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The Great Leslie, Hawke The Band and Charlie Baker at Hot Box, Chelmsford

 

The Great Leslie, Hawke The Band and Charlie Baker at Hot Box, Chelmsford


On Thursday 29th September, Future Hits Radio hosted a gig at Hot Box in Chelmsford with The Great Leslie headlining. Hawke The Band and Charlie Baker were the successful support acts chosen from the Apply To Play applications.

I've been following The Great Leslie since I first started doing a music blog, so was super excited to finally see them live for the first time. Unfortunately their drummer couldn't perform as he was unwell (hope you're feeling better now Ryan!), so we were treated to a more relaxed, stripped-back and intimate performance with the band "sitting down for the first time" as singer Ollie said. They played a full set which included all their recent singles and some earlier tracks, finishing off with their latest 'All Good Things'. Highlights for me were 'Feel Alive' and my all-time favourite of their's 'Hold On To My Ex'. As a musician, I have to make a comment about the precision timing - I feel this was more noticeable because of the lack of drums, but the flawless way these guys all played together perfectly in sync was just so impressive to watch! On the 19th of October, they are supporting Franz Ferdinand in Manchester on the opening night of their UK and European Tour - these are a band that are only going to get bigger, and support slots like this prove that. Definitely on my 'Must See Again' list!

The night started off with a bang as opening act Hawke The Band took to the stage with their distinctive sound and, excitingly, two lead singers! Richard and Eoghan played keys and guitar and combined their voices resulting in an attention-grabbing performance. Hailing from Dublin, Chelmsford wasn't their local crowd, but they still managed to get us all singing along! My highlight from this set was their latest single 'Miracles' which I've played on my radio show twice.

Next up was Essex solo artist, Charlie Baker who gave us a glimpse into his life and personality through his songs and his relaxed and authentic stage presence. He gave background anecdotes about what lead to the stories told in his songs and made the audience smile. As well as performing some originals he put his own spin on some covers, including Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and Plan B - which I was of course singing along to! Look forward to seeing him again.


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