The most memorable gig experiences can be not only the superb artists and music, but also who you were with at the time. So at this cool historic retro venue, I found myself amongst the illustrious company of WRC Boss Don AJ, his co-review stalwart Mark C and other notable gig goers and influencers such as Nigel Foster, Kevin Duncan, Derek Pettit and Stevie Sweetie Monster.

There was also all you lovely audience members including Emma and her husband from just outside Oxford, plus my fellow photographers in the pit including John 'Mr. Rockrpix' Bull, Michelle Kelly Fredericks, as well as that tall macho lionesque gunslinger of a togger, Paul Dubbleman! Indeed, we had all come far and wide across the South-East and beyond, whether seated or standing, or on the ground floor or in the gallery, to experience Elles Bailey’s enchanting music.

Officially kicking off her 2026 UK and European Tour to promote her newly released album 'Can’t Take My Story Away', there was also an unexpected bonus in the form of US opening act Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast - well, 2/6 of them - who presented a very enjoyable acoustic set.

A band long on the WRC radar (they won the 'One's To Watch' category in our 2025's WRC awards), even this pared back version with newlyweds Caitlin Krisko on vocals and Aaron Austin on guitar (this tour with Elles is apparently doubling as their honeymoon!) if anything highlighted the quality of the songs and Caitlin's beautiful Blues/Americana voice in particular. I loved her sweet melodic set including 'Let it Ride', 'Battle Cry' and 'Haunted By You'.

Majestic in stature, as well as haunting in tone, Caitlin disclosed that Elles had personally invited them on this tour (Elles actually came onto the stage to announce them with a lovely, personal introduction) and that it was an opportunity they had jumped at. The full band return to the UK in October and I would thoroughly recommend you get yourself along to see them!

Following on from her January UK Stripped Back Instore dates, chart topping, multi-award winning, Bristolian vocalist Bailey is a fiercely independent artist, charting her own course on her own terms with her own wonderful genre-straddling music encompassing Blues, Rock, Roots, Country, Americana and even Soul.

As she and the band took to the stage to blitz through the first three tracks of the the new album, it became apparent that a brass section had been added. Indeed trumpet player Paul Jordanous had met Elles when she played dates with Rag 'n' Bone Man, and Paul had the chutzpah to suggest that whilst loving Elles' band ... it could do with a bit of brass :-) So, after writing (great) scores, we were treated to the bonus of him and sax player Claire adding a very welcome layer and Stax Soul arrangement to the set, which I loved.

She is a super-likeable artist and is fluent at engaging with her audience - just amiably chatting, but talking lovingly and movingly, when revealing backstories and the like. She took time at various points in the set to thank her superb band - Jonny Henderson (keyboards), Matthew Jones (drums), Joe Wilkins (guitar), long time songwriting partner, the stylish Matthew Wear (bass) and the ever smiling (and surely going places) Demi Marriner, an artist in her own right, on acoustic guitar, vocals, and a miscellany of shaky and tappy things. The interaction between Elles and Demi was a delight in it's own right

Bailey not only lovingly and movingly curated her life and musical journey that shaped her five albums 'Wildfire' (2017), 'Road I Call Home' (2019), 'Shining in the Half Light' (2022), 'Beneath the Neon Glow' (2024) as well as 'Can’t Take My Story Away', but the packed crowd also became swept up in it. Ironically Bailey said that she particularly wanted to start off her 2026 tour from The Islington Assembly Hall, as she had been so unwell the last time that she played here. Well, believe it or not , just two days after celebrating her 38th birthday with a terrible fever, Elles once again soldiered on tonight like a trooper, just as we witnessed last time!

As well as being a great singer/performer, Bailey is also a superb composer and pianist/keyboard player, which was perfectly illustrated when she took a seat alongside Henderson at the keyboards, to accompany herself on 'Let It Burn'. Elles also paid tribute to her late friend Matt Long whose single 'Better Days' features on her album. a moving, soulful, Blues driven tribute to Catfish's Long, that was written by Matt before he sadly passed away,

Elles' personal journey and her character traits were also reflected in her song titles, including this evening's opener, as well as being BBC Radio 2’s most played track of 2026 so far, 'Can't Take my Story Away', as well as 'Growing Roots', 'Constant Need to Keep Going', plus her poignant message to the audience, 'Love Yourself'. Other highlight were 'Deeper', her wonderful tribute to her husband at home when she is on tour, 'Leave the Light On', a searingly passionate, imploring cover of Bonnie Raitt's 'Love Me Like A Man', 'Angel', of whom she co-wrote with Aaron Lee Tasjan and her producer Luke Potashnick, plus the penultimate 'What’s the Matter with You'.

Tonight I not only loved Elles Bailey’s music, as well as her gritty and melodic powerful vocals, but also her courage in life, tenacity, determination and likability. To see, hear and experience Elles in concert is a sublime experience. Indeed, I also sense that out of all our UK artists in the wider Blues scene, she is the one to watch with regard to a stateside cross over, on the verge of making it really big in the USA. A superb first night of the tour, so plenty of time for you to sort out yourself a ticket for another upcoming show. Go see !

Photos, videos and review (with chip-ins from AJ & Mark C): Denise Lester

Setlist:

Can’t Take My Story Away
Growing Roots
Better Days
How Do You Do It
Deeper
Help Somebody
Love Me Like A Man
Best Believe
Constant Need To Keep Going
1972
Angel
Let It Burn
Tightrope
Love Yourself
Leave The Light On
If This Is Love
What’s The Matter With You
Take A Step Back