From the moment Camille O’ Sullivan walked on stage, she had a raw, broken, ripped-tights attitude, which was just so powerful, as, of course, is her music.
It was as if Camille was inviting us into her dressing room; clothes flung over a chair, half-consumed glasses of wine (finished off throughout the evening) dotted around her boudoir-like set.
‘camille was voted one of the top three performances on Jools Holland’s Later. Last night she was one of mine’
It’s easy to see why she was voted one of the top three performances on Jools Holland’s Later. Last night at The North Wall, Summertown, it was one of mine.
To say that she is a covers artist, is to already underestimate her, Camille’s repertoire of songs transformed into heart wrenching, soul soaring experiences that blew us away.
Some had us raucously laughing; her version of Kirsty MacColl’s ‘In These Shoes, performed in Wizard of Oz ruby slippers, was hilarious. Others had us sobbing in the aisles: Leonard Cohen’s ‘Famous Blue Raincoat‘ so gently conveyed, seemed as if she was singing to each and every one of us.
‘When Camille sang without her mic, she was just as electrifying’
Another highlight was a subversive Berlin Cabaret song, Munchhausen, with its wistful line ‘the truth is hard and tough as nails, that’s why we all need fairytales’, while Nick Caves’ Jubilee Street rose to a breath-taking crescendo.
Feargal Murray on piano and keyboard, helped create this magical atmosphere, singing a duet with Camille, dedicated to her friends Sinead O’Connor, and Shane McGowan. ‘Haunted’, written by McGowan and performed as a duet by the now departed Irish legends, was given a raw emotion that demonstrated the pain of her loss, the line ‘I wanna be haunted by the ghost of your precious love,’ leaving us in floods.
And yet, when Camille sang without her mic, she was just as electrifying – the power of her acoustic voice sweeping through the enthralled audience. Clearly delighted to be performing at the North Wall, it was clear this concert was something of a home-coming experience.
‘she transports you with her choice of songs, her pared down set, the simplicity of her voice, the thud of her bare foot on stage, resulting in a mesmerising performance’
Music aside, Camille also talked to us about her experiences in lockdown, her cat, learning to hula-hoop, clearly revelling in, and embracing, her 50s.
Afterwards, she warmly encouraged the audience to come and say hello, and it was lovely to meet her in person and chat about her performance of Summertime Sadness in memory of my sister at Wilderness Festival last summer.
It was Summertown sadness when this incredible special evening at the North Wall ended – I just want to relive it over and over again.
Camille O’Sullivan transports you to a different place with her choice of songs, her pared down set, the simplicity of her voice, the thud of her bare foot on stage, resulting in a mesmerising performance.
So, if you missed Camille in Oxford, you can catch her in Brighton, Reading or London’s Union Chapel in March. Hop on a train and see her, you won’t regret it.
Caroline Parkes
