Live Review: Joesef - 100 Club, London 13/09/2022
Last Tuesday evening’s dreary weather was lightened by Glasgow’s answer to Soul-Pop, Joesef.
The artist has had much success already, supporting Mercury Award Winner Arlo Parks and collaborating with rapper Loyle Carner. To celebrate the release of his single ‘Joe’, we were blessed with two secret shows, one in Glasgow and one in the legendary 100 Club in London. The historic venue, which has been putting on music events for the public since the forties, has housed many iconic musical legends. One photo I spotted on the wall while waiting for the gig to start was of Beatles star Paul McCartney, who’d played there back in 2010. However, for one night, Joesef took to the stage.
The party had already started in the crowd before there was any sign of Joesef but he went into full swing when he bounced onto the intimate 100 Club stage. Fittingly walking on to the sound of Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal’s B.O.T.A (Baddest of Them All) and opening with his track It’s Been a Little Heavy Lately. The first song of any gig always cements itself into my brain and leaves me humming it days after. But Joesef’s was even greater than that. His silky vocals floated through the crowd and the funky beat of the track helped set the party tone of the evening. We moved through his impressive discography, from the romantic I Wonder Why to glittery Think That I Don’t Need. The soulful pop sound, assisted by some impressive moves from Joesef himself, made it impossible to not sing and dance along. During the show, Joesef revealed that his debut album, Permanent Damage, was on the way and performed his favourite track about attending a party and seeing his ex. The track took on Joesef’s signature style of making vulnerability something you can dance to.
While the music was of serious high quality, it was the interactions between Joesef and the crowd that was the highlight of the night. Showing off his sarcastic Glaswegian humour, Joesef thanked us for being there, making a joke that he put on the free show due to the cost-of-living crisis. It was clear that the show, which was only accessible if you pre-saved his new track, was made up of die-hard fans who hung on to everyone of Joesef’s words and refused to stop dancing even after the gig came to an end. After briefing the audience on the lyrics of a chorus, the crowd even sang along to an unreleased track. During slower songs, it was clear that the intimate yet lively gig meant a lot to the Joesef. Understandable since the two shows took place in both his old hometown Glasgow and new home London. This was particularly prominent during his track The Sun is Up Forever, a song inspired by hardships his mum went through when he was young.
The set came to a close, but the feel-good feeling didn’t as I took the Elizabeth line back home. The evening had been a beautiful mix of Joesef’s angelic vocals and his cheeky Scottish humour in between tracks. An iconic venue, energetic crowd, gorgeous set list and an intimacy hard to come by at bigger gigs. There was anything about Joesef’s performance at the 100 Club that you couldn’t get behind.
Words by Isabelle Felton
