Gig Review: Jenny Colquitt - Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Thursday 21st May 2026

 

Jenny Colquitt, based in the north west, is a fully throttled artist overspilling with talent. She meets challenges head on and thrives putting her music in the spotlight. Across three full albums a highly motivated identity has been cut aiming high with a big sound built for a sonic crescendo. Adaption and perseverance are the tonic for a successful transition to the stage with all its pitfalls. With the latest album Pockets Full of Rain is shaping up to be one of the most significant independent releases of the year so far, taking the show on the road is the next hurdle to a wider engagement. 

An early tour appointment with the good folks of Birmingham provided a fresh opportunity to share the fruits of her studio eminence and Colquitt left nothing on the table in the small room of the Hare and Hounds. Big reputations can be forged ruling the roost at the grassroots and a full repertoire flowed across a pair of sets soaring up to the two hour mark. The current tour laps up the benefits of a full band, though moments of solo sensibility slip in alongside. The high octane strand of her armoury is well served and will project a career forward in harness with a practical front of stripping things back to bear the fruits of a song craft. 

Impressions from the floor raised in the second set as the intricacies of the production and the environment were better aligned. Maybe the result of retuned ears or something in the connection between output and context. Nuance is a key ingredient for growing and a more diverse side to Colquitt’s armoury evidenced in the latter stages. Solo stints expose an artist to greater scrutiny and a defined trio of songs including ‘To Be Loved’ and ‘Nothing at All’ spiced a night awash with spirited sounds. The latter is currently a homeless piece, a situation surely rectified in the future. 

Early listens to the new album saw ‘Peace Man’ splendidly leap out to become, on one hand a playlist candidate and on another, possibly amongst a string of songs forming the first six months soundtrack to 2026. The origin and intro gave the song a different perspective, yet its live version confirmed the stunning effect of hitting hard from the record.

While the bulk of the new songs bed in, a raft of old favourites never lose their shine. ‘Dirty Town’ and ‘Fallin’ Angels’ thrived in the closing stages, while the brilliant ‘No-one Loves Like You’ bravely launched the whole night. Starting with the latter created an enigma. The surroundings called for a more gradual sound progression and maybe the room wasn’t ready for such a blistering intro. 

The full band album launch tour allows one side of Jenny Colquitt’s music to prosper. Growth will come from a balanced approach with multiple set ups and a continued focus on organic development. Improvisation and meeting the whims of the live music community hold the key. So much positivity is in place and a refreshed focus will unlock many doors. Birmingham remains 70 miles from the gateway to the north west. Not insurmountable to conquer on many fronts.