Live Review: Arlo Parks - Somerset House, London 12/07/2022
Arlo Parks played the sixth performance in the Somerset House Summer Series, amongst an ecstatic crowd adorned with tall sunflowers, turning the concreted courtyard of the historic site into an embellished floral oasis.
A few drops of rain came as a reprieve from the heat of the day, stopping just in time for support act Mollie Payton to emerge - an old-soul with a fresh sound, her personal and striking lyrics guided the audience through love, heartbreaks, and lockdowns. With her performance suited for the breathtaking location overlooking the river Thames, her voice carried the crowd through the smouldering heat.
Waving sunflowers welcomed Arlo Parks’ return to London on home soil, for her only gig in the capital for the foreseeable future, in what is building up to be a worldwide tour for the 21 year-old Londoner. She mused, “I’m breathing a sigh of relief, I’m home,” after performing her breakthrough 2018 song Cola - the song that kickstarted her climb to fame.
This particular gig follows a hectic period touring with well-known indie singer-songwriter Clairo, who shares in Arlo’s wispy melodies, and soothing vocals. Arlo’s style has often been categorised as hyper-sensitive soulful pop - a mix between poetry and lyrics, the artist’s exploration of mental health, friendships, relationships, and traversing the landscapes these manifest in came to a crescendo as Arlo looked out to a cheering crowd.
Arlo played a plethora of well-known tracks, including Cola, Caroline, Sophie, Green Eyes, and Eugene. Each displaying the vocal-range of the young artist, with breaks in-between to interact with the crowd in her ever-so-soothing voice, making her words sound like poetry filling the spaces between the melodies. Black Dog settled the crowd to a melancholy slumber as Arlo sang out, “Sometimes it seems like you won't survive this / And honestly it's terrifying.”
Arlo’s recent single Softly let Parks’ seven-strong backing band fully let loose - instrumental solos were flying, with particular mention to the guitarist for his incredible performance as the sun set behind a barrier of clouds over the courtyard.
Thinking back to 2017, in which interviews, interest from management, and Arlo’s first recording contract all came from a submission to BBC Introducing with a demo track. Her following tracks generated so much interest that indie-pop five-piece Easy Life collabed with the upcoming star to produce Sangria - another tune which cemented her spot in the industry. Since then, festival spots, and worldwide tours have been part of Arlo’s life, even being described as the voice of her generation.
Arlo Parks is making waves in the young British scene, and this performance, the stunning visuals, and participation from the crowd allow us to understand why. She is holding her position amongst the very best of young British talent, with much more to come.
Words by Jemma Levine
Photography by Abigail Shii
