with that and school and being an inspiration to Lyra.
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She sings We Are Beautiful, which was the song she started the Westlife support set with, and I remember when she captured my attention. I really want to believe her that we are, and she sings with such conviction and energy that its hard not to believe.
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Apparently her Dad thinks she’s like Christy Moore, who a quick google shows me is an older, male Irish singer with rather less hair. Dad will need to wait for a song to be written about himself whilst “Mother” was written for her very supportive Mum. When Lyra was bullied in school for wearing “inappropriate” outfits her Mum assured her she just needed to concentrate on being the best version of herself that she could be – and I certainly think she does her Mother proud. These girls who were bullies now send Lyra private messages asking to be on the guest list and her response is, quite rightly: “don’t think so girl!”
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There’s much love in the room, although its far from sold out, but everyone there screams and shouts their support throughout the evening. Falling is probably her best known song having been on a couple of TV series and by the last song, Edge of Seventeen, most of us are adding our own dance moves to the room as she encourages us to enjoy the freedom of dancing. This was the first, magical, night of the tour and if you can make it along to another of her dates I suggest you grab a ticket quick!
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Tour dates: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/lyra-tickets/artist/5208355
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Maria Robertson is the Chief Music & Theatre Writer for the 5D Pop Culture Website and provides reviews & coverage of local Aberdeen music & theatre gigs. She’s an experienced writer for numerous sources and is a self-confessed live gig addict ever since seeing The Counting Crows at the Barrowlands in 1994.
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