aaamusic | On 05, Jun 2010

London, May 2nd

I’ve never seen so many media people gathering together for a showcase, especially when London is blessed with great southern European weather. Nevertheless, Imelda May showcase at the Gibson Guitar Room in central London was packed of people who feared not the heat indoors.

Imelda May proves that her number one album Love Tattoo (which knocked Bruce Springsteen off the top spot in Ireland) wasn’t just one-off and she’s here to stay, confirming her doubtless abilities as singer and entertainer with the new album Mayhem, which the audience approved, despite not fully engaging with Imelda during the show (peharps they shouldn’t have offered free booze and finger food! Highly distractive!) .

The new material still winks at the style of the safe anchor that Love Tattoo now is, but somehow she manages to sparkle originality all over them. Eternity and All For You are tight and incredibly sexy, with Imelda transforming into the entertainer every performer should be: engaging with the (not fully responding) audience and dancing on stage. New single Psycho will also not disappoint her fans – sassy and upbeat, highly enjoyable.

She doesn’t break the bond with rockabilly and burlesque either, with the new material obviously being influenced by these, but somehow she managed to experiment and make them appealing also for those who aren’t that much into the genre, which definitely allows her to gain new audiences.

To finish off the short set Imelda treated us with her very own interpretation of Tainted Love, as well as Johnny Gotta Boom Boom from the previous album.

Everyone in the audience really enjoyed the performance and the new material, let’s hope our judgment will be confirmed by the chart when the album is released later this year.

Set list:

Pulling The Rug

Eternity

All for You

Proud & Humble

Mayhew

Psycho

Tainted Love

Train Kept a Rollin’

Johnny Gotta Boom Boom

Author: Alessia