Joanne Shaw Taylor Unleashes Blues Magic at the Indigo O2 with support from Connor Selby

We like the Indigo at the O2. It’s a much smaller, and therefore more intimate, venue than it’s bigger sibling, and perfect for an evening of blues with two of the most exciting names on the circuit.
Connor Selby
Essex boy Connor Selby and his band took to the stage to a warm welcome from the growing crowd and gave what can only be described as a virtuoso blues performance. For the next 25 minutes he proved why Classic Rock hailed him as “blues music’s next big star.” Revelling in being with his band (previous dates on this tour have seen him give a solo performance), his music comes across as authentic and shows a deep understanding of the blues. It’s easy to forget he’s only in his mid-20s. Selby’s playing is polished and soulful, and his band (bass, drums and keyboards) compliment him brilliantly, showing what fine musicians they are too.
By the time they got to the closing number ‘Emily’, the Indigo crowd were well and truly on his side. Selby’s soloing in this number was fantastic, as he really let rip on his Les Paul.
Connor Selby is definitely making waves on the blues scene, and we think we’ll hear a lot more of him in the near future.
Joanne Shaw Taylor

Joanne Shaw Taylor seems to have been around the blues scene forever, and it shows in her live performance. From the moment she stepped out onto the stage and ripped into opening song ‘In the Mood’, she exuded confidence, charisma and sheer joy. We said a while ago that no-one seems happier when playing the guitar as Jared James Nichols, but after this evening we may need to rethink that statement!
Shaw Taylor has gained a big following since being discovered by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics aged just 16, and her audience certainly showed their devotion this evening, singing along and happy to be taken on her journey.
‘Keep on Loving Me’ and ‘All of my Love’ followed in quick succession, the latter giving keyboardist Phil Whitfield the chance to shine with some superb playing. The rest of the band – Shane Sanders on rhythm guitar, Steve Lehane on bass and drummer Eric Savage – were so locked in and attuned to what Joanne was doing they made it seem effortless, allowing the songs to breathe in a live setting and for her to solo with freedom.
Mid-set, we were treated to the lead single from upcoming album ‘Heavy Soul’. ‘Wild Love’ is rooted in the blues but has a pop sensibility, along with a killer riff and a fantastic solo.
The rest of the set spanned Shaw Taylor’s career, with ‘Dying to Know’ and ‘Diamonds in the Dirt’ standing out. The familiar opening riff of ‘Bad Love’ from 2019’s ‘Reckless Heart’ was met with huge applause and brought the main set to a close. The band took their bows and left the stage briefly, returning for an encore of ‘Going Home’ from debut album ‘White Sugar’ – and what a way to finish a set and a great night of blues.
Joanne Shaw Taylor tours the UK until the end of February and then across the USA in March and April.


Joanne Shaw Taylor Unleashes Blues Magic at the Indigo O2 with support from Connor Selby @ RockNews
You can check out even more from Joanne Shaw Taylor below!
https://www.joanneshawtaylor.com
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