Under a spotlight, in a dim club in west London, Lizzy Pattinson takes the stage. The wooden paneled Regal Room sits above a Victorian bar is filled with candle lit cabaret style tables crowded over by curious listeners.
Lizzy previously had three top twenty hits with music group Aurora and was lead singer of Milk & Sugar. She's had an exciting year playing the O2 Wireless and Isle of Wight festivals, showing that people are starting to take notice.
Taking the mic next to her guitarist Steve Young, Lizzy introduces herself and goes straight into the bluesy 'Undefined'. A careful watcher can see she’s nervous by the slight shake in her hand, but Lizzy’s voice does all the talking. Suddenly the sound has all the control and range of Renee Olstead with the soul of a sensuous Shelby Lynne - who’s 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' is one of my favourite songs.
Lizzy’s second song, 'Ready For My Close Up' tells the lonely tale beyond impervious imagery, which perfectly pairs with her hint of vintage outfit and Veronica Lake looks. With her parents watching proudly from the audience, Lizzy announces her next song having “written it with my brother”, the yearning 'Hands'.
You could be forgiven for thinking she will break into a rendition of Dusty Springfield’s 'Fever' and still make it sound like you’ve never heard it before.
After a short break, Lizzy steps back in front of the velvet curtain, placing a handwritten lyric cheat-sheet on top of the nearby piano for the soaring 'Seabird' and all but sinks to the ground with a smile when she finishes without a hitch.
With the captivating 'Since I Fell For You' (my personal favourite) and the stirring 'Fragments of Love', Lizzy finishes her stunning set to strong applause that really does go on. The audience doesn’t want her to stop or break the atmosphere that she’s created.
Chatting briefly after the show, sweet and shy Lizzy is humble about her talent and talks animatedly about playing more shows with potential plans to record in the new year – I’ll be first queued up to buy!
You can watch a recording of this show at the Regal Room Live and be sure to go to her next show The Bedford in Balham, South London on September 7th – in the mean time, check out her MySpace.
Photo credits: UBPICS The Elgin Notting Hill, London
