Write Like a Girl Tour Review – Megan Roberts

The “Write like a Girl” Tour kicked off in Norwich Wednesday night, with budding country artists Beth Keeping, Emily Faye and Vic Allen sharing original songs with local music lovers.

Belles and Gals sponsored artist, Emily Frith, joined the trio as a special guest for this show. I was very eager to see these four ladies live after discovering their music on Spotify.

The Jurnets Bar is a cosy venue nestled in Wensum Lodge by the riverside; secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city. Dating back to the twelfth century, this unique undercroft is host to local acoustic acts weekly. I have never seen a place quite like this before, and it’s definitely a great stop if you want to get an idea of the Norwich music scene.

The show was set out incredibly well, with the musicians taking turns to perform, much like the style of a Nashville Writers Round. This made the night extremely interesting as it gave the girls a chance to not only play their music, but tell the stories behind each track too.

Each individual songwriter had very different stories to tell, and the sisterhood between them is clear. The artists reminisced of their times in Nashville, where a number of their songs had been written and recorded.

Emily Faye started the evening with a song she had played on BBC Look East earlier that day, Open Road. She has recently released her EP, Here I Am, and even had us singing along at one point. She told the story of how she had written love song Me for Me to perform at a wedding, and I definitely felt goosebumps whilst this song echoed through the cellar.

Vic Allen, in her hometown, gave locals an insight in what music we can expect in the near future. She has been recording her debut album at GingerDog Records recently including her new song, Barcelona, proving popular with the audience. A few songs from her most recent EP, Between The Lines, also made the setlist.

Special Guest Emily Frith captivated the small crowd with heartbreaking ballads such as You and I and upbeat tunes like The Blue. The nineteen year old has balanced writing new material along with studying Graphic Design at a local university. Having a local guest perform each tour date is a fantastic idea. Emily had a very positive reaction, and will be recording new tracks soon.

Beth Keeping performed last (but definitely not least!) each round. Her most streamed song on Spotify, Strangers in the Same City, was my favourite of the tracks on her EP Fool . The final song of the night, No Hard Feelings, talked about dealing with rejection in her music career. It’s hard to believe that an artist like Beth could be turned away, this song certainly proves her amazing talent.

A recurring theme throughout the night was ‘girl power’, and these women all showcased this with a passion for supporting each other in their careers. I can’t wait to see how their music grows over time, and there’s no doubt that all four of them (if not already) are going to be a great success.

Norwich was just the first date of the tour, so you can still catch Write Like a Girl in a town near you! I would highly recommend going along to a show and supporting their new music.

Review written by Megan Roberts (twitter.com/megwritesalot)