Anna Calvi: Live at Vicar Street

Anna Calvi first came to our attention in December 2010 when, without an album to her name, she gingerly stepped onto the altar at Other Voices.

Two rapturously received long-players later, including a debut that was nominated for the Mercury Prize, she no longer fits into the category of well kept secret.

A statuesque Calvi takes centre-stage. Gently ast first, and then more assertively. she makes her guitar the centrepiece of the show. It sounds absolutely colossal through Vicar St.’s superb sound system, as she delivers the instantaneously impressive double whammy of ‘Suzanne And I’ and ‘Eliza’.

The Londoner divides her set into selections from her eponymous debut and last autumn’s fine follow up, One Breath. At times, she creates a truly otherworldly sound with the stellar help of a fine band. notably on the positively mesmerising ‘Cry’.

The 33-year-old’s shtick grates a little on occasion, however, when she slips into sounding more like PJ Harvey or Siouxsie Sioux than herself. Interestingly, this is most apparent on a cover version of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Fire’, which seems highly affected, comically breathy and ultimately, not my cup of tea.

Her ability to pen a knockout tune is never in doubt: look no further than ‘Desire’ or the gorgeous ‘Love Won’t Be Leaving’, which closes the main set.

Strangely, there’s no place for Calvi’s best – and best-known – tune ‘Blackout’ in the encore. Perhaps this is down to the fact that Anna’s playing with a new drummer, and this is her first gig of the year – but it’s a shame nevertheless.

With her powerful guitar playing to the fore, in many ways, Anna Calvi is much better live than on record. But she’d be even more impressive if she could move beyond the hint of affectation which seems to creep in almost unbeknownst to her. In the meantime, here’s hoping her third album will take her on up to the next level...