Crystal Clear: Jessie Ware, Live in London

Opening with “Midnight”, the first single from Glasshouse, Ware immediately displays her crystal clear vocals, as well has her excellent chemistry with her band and backing vocalists. This was also evident in older tracks, such as “Night Light” from 2012’s Devotion, and this engagement was further seen when interacting with the crowd during more danceable tracks such as “Want Your Feeling” and “If You’re Never Gonna Move”, pointing out members of the audience and dancing along with them.

Ware breaks to speak about her time away from performing and how motherhood has changed her writing style, highlighting the thematic change in her lyricism and how she is able to write about more than unrequited love. This change is noticeable when listening to new tracks, such as “Your Domino” and “Thinking About You”, which emit a rawness and evoke a certain unconditional love that is somewhat unique to new parents. The staging, with its vast array of greenery and warm lighting, also correlate with the aesthetic of Glasshouse, transporting the crowd from rainy Islington to more tropical climes. This is helped somewhat by the intense heat inside the intimate venue, which eventually leads Ware to remove her heels and borrow a hairband from an audience member, promising to “never wear [her] hair down to a gig again”.

Towards the latter half of the set, Ware launches into a second performance of “Midnight”, the set opener, suggesting that whilst it might be in poor taste, she simply wants to perform it again. This is a decision that is met with a rapturous response from the crowd, with this second performance proving to be much better than the first, as Ware, the band and the crowd alike, are all a lot more warmed up. Rather than being in poor taste, this repeat performance truly showcases where Ware is in her career, as she is at a point where she is allowed greater autonomy and artistic freedom, and this is further evinced by the intimate nature of the venue.

Ware’s charisma and rapport with the crowd is not only clear whilst performing, but also during her short interludes between songs, perhaps most apparent when she politely asks the crowd to put their phones away before the last two songs, to which the vast majority oblige. Launching into a performance of “Say You Love Me”, complete with full audience participation, Ware follows with “Sam”, which is co-written with Ed Sheeran. This final song is a particularly poignant end to the evening, as Ware truly bares her soul in a moment in which you can genuinely hear a pin drop. This ending serves as a perfect moment of reflection for the crowd on an evening that delivered some of the finest charisma and vocal talent that there is to offer at the moment.