Lomelda @ The Hug & Pint, Glasgow, 6 Nov
Lomelda brings her songs about relationships, distance and the passage of time to Glasgow
The night is kicked off by two Glasgow-based acts. First up is Molly Linen, a singer-songwriter who takes to the stage accompanied by a gnarly black-and-white Rickenbacker 6 String and her friend, Beth (who provides backing vocals and keys). Together, they perform the first half of the set, which comprises of thoughtful folk songs, before Linen is left to her own devices for the remainder, performing with a deserved self-assuredness, and a great ear for melody.
Happy Spendy are up next, bringing an emotional yet poppy vibe to proceedings. The interactions between instruments, while simple, are well thought-out, and the audience inevitably begins to dance. Whispery vocals and hooks aplenty help tie their aesthetic together nicely.
With the crowd sufficiently warmed up, Lomelda takes to the stage to perform a set mostly comprised of songs from new album Thx. Upon hearing the record, you might be mistaken for assuming that Lomelda is a three- or four-piece, but, in truth, it is the solo moniker of Texan songwriter Hannah Read. And tonight she performs alone, with the occasional accompaniment of a drum machine. As on Thx, Lomelda opens with Interstate Vision, a song that seemingly sums up the themes of the set; these are songs about relationships, distance and the passage of time, which inhanced by the longing in her voice.
Other highlights are a drum-machine accompanied version of Mostly M.E., and Universe, from 2015 record Forever. The Hug & Pint crowd is respectful of the stripped-back performance and are silent throughout, a testament to Lomelda's appeal. Read is arguably disconcerted by this silence between her songs, but these are affecting compositions and idle banter from the crowd would detract from their sentiment.
With perfect control over her vast vocal range, there is little restriction as to where she can take each melody, and she confidently utilises her full range to create memorable, emotional structures for her songs – each its own chapter of an overarching message.