Sometimes schedule alignment and a return visit can reap rewards. Alex Hart is the beneficiary and carving a mark in Stourbridge's limited live music scene is the result. Last May the Plymouth-based singer-songwriter made a surprise appearance at the day-long One Heart One Way Festival, an event held in multiple venues revolving around local favourites Neds Atomic Dustbin's Town Hall gig. Hart headlined a well attended evening in the now mothballed Talbot hotel alongside a few local acts and created sufficient impression to attract some returnees. In the wake of a full band booking on the Friday evening of Southport's popular Love Folk Festival, it was a smart move to seek an opportunity in Stourbridge on the way back to the south-west. This time the solo format was upgraded to a four-piece band and an availability in an upstairs room at the Town Hall proved an ideal location to play a show.
Like most entertainment in Stourbridge Town Hall, whether in the main auditorium or smaller studio spaces, live music has to compete with the other performing arts. Even rarer is the opportunity for independent original music to appear as the council-led operation prefer the instant appeal of the familiar. The Wollaston Studio is a spacious setting for a performance with an excellent sound system and comfortably housing the 80-odd tickets sold for the show. A number that many venues in nearby Birmingham would crave for.
The intimated support slot didn't materialise so the evening panned out as a main act two set show with the second an extended one featuring the obligatory encore. Hart (vocals and acoustic guitar) was joined by Adam Sweet (mainly electric guitar), Paddy Blight (stand-up bass) and Joe Harris (drums). This full line up doesn't get many outings as solo, duo and occasional trio formats are often dictated by budgets and bookings. This is just one side of Alex Hart's musical career as she is a regular member of Seth Lakeman's band and is recently working with Martin Barre of Jethro Tull fame. The solo career has to find its own place in a busy work schedule and to date there has been a label release ten years ago, an interim EP and 2023's VISIONS album. Songs from each record featured chronologically in the show as we began to learn about Alex Hart - the musician alongside snippets of the person.
The music style is loose and fluid. On the surface, it's fairly standard singer-songwriter fare with traces of country, folk and pop. Hart is a talented performer with a polished approach. The vocals possess a clear cut prominence and her band-leading credentials are easy to detect. The musical prowess is self-explanatory in the wake of her associations. The mainly self-penned songs are largely of a personal nature with common themes of love, heartbreak and close-to-home anecdotes prevailing.
The band gave an accomplished performance. Sweet frequently excelled on lead guitar and it wasn't surprising to learn that he heads his own blues band. Blight on bass gave impeccable rhythm and Harris is an in-demand drummer. They were an above average combo capable of seamlessly switching on when asked to back Alex Hart for a show.
Two contrasting covers featured. Neil Young's 'Old Man' filled the pre-encore slot , while Angie Stone's 'Wish I Didn't Miss You', on which she collaborated on a worldwide radio hit, is definitely in the pop camp. Also in a similar vein from the latest album is 'Fix This', a track on which Seth Lakeman adds his famed fiddle. Tracks from VISIONS featured prominently in the second half including memorable pieces 'Tilly's Song' (a tribute to her beloved dog), 'Wild' (inspired by David Attenborough) and 'Blackbird' (with its local dialect origins).
The show opened with Hart taking you back to the debut album in the company of songs like 'Orange Van', 'Bad Boy Bill' and 'Onside'. Chat between songs focussed on the challenges female singer-songwriters face in the music industry. One inspiration shared in both Stourbridge shows was Chris Stapleton and in places you can detect a country sound with song construction and the guitar slipping into twang mode.
Alex Hart is an astute artist capable of manoeuvring her career onto bigger platforms. Her style courts popular appeal while retaining a strong level of authenticity. The band set-up was a definite upgrade but versatility is key when operating on an independent basis. Stourbridge and Alex Hart have become an unlikely alliance. The town may even be mentioned when she breaks the big time.
