From left to right: Greg Camburn, Tom Ryder, Daisy Wilcox, Tom Rountree (sound man extraordinaire), Luke Farmer and Zoë Phillips.
We kicked off our run of 2020 shows in very chilled and intimate fashion, with three rising singer/songwriters showcasing some powerful material. This show had a lovely ‘local’ feel about it, with all three of our artists hailing from Hertfordshire.
After an introduction and a few songs from Tom Ryder and The Retuners (Tom plus Greg Camburn), Daisy Wilcox got the night under way. Piano-led, Daisy has something of the Kate Nash about her in terms of style, and her compositions are quirky and lyrically dense, full of interesting ideas. She is quite fresh to the scene; a student at Herts & Essex High School, she recently submitted an application to Bath University to study music, and it looks as though she has been accepted. Congratulations Daisy! This was a captivating set.
Luke Farmer was our second artist. A former student of Bishop’s Stortford College, Luke has developed a keen interest in producing electronic music in recent years, so this was a great chance to see him with guitar in hand, demonstrating his songwriting prowess. He has a great ear for melody, and as well as playing his strong original material, he also performed a cover of Everlong by Foo Fighters.
Zoë Phillips had made it clear in the run-up to this gig that she aligns herself closely with the cause of mental health, adding that many of her songs explore this theme. Skilled on both piano and guitar, Zoë’s set was a real treat. She has a crystal clear vocal that really cuts through, and we were truly transported away by her songs. I’m sure we will have her back on a future occasion, as she epitomises what Retune is all about.
Our next show on April 19th will coincide with Retune’s 2nd birthday! We have a very special evening lined up, so do keep an eye out.