Review | Fleetingwood Mac singer Leonie Gale goes solo at The Edge of The Wedge in Southsea

There may have been some nerves, but as soon as she sings, they’re forgotten. Alloway is one of those precocious vocal talents we seem to have a fine habit of producing in Portsmouth, and her cover of Radiohead’s Creep is a stunner. An impressive debut.

Headliner Leonie Gale made her stage debut at the same age and now nearly 25 years later and having fronted numerous bands or sung as back-up for others, she is finally making her belated solo launch under own name.

Well-known for her vocal prowess, Gale is finally stepping out to highlight her own material. Tonight’s set is a mix of covers that act as a guide through her life in music – none of which she’s played live before – and her original songs.

Backed by an excellent band, they crack through tracks by Ann Sexton, Stevie Wonder, Eva Cassidy (Gale added backing vocals to her posthumous album), Paul Weller and more. Their take on John Lennon’s Jealous Guy is slinky and Midnight Train To Georgia goes toe-to-toe with Gladys Knight.

Between songs Gale is in chatty mood – telling stories, embarrassing her eldest (who she dedicates Raphael Saadiq’s Love That Girl to), giving interesting insights into her marriage to band bassist Jason, and the time she met Rolf Harris. Let’s just say that sometimes it’s best to let what was said at a gig stay at the gig…

The original material is the sum of her soulful, R&B influences, and certainly represents a promising start.

The night’s final song, Little Bird, was written by Gale for the Your Face is An Album project, a charity fundraiser in memory of Porsche McGregor-Sims who died of cervical cancer aged just 27. It’s introduced by Porsche’s mum, and the ensuing ballad is simply beautiful. It brings the house down.

It’s a powerful contrast to the hijinks earlier in the evening and further demonstration of Gale’s range.

As a reintroduction to this singer-songwriter and her talent, it’s definitely better late then never.