Amy MacDonald @ King Tut's

Ostensibly a support act for guitar maestro Keller Williams, Amy MacDonald brings her own partisan crowd along tonight - most of whom leave after her set. With only acoustic guitar and a voice that slightly recalls an ambitious Joan Armatrading, Amy MacDonald's set breezes through a variety of strummed moods. Opener This is Life showcases this powerful voice against a straightforward accompaniment; Mr Rock'n'Roll is the scathing one and The Footballer's Wife is more sensitive. Her functional and unfussy guitar playing makes her songs immediate, if lacking subtle depths: her weakness lies not so much in ability but in the limitations of the singer-songwriter genre. More imaginative arrangements would liven up a set that is sprightly at first, but drags towards the end. Her lyrics are direct, insightful and concise - her music is more about framing the words at the moment - and there is potential for her to lead her songs through more memorable journeys with the addition of a band. Still at the start of her career, her ear for detail and vocal control promise much. [Gareth K Vile]