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LIVE REVIEW
JALEN NGONDA
NEWCASTLE NUSU
7TH OF JUNE 2024
Photos and review - David Weddle
Hailing from the East Coast of the US and now residing in Liverpool, singer Jalen Ngonda is currently touring the UK after having to reschedule previous dates due to illness. We were lucky enough to catch his sold out show at Newcastle's NUSU.
Opening act Olive Jones put on a fine performance while having to battle over the sound of people's conversations from the bar area. At one point, Olive said, "I know it's Friday night, but if you could listen, that would be great," before cracking on with the show. As the singer introduced 'Talking About Love', she said she would let the song do the talking, only to have the performance interrupted by some sort of ruckus at the back of the room. I couldn't see what was going on, but the security were there in a flash to calm things down. Very strange behaviour at a gig like this; maybe it was too much alcohol or just a bad egg, but there is no place for it in music.
Olive handled the situation brilliantly, and it didn't seem to dampen her performance at all. Despite the carry-on that was totally out of Olive's control, the opening set was really enjoyable, and Olive's vocals were stunning—definitely a name to look out for.
Opening act Olive Jones put on a fine performance while having to battle over the sound of people's conversations from the bar area. At one point, Olive said, "I know it's Friday night, but if you could listen, that would be great," before cracking on with the show. As the singer introduced 'Talking About Love', she said she would let the song do the talking, only to have the performance interrupted by some sort of ruckus at the back of the room. I couldn't see what was going on, but the security were there in a flash to calm things down. Very strange behaviour at a gig like this; maybe it was too much alcohol or just a bad egg, but there is no place for it in music.
Olive handled the situation brilliantly, and it didn't seem to dampen her performance at all. Despite the carry-on that was totally out of Olive's control, the opening set was really enjoyable, and Olive's vocals were stunning—definitely a name to look out for.
After a short break, Jalen took to the stage to huge cheers from the crowd, who had been looking forward to the show for quite some time. There was a good mix of people in the crowd, from the very young to the more experienced concertgoers. As the Jalen kicked of his set there was a slight technical hitch on the opening song, with a cable failing and needing to be replaced, which was done quickly. Jalen was unphased by it and gave a stellar performance.
The audience was in good spirits as Jalen played a good mix of his oeuvre, including 'It Takes a Fool', which really showcased his soulful voice perfectly. His infectious smile connected with the audience as the charismatic singer gave Newcastle a night to remember.
It was well worth the wait, as Jalen Ngonda is most certainly destined for big things. With several festivals lined up this year, Jalen is going to very busy spreading his music across the UK, Europe and the US so keep your eyes peeled for a show near you.
The audience was in good spirits as Jalen played a good mix of his oeuvre, including 'It Takes a Fool', which really showcased his soulful voice perfectly. His infectious smile connected with the audience as the charismatic singer gave Newcastle a night to remember.
It was well worth the wait, as Jalen Ngonda is most certainly destined for big things. With several festivals lined up this year, Jalen is going to very busy spreading his music across the UK, Europe and the US so keep your eyes peeled for a show near you.
