gifted - david c clemens, our krypton son & áine gordon
The lineup for Chord Blossom’s September Gifted show at the Empire Music Hall made the gig particularly different from most other gigs I have been to. With chairs laid out for a more relaxed feel, the environment paired wonderfully with the lineup to create an atmospheric intimacy that suited the artists very well. Consisting of Áine Gordon, Our Krypton Son, and the headliner, David C Clemens, made for a carefully curated gig, as each artist with their individual and unique sound served that intimate environment of the gig very well.
Photo Credits: Jonah Gardener
Opening was Áine Gordon, an artist that was new to me, but it must be noted that she blew away every expectation I had. Performing with her was Joshua Burnside, which, as a Joshua Burnside fan, was a lovely addition. Her stripped-back, honest music silenced every member of the audience as they hung on every single word she sang. Áine didn’t just perform her songs; she presented a beautiful curation of art – art that had most in the room teary and choked up. Playing the songs from her recent debut EP release, “The Stray”, Áine set the tone perfectly for the rest of the evening with soft melodies and a switch-up of instruments throughout to keep the audience completely hooked. A personal highlight of her set had to have been when she played ‘Chauffeur’, one of the tracks in her recent EP, and I’ve been listening to it since. A truly elegant set from Áine Gordon.
After the magnificent Áine Gordon, Our Krypton Son took to the stage. Performing solo, he brought his own sound to the Empire Music Hall. Again, this artist was new to me, and so I was excited to hear him perform. Clearly a very talented musician and songwriter, he took to the stage with a very well-developed and consistent sound involving both fingerstyle guitar for the softer moments and some bashful chords when he wanted to fill the room. Switching it up between the guitar and the piano was also a nice touch that only proved to showcase his talent as a musician. Whilst his music would not naturally be the kind of music I would listen to often, it certainly fit the atmosphere of the gig. As a creative, I can appreciate that he has found his sound and was consistent with it throughout the whole gig even though it wouldn’t be a genre I would be well versed in.
Finally, the headliner of the gig, David C. Clemens, began to play. Accompanied by his band, he therefore had a much bigger and fuller sound compared to the previous two artists, who favoured a more singer-songwriter approach. Regardless, David’s electric guitars and drums still managed to maintain the intimate nature of the gig, something I personally appreciated. He began with his band, and his sound was big and bright and resembled that of a contemporary Christian worship band. I did enjoy this section of his set; however, I felt it was quite a drastic change from the previous two musicians. Halfway through his set he switched it up to a much softer acoustic-style set where the band took more of a backseat role and David himself got a lot more of the spotlight. Personally, I enjoyed this much more given the mood of the venue and felt it left a better impression of his music on the audience. A personal highlight of his set was ‘The Garden’. Very stripped back, honest and vulnerable, the song was beautiful and possibly the best showcase of David C. Clemens’ amazing lyrical ability and melodic talent. Perhaps even a highlight of the whole night.
September’s Gifted gig was emotionally driven, unshielded and authentic. It showcased some of Belfast’s most impressive songwriting, and I will aim to be back at Chord Blossoms’ next Gifted gig at the end of this month to see what they have to offer!