Wallis Bird at Leaf, Liverpool. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Liverpool Sound And Vision Rating 9/10

There is something uniquely endearing about Wallis Bird as she takes to the stage, something deeply fascinating and mesmerizing. It is as if the room upstairs at Leaf on Bold Street, known more perhaps for its gentility and courtesy has been suddenly transformed into the Liverpool Echo Arena. The mesmerising power of the individual to make the room appear so vast, to make the sound generated that of a collection of Concorde’s taking off simultaneously next to you and yet the true focus of attention appear so larger than life that their essence makes Wembley Stadium feel like a match box is one that makes you feel compelled to believe in power of mass hypnotism. All of this and yet the only weapons of choice is an acoustic guitar!

The power of the match box is that it contains combustible substances, the right amount of pressure and the tinder box sets of a chain of events that result in a fiery explosion, a dramatic outburst that is sudden, incredibly intense and capable of erupting like Krakatau and its force being heard around the world. That is the power of Wallis Bird, she has the resources at her disposal to set off an eruption of gratitude and positive personal explosion of appreciation that you would scarcely believe that Leaf on Monday night could sound like the Echo Arena after someone such as Peter Gabriel or Megadeth had bombarded the senses of Humanity.

Being on tour for three quarters of the year is bound to leave anyone jaded, misty eyed and counting down each second until they get home, so they can take off the performers clothes and radiant smile and become themselves again for a while. It is natural and to be expected, you would certainly never feel anything less of the artist for being a normal human being. Yet hidden underneath the aura that is being exuded with a controlled temper and flying guitar strings is a woman who even when weary gives off more vigour and sweat inducing force than an Olympic athlete winning the 100 Metres final and finding the time to build a small bungalow at the finish line before anyone else crosses the line.

With four albums under her belt and the promise of work to commence on a fifth, Wallis Bird certainly had a huge choice in which to enthral. With songs such as Daze, Blossoms In The Street, I Am So Tired Of That Line, the absolute sincerity and appealing nature of I Can Be Your Man, Encore and Hardly Hardly being performed the mighty dynamo stomped and caressed equally, like a hard working but sensitive lover, Wallis Bird captured every fluttering heart before her and beat down the doors to the closed minded with a sledgehammer before gently taking them in hand.

Wallis Bird at Leaf will no doubt go down in the annals of musical history in Liverpool as being one of the most scintillating, most enjoyable acoustic sets to ever be performed and witnessed. This was ground breaking, a landmark gig for a very unique musician. This is the world of Wallis Bird, a woman for whom the adage of I was there at that moment, really does fit.

Ian D. Hall