UK Blues Awards finalists Brave Rival prove they're 'a class act' in hometown show at The Lens, Portsmouth | Review

The five-piece gigged hard and released their debut album, Life’s Machine in May to great acclaim – it went on to feature in several magazine, radio station and websites’ end of year lists. This year they’ve already played to thousands when they opened proceedings at the Great British Blues and Rock Festival. And they are currently in the running for three UK Blues Awards – best band, album of the year and guitarist Ed (nicknamed ‘The Shred,’ naturally) Clarke for best instrumentalist.

It’s good to see a decent turnout for their hometown show in a swelteringly hot The Lens. Co-frontwomen Lindsey Bonnick and Chloe Josephine are the kind of vocalists who could sing the phonebook and make it exhilarating. They are both powerhouses, capable of keeping it soulful or pulling out the lung-busting big notes – but they know when to rein it in and when to let fly. This is, mercifully, not ‘X Factor-style’ singing every note in every song just because you can. One of tonight’s standouts – the album’s title track is a case in point. From its slow build to the climax where both vocalists let rip is simply stunning.

SEE ALSO: Read the story behind Brave Rival’s best year so far

But this is by no means merely The Chloe and Lindsey Show – Clarke gets ample opportunity to demonstrate why the Blues Award nomination is well justified. His solo on their cover of Etta James’ Damn Your Eyes is a particular joy. And of course none of this would work without the killer engine room of Donna Peters on drums and Billy Dedman on bass.

The set, understandably leans heavily on the album, Run and Hide proves they can do more straight-forward riff-rock with aplomb, while the night’s closer What’s Your Name Again? features some wicked slide guitar. But they’re road-testing a few new songs too. Fairytale is the pick of the new numbers – a classic rocker, but on first listen all fit nicely along their more established tracks.

If classic or blues-rock is your thing and these guys have somehow passed you by, I’d recommend rectifying the situation asap. They are a class act.

Oh, and public voting for the UK Blues Awards opens tomorrow – show them the love they deserve.