Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Truer words are rarely spoken at any gig. The visiting band might say at some point how much they love a particular town or city, they might perhaps, and with great sincerity attached to their name, say that the audience has been the best on the tour, after all one gig in arguably ten is going to be right. However, when Nadjia sings inside the Parr Street’s Studio 2 about Time not being a creature to be tamed, the truth of existence is placed naked before the world, that the time between the tick and tock might be kind, it might treat you well, but it will still ravage your very soul in the end.

Liverpool is a long way from Uttoxeter and Nadia Bounasser is not the first young musician in recent times to find themselves coming from the outer reaches of Staffordshire and charm a Liverpool audience, however like Thom Morecroft and Alexandra Jayne before her, the North Midlands charisma is one that captivates from the very first loosening of the beguiling voice.

Whether the name change emotes certain spiritual provocation and the adding of a single j brings out more of the woman on stage is arguably a discussion bound to rage at some point, but as Nadjia the thought of the ethereal, of stepping out from beyond a shroud and claiming outright the chance to place certain musical images infront of an audience is paramount; after all what is in a name, except the increasing fascination with the allure that it provides.

Opening up the extremely well organised and well put together latest instalment of Strings and Things at Studio 2 after what has been one of those weekends in which half the country seems to descend upon the city of permanent U.K. culture, should arguably be seen as an honour and Nadjia didn’t disappoint one little bit.

With the ravaging hunger of Time ticking against her, Nadjia performed the tracks We, Time Is Not A Creature To Be Tamed, Learn and A Minute with the greatest of gifts afforded a musician, authenticity. It is the stamp of an earnest author that the song in which they have composed leads them to do small flourished details on stage which might go missing in many eyes, but as the songs flowed through Nadjia, the unaware compliments to the likes of Kate Bush, in spirit and ethereal voice, came out. In others it may have been likened to a form of musical sacrilege, however, and especially on the song Learn, the gentleness of inner-strength abounded and the force in which Time growls and scrapes at the cage door, suddenly loosened, no longer prowling, just sat patiently and with its head bowed.

The art of putting together an evening’s entertainment is a tricky one, you need a big future artist to really set the tone for the night ahead, somebody who grab the attention of Time. Time may not be tamed, it can though be paused and everything else around you become insignificant, for a short while at least, and in Nadjia Time passed with a pleasant, genuine affection as she stood on stage in Studio 2.

Ian D. Hall