Thea Gilmore The Luminaire, November 26
At a time when the 20 something female singer/songwriter reigns supreme, it might come as a surprise to hear that 28-year-old Thea Gilmore has thrashed out eight albums.
But you won't see her falling out of nightclubs with Kate Moss or falling in to limos with Mark Ronson. Then again, you won't see the likes of Winehouse and Adele playing with Joan Baez or signing autographs for Bruce Springsteen.
That privilege belongs to Ms Gilmore, but musical legends are far from her only fans. Over the years she's acquired a loyal fanbase of traditional folkies and sensitive indie types who fell for her earlier, angsty teenage recordings. Tonight's show at the Luminaire - fast reinventing itself as London's best folk venue - is a menagerie of these. A girl in skinny jeans and a Rules for Jokers era trilby peeps over the head of a balding crustie in a waistcoat through the sell out crowd.
Tonight Thea's flanked by her husband and producer, Nigel Stonier, and multi-instrumentalist Fluff, whose razor-sharp cello, guitar and fiddle playing has seen her become a regular stage companion.
Latest album Liejacker forms the basis of the set with Rosie - a speedily penned track about a fictional character - already an audience favourite.
Gilmore's dry, knowing intro suggests it might be more autobiographical than it first seemed. "It's nice place to visit but you wouldn't wanna live there," she winks.
Dance In New York and Old Soul show off her voice, which has been criticised for being too 'straight' - there's none of the quirks and yelps adapted by so many of her contemporaries, but live it's a warm, enveloping sound.
Part Chrissie Hynde, part Lucinda Williams, she straddles the bar between old and new.
After 12 years on the road she still comes across as nervous and the on stage 'banter' feels scripted, but the advantage of such an intimate venue means the chattier, more lubricated members of the crowd can add their bit.
A medley of traditional folk and gospel songs, and a version of the American civil rights protestors' anthem If You See Me At The Back Of The Bus, lifts the show and by the time she launches in to her take on Pink's Get This Party Started, the whisky's flowing and the mood's sky high.
This Girl Is Taking Bets, still a guaranteed crowd pleaser, sees Nigel's now traditional assault on the double harmonica - a reminder of the talent and perfectionism on stage. So keen are they to deliver a seamless show that they retune after every song - admirable attention to detail but it gets infuriating after a while.
A brilliantly personal show that leaves the room feeling smug that they've been let in on the country's best kept secret.
