‘Thank goodness I didn’t wear jogging bottoms tonight’ was the first thought that came into my head when I approached 5-star London hotel The Ned. As I walked through the huge doors I felt like a child when they enter their favourite toy store, my face lit up at the beauty and elegance of the building. This restaurant/hotel was a lot better than my frequent McDonald’s visits. In the middle of the hotel was The Nickel Stage which had a glowing sign ‘New Music Mondays’ and that was exactly why I was there.
Even though I was surrounded by designer clothes, expensive wine, and opulent food, I still couldn’t help but focus my eyes on the first musical offering of the night, Wolfgang Harte. Wearing his black vest top in the middle of a posh hotel was a statement on its own but I truly loved it. Hugging his guitar, moving his long locks away from his face revealed a man whose voice could fill up the whole hotel, with heads turning away from their pricey drinks to get their hearts tugged at by his personal, soothing lyrics. When I got the chance to speak with Wolfgang, he had a beaming grin and is definitely somebody you could have a laugh with.
Up next on the M-Music-M unsigned showcase was Badminton, a band who are so down to earth that they don’t even realise how cool and fresh they are. The three boys who travelled all the way from Leeds to perform at The Ned gave the venue an indie, electronic, rock feel. They could give The 1975 a run for their money, I’m serious. I would love to see them perform in a smaller venue to get even closer to their raw talent.
Anna Wolf can certainly lead a pack, making everyone in the building turn heads and say ‘who is that woman?’
I didn’t just watch a performance, I watched an art piece, almost theatrical. Even with her black fringe mysteriously covering her eyes, and bright red lipstick on her lips, those weren’t the only bold statements from Anna Wolf that evening. Performing one of her classics ‘Believer’ while multitasking (playing the drums, singing, facial expressions and also dancing) Anna is extremely mesmerising. Her voice gives off a Sia vibe, but she is totally unique. Stepping off the stage she intertwined herself through all the tables, making everyone stop eating their food and focus on her amazing, eye-catching, alternative performance.
Last up on the stage was Nigel Thomas, the kind of guy everyone wants to be their family friend, bringing out the guitar at every gathering. There’s no doubting that Thomas is an incredible writer, fusing together the late sixties and Brit-pop, something many people couldn’t pull off.
New Music Monday at The Ned is incredible for seeing up and coming artists, I recommend you check it out.