Sikasa brings ‘The writings and the pictures and the song’ tour to Dundee.
Picture this… It was a dark and cold October night in Dundee and you and a friend decided a ‘school night’ gig was the best way to spend an evening. Intentionally, neither of you had taken a deep dive into the artist performing for the night (if you have never done this before, I highly recommend it) but had seen some posts on social media and had faith it was going be a good night.
Arriving at the venue for the night it was a rare sight to see people there for doors opening (especially during the week) and it was even nicer to see a very mixed crowd in for the show.
Jodie Elizabeth King
Jodie is a young singer songwriter who is a breath of fresh air. She writes beautiful original songs that are folk inspired, reminded me a little bit of Julia Fowlis. Jodie has a unique voice and a strong Scottish accent that shines through her performance. It was evident that she enjoys performing and delivered a packed out set in the given time frame. Jodie is playful with both chord sequences and phrasing within her songwriting which showed real musicality. I loved how authentic she came across as both a person and a performer and at the end of the set appeared humbled that gig goers came down early to see her.
Becky Sikasa
There is no denying I see a lot of live music, I also often come away from a lot of shows saying ‘I loved that’ or ‘that was special’ however Becky Sikasa has raised the bar HIGH.
I can possibly count on one hand how often I leave a show in complete awe. I am unsure if I ever stopped smiling that night. I felt completely transported and emersed in the performance as soon as the band kicked in and Becky, full of poise, graced the stage. I could have been anywhere other than Dundee for those 60 minutes, it really would never have mattered. Magic happened on that stage.
If you like the elegance and soul of Corinne Bailey Ray and the vulnerability and rawness of Amy Winehouse then Becky Sikasa deserves your time and attention. Becky and her band cleverly blend soul, R&B, pop and a little hint of jazz, creating this fresh neo – soul sound that makes a lasting impression.
For the sound and vibe the band make you would assume they are a bigger set up than they are however with 5 very gifted musicians (and well utilised backing tracks) they are musically resourceful.
As a unit this band is something special. They have an undeniable subtle chemistry on stage that you would possibly only notice if you paid attention to the intricate details of a head nod, a smile or a hand movement through out the set. Becky leads from the front in style, with perfect placement of her band members on stage, each individual member can be viewed and this should be thought about more for shows. I thoroughly enjoyed watching all the musicians on the stage that night and it says a lot about Becky’s respect for her band to have that kind of stage set up.
Kyle Sharp (drums) is the happiest drummer I’ve ever witnessed on stage. His heart and soul is so ingrained into this set and the pure joy of playing was evident as he lit up sitting behind the kit. Sharp is a fantastic drummer who is innivative about what he plays (and doesn’t – which is equally important). He pushes the boundaries of rhythm and groove yet can sit tight in the pocket with guitar and bass also.
Dominik Ehrl switched between bass and guitar throughout the set, exceedingly good at both that I couldn’t tell which is his strongest instrument. Doninik and Kyle bounced off each other so well throughout the set and were fun to watch. The grinning from ear to ear when they hit the grooves together was great to see.
Becky has a band full of vocalist, which is nothing short of amazing as the band performed some stunning 5 part harmonies. Lissa Robertson (Keys and vocals) and Keli Thomson (vocals) stand strong together in vocals and harmonies supporting some of Becky’s most intricate songs. They both have a great vibe going on and have good fun on stage together which projected well to the crowd.
All too often I see bands these days with backing tracks on stage which I don’t believe are actually adding any quality additions or depth to the bands over all performance. It was terrific to listen to a band live where the tracks provided some substance, however (and I said this to Kyle after the show) the band have such a strong set that I think, in the best possible way, the show would run perfectly without them too. That is a real testimant to the band and their performance to not solely rely on technology to run their show.
On this night Sikasa showcased exactly why she finds herself on the Scottish Album Of The Year Award (SAY) for her EP The writings and the picture and the song. Her voice is beautiful, her mic control to create specific dynamics are on point and she has such a wonderful stage presence. During the set she told us a story about almost giving up on music, I for one am certainly glad that she didn’t as she belongs on the stage.
I could imagine this style of show on a bigger scale with a string and horn section, not because it’s necessary but because it would be cool. What Becky and her band have is special and I felt that in abundance following the show.
Becky Sikasa has the ability to win big and go far and it’s wonderful to see another Scottish artist have a successful debut tour. I don’t want to use the cliché ‘ you heard it here first’ but I wholeheartedly believe Becky is an unstoppable force in the music scene, as she redefines genres and pushes musical boundaries. We will see her on much bigger stages very soon.
📸 Bonnie Ross