Local songstress Ilia Nicoll seems like the kind of performer who, on the right night, casts a beguiling spell on her audience and, at the Ship, she had a crowd swaying. A multi-instrumentalist with a voice that occasionally resembles Christine Fellows or Laura Veirs, she went electric at Lawnya Vawnya, backed by a great band who created a hefty folk-rock foundation for her impassioned songs. There are mystical overtones in her arrangements and lyrics about stumbling together while in various romantic states. And despite the no frills, guitar-bass-drums set-up, there was something kinda trippy yet tight about Nicoll's set. It was hypnotizing in the best ways and, with the band taking a break from playing until their debut LP is out in August, you could feel them enjoying some special zone.
To see Exclaim!'s Lawnya Vawnya photo gallery, head here.
To see Exclaim!'s Lawnya Vawnya photo gallery, head here.