Hollie Cook brings lovers’ rock warmth to the Thekla
Words/Photos: Images by Ellis
★★★★★
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First aboard the Thekla, Bristol, was Adjua, from Splott, Cardiff; a Welsh/Ghanaian songwriter whose music has been described as alt-R&B with indie inflections. Armed only with sparse electric guitar and a fantastic voice, she quickly commanded the attention of the gathering crowd.
New single ‘Forest Wild’, trailed the day before its release, showed off the more haunting side of her writing. Together with ‘Can’t Lose’, from earlier this year, it suggests a bright future. It was a short, assured set, and a reminder that Cardiff keeps producing artists who deserve wider
Photo: Images by Ellis / Adjua | Bristol
Hollie Cook, meanwhile, was here on the last night of her Shy Girl tour, and there was a celebratory mood before she even reached the stage. The Thekla was the perfect setting for it, below deck the low ceiling helps trap every bass-line and dub echo. Cook opened with ‘Hello Operator’ and ‘Happy Hour’, immediately steering us into the warm waters of lovers’ rock, roots reggae and her self-described tropical pop sound.
Photo: Images by Ellis / Hollie Cook | Bristol
The set leant heavily into ‘Shy Girl’, her fifth studio album. ‘Tiger Balm’, ‘Shadow Kissing’ and ‘Unkind Love’ all landed with easy charm; Cook’s voice sweet but never lightweight. With Joe Price on guitar, and a band locked into the offbeat sway, the songs gave Thekla the feel of a late-night dub club.
There was a lovely balance between freshness and familiarity. The Shangri-Las’ ‘Remember (Walking In The Sand)’ had a laid-back reworking, while ‘Ooh Baby’ kept the mood breezy. ‘Sugar Water (Look At My Face)’ added a sultry glide, while ‘Together’ and ‘Postman’ were greeted like old friends. By ‘Rockaway’, the room was swaying in unison and the Thekla was itself rocking gently. Throughout, Hollie Cook’s relaxed and assured stage presence kept the night on course.
Closing with ‘Milk & Honey’ and ‘Shy Girl’ was pure sunshine, even within the old boat’s hull. For the encore, ‘And The Beat Goes On’ sent everyone back onto dry land grinning. Final night of tour? It felt more like the start of summer.