Score: 7.5/10
Imagine if you could see the live personification of a mix of the gorgeous femmes fatal and the naif girls you saw in your favourite David Lynch movies. Only she plays guitar, sings and covers Nick Cave. Lynch’s new muse Chrysta Bell landed in London on friday April 11 to perform her debut live show in the UK capital at the Oslo in Hackney. Her magnetic sensuality on stage is as intriguing as the lascivious, languid melodies of the tracks taken from her album “This Train“, which she co-wrote with the American director. Vocally, she delivered beyond expectations, proving she can reach deeper, more powerful layers than what sounds on the recording versions; her apparent “shyness” is nothing but an excuse to add even more secrecy to a character that never reveals herself fully, though sporadically interacting with the public with a very soft, high-pitched voice.
Opener of the show were the grungy riffs and jazz bass of “Real Love“, that catapulted us into the Pink Room of Fire Walk With Me, only to find ourselves even more involved in the dreamy atmospheres of Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Mullholland Drive and at times even Wild At Heart. Closing with a kick-ass cover of Nick Cave’s “Do You Love Me” was the perfect icing on the cake to a one-hour show that offered more enjoyment than expected.
Musically and vocally, Bell’s songs deliver much more live than on CD. It goes without saying that if you love Lynch’s atmospheres, Chrysta Bell’s live shows are the perfect occasion to immerse in them while enjoying a beautiful, talented young woman who is so far from the dozens shabby women in today’s mainstream music.
Complete Set List:
Real Love
Friday Night Fly
Moonbeams
Angel Star
This Train
Slow
All The Things
Bird of Flames
Swing
Dreams
Do you love me