Folk singer-songwriter, Nadia Reid, is touring in support of her fourth album, ‘Enter Now Brightness’ which was released earlier this year. The stop at Strange Brew comes two years after she was last in Bristol, road-testing some of these songs at Crofters Rights. That 2023 performance was solo acoustic but this time the singer has brought her band over from New Zealand.
Nadia opened both shows with ‘Emmanuelle’ – in 2023 this was a yet-to-be-released song but now it is the first track on her latest record.
It is no hyperbole to say that Nadia Reid has one of the most comforting voices in the history of music; warm, gentle and soothing. She sounds identical to the recorded versions of the songs. From the opening notes, you are transported to the most relaxing place you can imagine.
When people talk about powerful vocalists, you instantly think of loud, multi-octave divas like Whitney Houston or Celine Dion. Nadia is a powerful vocalist in a different way – there’s an effortless richness to her voice that stirs emotions from the deepest depths of your being. It is timeless and mesmerising, her expressiveness encouraging you to be completely absorbed in even the most lyrically abstract of her songs.
Comparisons with Laura Marling or Eva Cassidy are perhaps lazy but not unfounded; like those artists, she has a generational sound and it feels like Nadia Reid could be from any time. Luckily for us, she’s here now and it is truly a gift to experience her soulful singing in the sublime Strange Brew.
Almost half of the set is from her latest record although interestingly she skips lead single, ‘Baby Bright’. Whilst it would have been a welcome addition, you certainly do not feel short-changed by its omission.
Reid is more than capable of holding a room alone but the addition of the three-piece band allows her to play the songs as they are on the LPs. ‘Changed Unchained’ and ‘Richard’ especially benefit from the driving rhythms. It also allows her to occasionally step away from the guitar and focus on singing, the reverb swirling the space around the crowd.
‘Oh Canada’ is the first song played from her “lockdown album” ‘Out of Province’ and is met with audible appreciation for the song and its parent album. ‘Other Side of the Wheel’ and ‘Best Thing’ from that beautiful album elicit similar reactions.
Taking requests from the audience, Nadia turns down several including very firmly rejecting ‘Runway’ from her 2014 debut. She settles on a gorgeous rendition of ‘I Don’t Wanna Take Anything From You’ before ending the set with ‘Right on Time’. A bit of confusion follows as the house lights turn on and people start to leave the venue before being surprised by Nadia returning for an encore. Indeed, it seems like a surprise to even the staff as Nadia then has to ask “oh, do we have to leave?” Fortunately, she is allowed to play a stripped back version of the current single ‘Send It Down the Line’. Pulling away from the mic and slowly reducing the volume to hushed tones, the audience remain completely silent before heading into the night with the ‘do, do, do’ refrain circling in our heads.
Originally from New Zealand but recently relocating to Manchester, Nadia tells us that she’s keen to move near to the water and points out that Bristol meets that criteria. Bristol would be incredibly lucky to have such an exceptional talent residing in the city and hopefully it will mean more beautiful gigs like this one.
