The evening of September 1st graced London with the kind of heat that clings to one even after the sun has plunged below the horizon. The sky dulled to grey, offering nothing but a lingering warmth that made the air feel thick.
As I entered Bush Hall for the Emma Ruth Rundle gig, the energy of the crowd was palpable – a mass of people, all slightly damp with sweat, ever so gently pushing forward closer to the stage. Brothers in discomfort, bonded by shared anticipation and humidity, we patiently waited for Berlin’s Jon Samuel Ardron to open the evening. As their first notes filled the air, the discomfort melted away, replaced instead by collective catharsis.
Jon Samuel Ardron presented their debut album Body of Abel – a continuous piano composition that tugged at emotions with subtle power, creating a deeply personal yet universally resonant atmosphere. Even after Jon played the final note, the impact of their performance lingered, compelling me to revisit the album several times since. This performance was a lesson in intimate storytelling, with Jon’s artistry seducing the audience and leaving a profound impact.
Emma Ruth Rundle
And then came Emma, her presence unassuming, vulnerable, and full of poise. It was just her and her guitar, and a voice capable of moving the entire audience as well as mountains, I suspect.10 years after the release of Some Heavy Ocean, she treated the audience to a near complete rendition of the album. Each song felt timeless, as if each chord and word seemed destined to convey into that very moment. The music’s exploration of light and shadow, or harrowing depths juxtaposed with delicate brightness, came to life through Emma’s voice – a voice that not only filled the room, but transformed it.
Her performance felt personal but also familiar, every note like a brushstroke painting vivid memories in the minds of those who listened. Each lyric she sang seemed to carry the audience further down their personal rabbit holes, pulling us into the deepest recesses of our emotions.
The atmosphere brimmed with raw emotion; so much so that one could hear a pin drop – or perhaps even the sound of tears quietly rolling down some cheeks. Emma exudes not just talent, but kindness and love. Between songs, she broke the intensity with her lighthearted humour, a few words that lifted us just as easily as she brought us inward. It is a rare gift, to be able to touch on the profound and the heavy, yet still find space for levity.
ERR’s performance offered more than just a concert; it created a shared experience that seemed to leave everyone in attendance feeling as if they had been part of something precious, something intimate and powerful. As she humbly left the stage, the room felt different – charged with the echoes of her music, and perhaps a bit more in touch with the light and shadows within each of us.
Artists: Emma Ruth Rundle