Sheffield based Rebecca Lucy Taylor aka Self Esteem returns to Cardiff for the first time since a triumphant midnight set at the capital’s SWN Festival over two years ago. It’s fair to say that the last few months have been somewhat meteoric for the singer/songwriter. With the release of her second album “Prioritise Pleasure”, you’ll rarely see anything less than five stars in any publication you read nowadays. In her formative years in Slow Club and with her debut “Compliments Please”; she already received plaudits for her work, but this time around has seen her already cement her place at the top of critics’ lists for the year.
The demand for tickets in the intimate Clwb Ifor Bach has been extremely high, having sold out a long time ago. The anticipation for the gig this evening is palpable and the excitement builds as the band come on stage to the sound of a pounding drum for “I’m Fine”. From the off the vocals from Taylor and her backing singers soar through the venue and every one of the crowd members. There’s a sense of glee and smiles as they wolf howl towards the end of the song and you can already tell it is going to be a special night.
Whilst the venue might be small, there is one heck of a show that is put on. “Prioritise Pleasure” sees things go up another gear particularly in the chorus. The strobes blind the crowds as they dance in sync to the beat of “1,2,3”. It’s extremely infectious and you can’t help but feel swept up in the moment. There’s a similar feeling during “Fucking Wizardry” where she calls out for her “Robbie Williams” moment and the fans obligingly sing along.
It may sound like a cliche, but these songs feel as though they have another life when performed live. Older numbers such as “Girl Crush” with the iconic chant of “You don’t owe them anything” and “In Time” have a delicate yet buoyant energy to them. “How Can I Help You” sees everyone getting loose. There’s a tribal feeling from the drum beat to everyone bouncing about on stage. Within her deep, meaningful lyrics and presence on stage, you can’t help but feel that Taylor is going to inspire a whole new generation of artists to come.
Every other review will compare the exquisite “I Do This All The Time” to Baz Luhrmann’s “Wear Sunscreen” but it feels like such a lazy comparison. Having Taylor’s luscious melody ring out in the chorus hits in a completely different way. This is only enforced with the several hundred shouting back during the verses; it’s evident as well that this new album means an awful lot to her fanbase. It’s a spine-tingling moment from one of the best songs of the year. This is then followed by an extremely special moment. All of the fans and microphones are turned off and it’s just Taylor and her backing girls with an unplugged electric guitar at the front of the stage. You can barely hear the breathing of people in the room as they perform “John Elton” in the most intimate way possible. Whilst the theme of the night has been all about empowerment; this change in tone opens up a fragility that draws you in; something you rarely witness at concerts. Even when stood at the back of the room you feel that it is being sung directly to you and it is an extremely special moment.
It all closes with “The Best” as Taylor jokingly calls out to the “6 Music Crowd” to dance along. It may be a Sunday night but that’s not stopping anybody from bopping along. It’s a triumphant end to what is a life affirming gig for everybody who is here tonight. There was a great deal of expectation and I think it’s fair to say that everything has been exceeded. You better get on board of the hype train because you are going to be hearing more and more of Self Esteem for many years to come!