Shockingly, despite having lived in Newcastle for 5 and a half years, this was my first ever gig at The Cluny. It definitely won’t be my last, as I was genuinely taken aback by how lovely the atmosphere is there. I could tell most of the crowd was made up regulars who love to discover new music and it made for such an energetic, supportive gig experience. There were no phones in the air, blocking my view; just a room of people dancing like no one was watching and getting lost in the moment. In other words, support your local indie venues!

Opening the night was Canadian genre-bending artist Nyssa, who’s magnetic stage presence had the audience fixated. Her theatrical performance style brings to life the poeticism of her lyrics, in which werewolves, Roman gods and witches live in harmony. Nyssa’s emotionally-charged vocals reach the most wonderful climax when she belts with a folky cadence that reminded me of a Florence Welch/Sharon Van Etten hybrid. And just when you think she couldn’t get any cooler, she was giving away tarot card readings at the merch table.

The minute Anna took to the stage with drummer Robert Kretzschmar and bassist Alexander Binder, it was clear to see we were in for a fun night. The chemistry between the trio was undeniable; it felt like we were watching three good friends have a jam session, and as Anna chatted away to the audience between songs, it felt like we became a part of their group. Her quirky, razor-sharp lyrics are best experienced live, heightened by her charismatic stage presence and her camaraderie with the band. Despite bringing such a care-free, effortless aura, the technicality of Anna’s performance was on point; much of her music is spoken word, but every now and then she’d wow us with her beautiful, soft vocals - all while plucking out distorted, rhythmic riffs and adding electronic beats into the mix. It was such a warm, cosy gig experience that really captured the feel-good nature of Anna’s music.

Leanna Thomson