Jade Bird Shines at Neon 194 with Soulful Set and Big Laughs
- Dave Broome
- Jun 6
- 3 min read
Jade Bird Neon 194, Piccadilly, London, 5th June 2025
WORDS / IMAGES DAVE BROOME
Ahead lies a craft night—the craft of songwriting. It wasn’t billed as one, but it could have been. Two artists doing what songwriters do best: sharing personal tales of heartbreak, laying their souls bare, and entertaining a crowd.
First up is Fred Roberts. He’s playing an acoustic guitar but has brought along a pal who colours each song with lovely melodies picked out on his electric guitar. It makes for a really nice combination.
He has tracks on Spotify, he’s keen to tell the audience, but this acoustic, stripped-back set is a first.
Roberts is confident and comfortable with the crowd, sharing plenty of added info on each song. There’s a recurring theme of breakups and loss—every track, it seems—which gets a chuckle from both artist and audience. He comes across as warm and friendly, and the crowd (which is full, by the way) has taken him under their wing, willing him through each song. As the set draws to a close, the applause is long, loud, and heartfelt.
The thing about guitar-only performances is there’s very little setup. So, in no time at all, the signature white Taylor guitar is making its way across the stage in the hands of Jade Bird, and we’re on to tonight’s headline act.
Nashville-inspired, Americana-inspired, and there’s no denying the country influence here too—the outfit, the boots, and of course, the songs. But this is no jumping on the country bandwagon—Jade Bird has been banging this drum for two albums now and it’s likely to be running through the heart of the soon-to-be-released third. That new album gets some airtime tonight.
It’s always difficult playing tracks from an unreleased album, but the more attentive audience members have heard a few singles—and they go down well.
Older tracks have a different vibe. Fan favourites like Uh Huh are belted out with gusto, and the crowd claps and sings along with energy. Headstart boasts the most fantastic chorus, and I Can’t Make You Love Me is a tear-jerking beauty—her favourite song ever, her words not mine!
In between songs comes her party piece—not a song, nor a story, but a laugh! Loud, raucous, and completely infectious. Everyone laughs along with her. The laugh is part of her warmth and appeal; Jade is at ease with the audience in a deeply personal way. They’re not just on her side—they’re all part of the Jade Bird “family.”
“Shall we go a bit country?” she asks. Haven’t we already gone there?
There’s genuine glee on her face as the set powers on. She’s loving every minute of this and throws in extra tracks that don’t usually make the setlist—tracks she says she normally messes up, but she’s past caring.
Crowd-pleasers Lottery and I Get No Joy round out the night. The guitar is laid down, and she’s off to sign posters. Hearts broken, a soul bared, and a crowd thoroughly entertained. A job well done, I’d say.
Setlist
1/ What Am I Here For
2/ Dreams
3/ Nobody
4/ Uh Huh
5/ Ruins
6/ Still In Your Life
7/ Side Effects
8/ Hit and Miss
9/ My Motto
10/ Einstein
11/ Headstart
12/ Save Your Tears
13/ Avalanche
14/ Who Wants
15/ I Can’t Make You Love Me
16/ Now Is the Time
17/ Lottery
18/ Jet Black
19/ Going Gone
20/ I Get No Joy
FOLLOW JADE BIRD
Comentarios