The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Wednesday 20th June 2018
This is a past event.
Headline Act: Alex Beharrell
From performing in a West End musical to backing singing for the great Paul Weller, Alex is a diverse powerhouse vocalist who also writes his own equally diverse songs. "I like to write songs in the moment so expect some songs to be slow with a deep meaning then suddenly a fast paced catchy upbeat tune. But all my tracks tell a story". You can expect any of his shows to be full of energy and heart. When it's all said and done you'll leave tapping your toes or humming to his catchy hooks.
His recent EP 'Mannequin Man' is his first concept EP telling his story of breaking the mould against odds and setting a course to be yourself. With heavy influence from Frank Turner this EP is proof that his songwriting is ever evolving.
Leon Benson
Leon is a singer/songwriter in the Kent area. He is influenced by artists such as Mac DeMarco and King Krule for their chilled vibes and jazzy feel. Recently he has started to experiment with producing beats in the style of J Dilla and sampling different records to layer over the top. He is looking forward to debuting at the Grey Lady.
James & Grace Carroll
This brother and sister duo found their passion for music and storytelling through exposure to artists like Bob Dylan, Nick Drake and Van Morrison from a young age. James first picked up a guitar aged 10 and, as well as playing violin, Grace followed suit not long after.
In his younger years James fronted the band Cannon Woods, a folk/rock act that featured at local festivals and headlined shows at St Mary’s Church in Ashford. While writing and working on songs for the band, Grace would sing certain harmony lines and help to improve James’ material. They soon realised that the close harmony singing and the combined power of these wordsmiths could become a killer combination. Some songs they write together, others they bring to the table, but the authenticity of this act cannot be denied.
The songs like Atlantis use fairy tales to parallel modern day love songs, while others like July directly express the passionate anger of love. Other influences include Johnny Flynn, Fela Kuti, John Martyn, Edward Thomas and S.T Coleridge.
James says of their music: ‘We want people to listen to the songs and relate to the stories we tell; try and apply them to their lives rather than ours. After all, who’s to say any of them have any relevance to us?’
Gronk
Raised by pack animals in the south, Gronk was subsequently stationed in the Home Counties where he studied for A-Levels in navelgazing before escaping to London. He found moderate success with gothic psych-rock band Carnival of Souls in the early noughties, before meeting near-indifference at a handful of solo gigs in Brixton. A trip to the US followed, during which he discovered the marimba and returned to form the Body Doubles, a shambolic rock 'n' roll act currently limping around London's sawdust venues. Gronk writes folk and rock songs bolstered by a healthy dose of gallows humour, and appears tonight with Body Doubles lead guitarist Claud "the musket" Musker.
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