For her New York City debut, the British artist Yola delivered a concise forty-minute set dedicated to showcasing her upcoming release, Walk Through Fire to a full house at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall on Wednesday, February 6th.
Chilly rain was falling on the line to get into Rockwood Music Hall as the five-piece backing band took the stage just after seven. Yola recently came to the attention of Dan Auerbach who produced her forthcoming debut and helped Yola (along with Pat McLaughlin and Dan Penn) write the songs presented tonight.
From the opening piano intro of “Lonely The Night” the backing outfits support was a restrained mix of Nashville pop country and 70’s California light rock, giving space for the front woman’s vocals to shine. Yola’s singing is the clear focal point of any live performance; she has the stunning ability to purr and growl before instantly heading to the highest of heights with her next breath. Wisely, she never oversang during the set, using her dynamic voice sparingly and effectively throughout.
An engaging presence on stage she introduced each tune and at times gave a bit of background, including her harrowing yet somehow funny story regarding “Walk Through Fire”, whose harmonica accompaniment helped her deliver the song in powerful gospel fashion. The sweet little jaunt of “Shady Grove” was pleasant while the folk-rock marching of “Still Gone” was an early highlight with Yola strumming an acoustic guitar as the band increased the tempo.
The slow waltzing “Deep Blue Dream” and the easy breezy “Ride Out in the Country” were passable but a bit bland, however, “It Ain’t Easier” was noticeably better, combing everything that worked best on this night; warm organ, country soul strumming, and an easy beat, all around the exceptional emotional range from Yola on the microphone.
The closer “Far Away Look” had the packed crowd applauding the brief outing and while the set was restrained (tossing in a cover might have livened things up), Yola is a clear star in the making, just beginning her ascent.
