by Jade Nixon
Liam Fender is a North Shields born-and-bred musician who has been on the scene for well over 10 years releasing original tracks that tells tales of finding your optimism, strength and heart-warming tales of love and hope, overcoming adversity and hardship in 21st century Britain.
With his comeback single "Love Will Conquer" being released in October 2022 under Humble Angel Records after a long hiatus, Fender has since been working tirelessly. Releasing his 2023 EP "Love Will..." featuring a cover of Joy Division's smash hit "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is sure to pull at the heartstrings with a delightfully full string section and vocal chorus.
July 14th will forever be marked as a monumental day for everyone at Liam's gig at Boiler Shop and not for the reason of the match score (sorry...too soon?). This event was a gig in many of North Shields/Newcastle residents for the sole reason of hearing Liam's smooth, dulcet tones and magical organ skills alongside the Voices Of Virtue gospel choir.
The night kicked off at an early 5pm with support from a fantastic contemporary folk band named The Often Heard who performed a near hour set of lively and comforting songs including an instrumental piece named "Sycamore Gap" and the second track of their 2022 debut album, "Where The Big Lamp Shines," (and personal favourite) "Casablanca." The melodies of this band are not to be underrated; these voices filled the entirety of the room within seconds with the audience captivated.
The dynamic of this group is remarkable with voices and instruments fully and beautifully in tandem throughout the entire set that even included a cover of "Meet Me On The Corner" by beloved local band Lindisfarne, which catapulted legendary songwriter Alan Hull into the spotlight and the hearts of all Geordies.
Soon enough, after a short intermission, the excited crowd was roaring and ready to hear the velvety voice of our own Mr. Fender as he took centre stage. The whoops of whistles of the audience were deafening even in a small venue such as Boiler Shop, really proving how loved Fender is by his home city.
The set opened with an absolutely amazing song, "The Best Is Yet To Come," a song Fender has been performing live but is yet to release officially amidst the disappointment of fans, which was a real treat for those who have to wait patiently for each gig to roll around to hear it again.
And then... a song named "Man Down" followed, which is a song that Liam himself admitted to the audience was not well rehearsed, yet he and his band absolutely pulled it out of the bag (to no one's surprise, this man is a natural at everything music). As the song came to a close, Fender joked, "I bet you were expecting a choir..." just before introducing and warmly welcoming the Voices Of Virtue gospel choir to join him on stage. I cannot physically write down how incredible their voices are and especially in harmony with Liam's and his band. The voices of this incredible vocal group really turned a great performance into a fantastic one. The entire room felt brighter and somehow, even more full of love. Their rendition of "Dear Lord and Father" was extremely powerful and poignant, it really struck you in the heart and made you feel every emotion possible at once.
Liam then went on to perform his rendition of "Joy Division," a cover I will never tire of hearing. His voice, coupled with the strings on stage was a moment to take a pause. It was one of those moments where you really just stop and have to take in every moment because it really does just feel that special.
This evening was a night to remember as the set closed with beloved "Love Will Conquer." It felt like the end of the night, even though it was just beginning! I'm sure everyone in attendance will agree with me that it was a gig to remember from beautiful folk tunes from The Often Heard to the tear jerking harmonies of Voices of Virtue and the emotional, comforting sound of Liam's voice reverberating off of every wall in Boiler Shop.
Fender really is a pillar of our community, telling stories all of us can relate to, just in a way we don't know how to, even explaining and giving us all of the love and hope he talks of in his songwriting. I am so so glad Liam is back in the industry and churning out songs that will be loved by many, even years from now. The Northeast has an incredible music scene, spanning every single genre and age range, and Fender still manages to capture the hearts of so many, and that, I think, is something to be incredibly proud of.
All above photos of Liam Fender and The Other Heard were taken by Jade Nixon.
Follow Liam Fender
Comments