Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7.5/10

Stillhet’s Strings and Things monthly Sunday evening shows at the Parr Street Studio have always been of the highest quality, friendly and forthcoming when it comes to having musicians on board who might have been away from the glare of the stage and the music lover’s hearts. It is a trait of kindness and gentleness that allows any sign of nerves to be dispelled and left to wander freely back out onto the road and pavements and wrapped in its own negative thoughts.

For Sana, the nerves may have been there, the consideration that the music had not been played for a while to an awaiting audience uppermost in the minds of the performers, however nerves are not the memory in which many will have taken away from this delightful return to the stage for the group, what will have been learned most assuredly is that the sweetness of voice and playful lyrics are there in strength and vast numbers to be enjoyed and relaxed to.

As the set went on, a change came over the stage, the air was lifted and the heat of oppression was disbanded and shuffled off to sit with its head in its hands and sulk like a small child caught trying to terrorise a butterfly giving off splendour and appropriate joy. In the hands of a musician who knows that what they are doing is cool and inspired, such moments are wonderful to watch and it makes for an even more interesting gig to listen to. In all respects that is the sound of confidence being placed before a crowd and it is a pleasure to listen to.

With three original songs and three well performed covers making their way into Sana’s set, the music was undoubtedly King for the evening, the chance to ease back in gently and play it safe far from the minds of the twosome on stage, what they did instead was to take wonderful chances and grooved with passion. Whether in the form of Dream With Your Eyes Open, the excellent Don’t Want to be Your Girlfriend or in the covers Thinking About You or Chandelier, Sana grew before the eyes and the sound carried forth beyond the expected, what was evident to all was just how much they had missed singing them play live, the applause at the end warm and superb to hear.

The more you play, the more you get out of it, it can only be hoped that the band come out to play more often, for the music is enjoyable and infectious.

Ian D. Hall