Jenn Bostic, Kyshona Armstrong and Sarah Darling - Kitchen Garden Cafe, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Monday 12th September 2016
Three artists bound by their Nashville calling. Three artists intrinsically linked by the concept of dreams. Three artists emotionally drawn to sharing their deepest personal songs. Sarah Darling – a stylish measured dreamer, Jenn Bostic – a therapeutic dreamer, Kyshona Armstrong – a spiritual dreamer, three independent artists making meaningful music and now performing collaborators in their deeply connective ‘in the round’ show.
Maybe more rotating songs than literally in the round, this
trio have hit the sweet spot on a short English tour taking in several keynote
venues where serious content supersedes superficial surroundings. If you’re
seeking that heady moment of pure telepathic interaction, a sold out Kitchen
Garden Café absorbing the songs of this trio was the place to be. Bands were
left at home, exposing the naked reality of sincere songs delivered in a range
of styles from cultured pristineness to earthy soul. This music was far from
free of ambition, yet retained a mark of control.
All three artists reside at different levels of UK exposure,
although for two hours at each show on this tour the equilibrium is stark. The
pursuit and success of Jenn Bostic’s Radio 2 foray has been the result of
several visits. She mentioned playing a fundraising show in Birmingham
recently, but you can go back a little further to February 2013 when the Bull’s
Head in Moseley hosted her. That night the door was opened for many to hear her
emotive signature song live for the first time and three and a half years on, ‘Jealous of the Angels’ possesses the
same personal therapy to move both artist and audience alike. This was the
climax of Jenn’s five songs which were mainly presented from behind the
keyboard and wrapped in sentimental vocal prowess. Pride oozed from the introduction
when the current Radio 2 play listed ‘What
Love Feels Like’ appeared. One of her older songs, ‘Not Yet’ demonstrated the range of her vocals and ‘Hollywood’ surfaced as one of the many
moments on the evening invoking audience participation. Kyshona gave a little
insight into the world of Jenn when referring to her planning tendencies and this
rolls out in her structured approach to making music. 
While Sarah Darling has been active in the Nashville music
scene for quite a while, her overseas aspirations appear to be a relatively new
addition. A ready-made growing audience is one attraction but also one prepared
to show extraordinary listening potential. This appealing market quality is
heaven sent for a performer staking so much on their song writing calibre.
Whether or not, the mainstream industry comes calling, Sarah presses on with
her independent project and this current tour acts as a showcase teaser for a
new crowd funded album under the apt title of DREAM COUNTRY. Across the five
songs she shared this evening, the first and last probably had the most appeal.
‘You Take Me All The Way’ opened the
trio’s first set and confirmed its wise choice as an upcoming single with a
sensual subtlety. ‘Stargazer’ was
Sarah’s final offering and an attention grabbing delight. 
This tour has been the UK’s introduction to Kyshona
Armstrong and few exposed to her soulful spiritual depth will fail to be moved.
It may sound contradictory but fragility came across as Kyshona’s strength,
seeking solace in an innate capability to fire up the wounded soul. This is a
performer who shared so many trepidations about moving to Nashville a couple of
years ago from her ‘Deeper’ South roots. But Nashville’s Music City status is
so much more than the perceived cliché and a fulfilling residency is locked in
on tonight's evidence. Without hesitation, Kyshona’s sideways shuffle to belt
out ‘Lonely’ from behind Jenn’s
keyboards was the show’s golden highlight, closely followed by a calming
segmented version of ‘Amazing Grace’ in
one of Jenn’s songs. In contrast to Sarah’s upcoming album and Jenn’s latest
from 2015, Kyshona’s THE RIDE is literally a month hot off the press and this
evening she shared the title track, ‘Do
Nothin’’ and ‘The Best of You’
from it, along with the aforementioned stand out performance in her quintet of songs.
With this tour being put together and managed by the
Stafford based multi-music operation Fish Records, it was no surprise see one
of the UK artists that they are associated with in Robert Lane being selected to
open each show. Hailing from Birmingham and no stranger to the Kitchen Garden Café
(he supported Caddy Cooper last November), Robert wasted little time in rising
to the challenge of playing the archetypal opener. His confidence, wit and persona
reflect a performer born for the stage. Intriguing short stories, Elvis
singalongs, fine songs and a folk murder ballad, it was job done for Robert and
he is surely set to thrive in the future on both the local and wider
singer-songwriter circuit. In addition to Robert’s rousing version of ‘Suspicious Minds’, the other
significant cover song on the evening was reserved for the encore with ‘Fields of Gold’ given an elegant coating
of three beautiful voices.
So ‘A Night in Nashville’ became 'A Night in Kings Heath for
one evening only with the quality of artists on show leading to the event being
a resounding success. This was music in its purest form, reaching out in a
format that engages an audience matching an assured level of performance with
the ideals of what song writing can achieve. The Kitchen Garden Café proved to
be the optimum venue for the intimate exposure of three artists, comfortable in
their own words and so appreciative of each other's work. Where the future paths of
Sarah Darling, Jenn Bostic and Kyshona Armstrong lead who knows, but for a
solitary night, converging on York Road, Kings Heath proved a winner.
www.kyshona.com
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