Vanessa Murray, Studio2, Liverpool. November 2015. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Time is such a precious commodity that to waste it, to allow the night to fall away into the arms of Morpheus without having seen something remarkable, something thrilling, something cool and loved without exception, could almost feel like a crime has taken place. To allow the night to just wander into obscurity, to fade away without falling in love, artistically or humanly seems a sad state of affairs to be in and in the words of the eternal prophet, something must be done; for it’s About Time.

Vanessa Murray has not allowed the grass to grow under her feet, time may seen the lawn laid and cared for but there is no damaging weeds, no rust upon the lawnmower of life and quite rightly so as she launched her debut E.P., It’s About Time, at Parr Street’s Studio 2 to acclaim and the sound of beating hearts that were wild and full of admiration for what she had achieved.

Time is precious and everyone deserves to have their story told, to be in the company of any musician as they ply their thoughts to the crowd, hawk their belief or even allow the pawnbroker of lyrics to weigh up the pros and cons of selling on their words is to be considered an honour and as Vanessa Murray and the talented group of musicians she had surrounded herself with on the night played through the half hour set, that honour was seen to be abundantly clear to everyone.

With Greg Joy, Laura Liderth, Isobel Lim, Espin Hoem, Robin Wilkinson, Laura Simpson and the great Luke Moore on stage with her and for one night only as a solo performer, Vanessa Murray played songs such as I Don’t Wanna Love You Like This, Fire That Burns Within, It’s About Time, Old Friend Of Mine, Again, Thanks To You and perhaps a big surprise to the lively and wonderfully supportive audience, never mind Ms. Murray, a spontaneous encore in Life’s Too Short.

Liverpool is blessed with young musicians making such a mark on the psyche of crowds in the city, the future, if allowed to be kept from the prying greedy eyes of speculators and property developers that threatens the independence of the arts all over the country, should be one where the next generation of lyrical offerings are met with same response given to Ms. Murray as the first Friday in November came in with a bang.

It is always about time and the use of it, to be in Studio 2 as the stray fireworks spiralled into the air in some parts of the city and the suburbs was to say to Time, the night was mine and it was so well worth it.

Ian D. Hall