Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The Threshold Festival had already had a successful day on the Friday and as the new day blew away the cobwebs and aching joints of the Saturday morning, Elevator, the acoustic venue for the weekend and part of the superbly run Graham Holland acoustic set up in the city, welcomed new and much loved established performers through its doors and the early part of the afternoon revelled in the music on offer.

As part of the initial afternoon’s music, Caroline England from Hoylake on the Wirral, stepped on stage and blew those assembled away with her fantastic voice and wonderfully formed songs. Having the honour as the first woman on the stage on the day, Caroline wasted no time in settling into her set and won over the early crowd with five songs that sounded chilled, wonderfully weaved together with abundance of talent, a talent that sees her not just musically cool to listen to but also an artist of some repute.

Elevator had already opened its heart and ears to The Tenements and the subtle tones of the man from County Down, Ronan Boyle and with the time available to her, they stood and took Caroline England to their hearts also. The music she created was reminiscent of the much missed Kirsty MacColl, ironic, full of great imagery and with a refined and dignified merit that marks her out as musician to catch again and again.

Amongst Ms. England’s tracks that she played were the interesting I still Love You, That Place, the cutting Put Me On Reserve, the superb and well observed Ginger, which was greeted enthusiastically by all shades of hair colours in the building and which was beautifully amusing but with a sad undercurrent and the finale It’ll Be Alright.

A cracking set in which Caroline made many new friends and new set of fans with her amazing and mind-blowing repertoire, one to catch as soon as possible.

Ian D. Hall