Live Review

Dot Allison – The Roundhouse, Camden.

• 21st Sep 2009

Dot Allison has spent a lot of time touring with Pete Doherty in the past as well as combining their efforts in sing writing. Tonight she opens the act up with a small selection of songs for the crowd, many of which appear on her recently released Room 7 ½ album (which also features Doherty).

As her last two albums have be pointing towards a much more acoustic flavour of life, it is therefore surprising to see her open with “Strung Out” from her electronic experimenta album “We Are Science.” The electronic part has been replaced with a rough rock edge of course which her session musicians provide as she happily strums away on her acoustic.

It’s an impressive open and is amazing to hear Allison’s voice soar out from the music. She gets on and plays the beautiful “Cry” from her new album which is bound to be one of that albums stand out tracks.

Despite being here as support for Pete Doherty (and even going on to cameo on his set), he isn’t too game to join her on stage for the co-penned “I Wanna Break your heart” which he appears on in her new album. Instead guest vocals go to one of her session musicians. It isn’t a huge contribution so there isn’t too much for fans to to get upse about, but it may have been nice considering he was in the building.

But sadly it’s only a half hour slot she has and she is gone all too quickly. Looking down at the time only makes me infuriated that her half hour isn’t even up yet. Once more song wouldn’t have gone a amiss! But these are complaints of joy as the 26 minutes previous to this moment were a fans dream come true. Let’s hope when she plays at Cargo next month she get’s a more full set to play with.

Such an Angelic voice is hers that should there be an afterlife and it is full of singing then hers is the first I want to hear when I get there.