Longing for Laura

Late last year I was fortunate enough to experience first-hand the enchanting voice of Laura Marling live on stage.  ‘Girl crush’ doesn’t even begin to cover it; this woman is simply one of the loveliest human beings ever created. After first hearing her sing New Romantic live with Jules Holland in 2007 I was immediately compelled to buy her album Alas I Cannot Swim and this year I Speak Because I Can which I have since happily listened to on repeat too many times to count. She is the most captivating creature I’ve ever come across, from her enigmatically melancholic lyrics; to her cigarette-laced, beautifully velvet voice; to her thoughtful eyes hidden beneath her mess of baby blonde hair.

It transpired that I had to see her alone after confusion with friends’ tickets, so when it came to the day of the gig I was a little apprehensive about spending an evening leaning on a wall trying not to look like a loner with no one to comment on the performance to. But after a pint of cider and a sprightly folk/jazz support band called The Pins had passed an hour or so of my time, Laura came to the stage, and any fears of feeling like an awkward lemon melted away. She apologised for her croaky voice which she said was the result of a nasty bug, and warned us all that her show may not be up to scratch - but although when speaking she sounded like she’d just had her tonsils out; as soon as she began to sing it was clear that she was as stunning as ever, and the hoarse edge to her voice only enhanced the performance.

As she sang, a girl next to me swayed in her boyfriend’s arms with a gentle smile of ecstasy on her face and her eyes closed; this reflected the feeling in the room pretty well, as Laura plucked and strummed away and sang us all into a state of elation. Songs were broken up by interludes in which she chatted to us with quick wit and humble comments, a particularly endearing question was “What is a good traditional Welsh dish that I can try and take home for my Mum?”. If you are ever lucky enough to be in a town where she is playing, get to the gig, because even if you have to stand awkwardly alone; she is absolutely worth it.