Laura Evans has had a fraught day. The M5 didn’t behave itself and, at one point, she wasn’t going to arrive until 8pm. Given that the show starts at 7.30, this was something of an issue.
Yet when she begins with “Solo”, her voice can melt every problem away. “I’m happy to be in The Basement with you,” she smiles during “Running Back To You”, and the feeling is mutual. Alongside her, Joe Hazell – playing guitar, drums and seemingly all sorts else – is sensational.
“Fire With Fire” adds a funky strut before Evans makes a brave choice. If you’re going to take on Chris Stapleton, you’d best come heavy. Her version of “Arkansas” does exactly that. She’s good, is Laura.
“Maybe people just love a good bluesy love song,” she suggests before “Nobody Loves Me Like You”. These days, though, it is dedicated to her Shih Tzu rather than her husband. Fair play, Bertie.
“Superman” was written about said husband looking like Clark Kent. According to Laura, Take That have since released a song that sounds a little like it. Make of that what you will.
“Let You Down Easy” changes the dynamics and proves what a great song it is, before an unpractised cover of Shoshana Bean’s “Let Me Believe” allows Evans to unleash that remarkable soul voice. Daisy Pepper supplies the sassy bass on “ATM”, as Evans hopes he knows exactly what he lost. Then “Love Me Like A Man” brings some Bonnie Raitt to proceedings. A little Bonnie Raitt never goes astray.
The second half begins with “Wherever You Are”, a bluesy stomper that immediately restores the momentum. Evans is glorious on “Heartbreaker”, too, and you sense that she would dearly love a much larger stage to prowl while singing it. There is swagger in it, but no loss of control.
“Fool” came from a dark place. Evans played it to her friend, the singer Twinnie, who told her she had to record it. That emotional weight remains obvious. By contrast, “Always & Forever” is illuminated by the evident joy Evans gets from playing these songs.
“What I’m Made Of” offers a sense of the knockbacks that have brought her here, while “I’ll Be The One” is another favourite and another song written in Nashville. Its country tinge suits Evans perfectly, with the brilliant Hazell switching to acoustic guitar.
The warmth of the entire show bursts through “Stand By Me”, before “Honest” goes somewhere more vulnerable. “It’s kind of amazing to hear your song played on Radio 2,” Evans admits. Listen closely, though, and it is full of the self-doubt that colours all great songwriting.
A genuinely dirty riff ushers in “State Of Mind”, the title track of her debut album, before “I’m Alright” closes the night. It is her anthem, and you suspect it always will be.
“Faking it till I make it,” she sings. Maybe we all suffer from imposter syndrome, however talented we are. What is certain is that Evans is about to head to Germany for a series of shows, and they’ll be superb – even if she has too many points on her licence to drive the van.
Still, when she sues Take That, at least she’ll be able to afford a chauffeur.
