Kieron Smith of Lyra at Studio 2, Liverpool. n Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

You can tell that there is more than a spark of quality to a band when adversity, that age old Moriarty to the Sherlock creature that resides in youthful talent, just seems to be kicked into touch quicker than a footballer finding out there is a spread bet available on the time of the first throw-in.

For Lyra to appear on stage initially as a three piece may have caught many who had gone along to Studio 2 by surprise. The revelation further steeped in musical mystery as they opened their set and the evening with a few acoustic numbers instead of what could be expected of a blistering and boiling start in the popular venue.

Quality shows its head when the least expected becomes something in which to luxuriate in and with a sound that framed adversity and treated it with disdain, the three members on stage, Kieron Smith, Sean Burke and Lauren Davidson gave an enjoyable account of their music with the songs Nice Guy, If I Were You and Pain In My Life.

Misfortune only counts when you treat it as a hardship, when it leads to new doors it should be seen as a way in which to improve and excel. To look at the past, make a gesture or two if you have to the difficulty faced, and losing a couple of members in rapid succession counts as a difficulty, especially when you consider how many bands that have disintegrated over less, will lead to better times. With the addition of the very good Sam Burkett on drums and the cool Heather Dempsey giving a different dynamic on bass, the final part of the band’s set was as hot as finding food that had been cooking away in the oven for a while.

The song that kicked of the second part of the set, the very good Alive, was perhaps the catalyst of the new beginning for the band took the pressure up a notch and gave the audience the thrill they needed to really get loose.

Lyra has come of age, adversity is there to be dismissed and overcome, in a night that so many made sure they attended; adversity was sacked and given its marching orders with a display of plush beauty.

Ian D. Hall