Alela Diane at Shepherds Bush Empire

Alela Diane at Shepherds Bush Empire

21 September, 2009
by: Danielregan

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Alela Diane is no stranger to live performances, given that this is her 97th show since February. The accomplished musician burst onto the alternative folk scene with the release of her debut album, 'Pirate's Gospel', which was initially released in CD-R format in 2004.

With her musical style often labelled under the psychedelic rock genre, Diane creates beautiful riffs and melodies with insightful lyrics, primarily circling the themes of family and nature. Since the release of her second album this year, 'To Be Still', Alela has been touring the world in her old truck bringing her haunting folk to the masses. 

Whilst Alela Diane is an incredibly popular artist with two successful albums under her belt, it doesn't come as a surprise that the venue is not full. It probably doesn't help that the aural assault of support act The Leisure Club's 90s rock/pop performance was mingled with a flute, reminding me of an even more dire version of The Corrs.

When The Leisure Club clear the stage, not a moment too early, the atmosphere becomes calm and quiet. Whilst the upstairs seating area seems full, the standing area packs in at around two thirds of the venue, although none of this affects the rapturous applause given when the lady herself takes to stage. She is accompanied by backing singer Alina Hardin and none other than her musical father Tom Menig. Alela's voice is instantly recognisable and pure without faltering, and although her guitar riffs are simple, it seems irrelevant given her poignant lyrics and trance-inducing arpeggios.

Beginning with a range of tracks from her distinctively lo-fi first album, Alela soon invites the rest of her band to the stage, including her boyfriend (bass) and her previous high school violin teacher. Diane's recognisable efforts to 'keep it in the family' pay off; the arrangements are perfectly formed, blending and creating striking visual imagery straight from her emotional vocals. During guitar tune-up moments, her quirky cowboy looking boyfriend entertains the crowd with shy comments. For someone who had no intention of following music and aimed to pursue a career in graphic design, Diane's sorrowful ethos is channelled perfectly into a niche style of calming folk.

For newer songs from the 'To Be Still' collection, there is a sense of greater production, bigger sounds, and perhaps a move forwards from the catharsis that melancholy 'Pirate's Gospel' brought Diane. Whilst songs from Gospel can appear monochromatic, the colour of tracks such as 'White As Diamonds' seeps through with the accompaniment of drums and bass. Her voice even appears a little different, settling with more range throughout. Alela's performance is faultless, blending these dual album themes of rural domesticated bliss and the heart-wrenching reaction to parental uprooting.

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Danielregan