‘Acoustic heartfelt folk’ - Nick Mulvey at SWX in Bristol

‘I love you Nick!’ - shouted a fan as Nick Mulvey took to the stage at SWX in Bristol for the launch of his UK tour. It was St Partick’s Day evening, and the crowd was in good spirits for the folk singer and his bad.

I, myself, arrived after two pints of the ‘black stuff’ and some jigging to Irish songs like Whiskey In The Jar at Seamus O'Donnells - it’s fair to say I was ready for what the 38-year-old singer-song writer from Cambridge had in store.

But first it was support act Sandrayati who took to the stage to play songs from her brand new album Safe Ground. It was clear straight away she has something special. Her voice was fit for silence in a cathedral at candle light (sadly no silence though, which is a curse of being support I guess).

As the show progressed it felt like she pulled more and more attention from a bustling Bristol crowd as her voice delicately swooped and soared, making my eyes widen and exchange a look with my girlfriend that said ‘this is good, really good!’

Live music is about discovery, finding something new and the excitement of  looking to the future to discover more from an artist.

Shortly after, Nick Mulvery took to the stage to rapturous applause and a couple more shouts from supporters like ‘sexy Nick!’ He said ‘what’s happening Bristol!? I have been waiting for this moment for ages’.

His enthusiasm was mirrored all around and it was clear by the lack of space around me that the crowd felt the same. Then there was silence, and it felt like seconds before the crowd found their voice to act as a surround sound choir to Mulvey’s acoustic heartfelt folk spiritual laments.  Tonight SWX felt like a cathedral as Cucurucu filled the air with the crowd giving it their best hmmmmmmmmmms and aaaaaaaaahhhhs in all the right places.

“Step it up a bit Bristol?” said Nick as he eased into the soothing Fever to the Form - and now we have a proper singalong on our hands. The crowd’s love for Nick was infectious as I tried to sing a long with little success.  Sandrayati was welcomed back to the stage to sing on Shores and the beautifully, soulfull Star Nation. There was a synergy between these two artists vocals as they harmonised and blended to great effect. It felt like the song was written for her to do backing vocals on.

The encore had us all caught up in specialness and lifted the tempo with my favourite song Fountain To Move - a perfect uplifting encore song as the crowd sang, proving the choir was willing to go right until the end.

A great St Patrick’s night was had by all.