Feeling like a proud parent, after seeing LP, AKA Laura Pergolizzi, grow in popularity. We first across this artist by a fluke, and after luckily getting some passes for a gig at the small but gorgeous Omeara Club in London, to be honest were blown away. Next, we saw her at the larger Birmingham Institute, very well attended, and now tonight, a sold-out Apollo. But that’s only the UK. She has long had a large following in Eastern Europe and South America – we were a little slower getting on the LP train.

First a quick briefing. LP started out writing songs for the likes of Cher, Rhianna, Backstreet Boys, Leona Lewis and Celine Dion, before deciding to go out and do her songs herself, thankfully. And now tonight is the end of the world tour supporting the latest album ‘Love Lines’, kicking off with ‘Golden’ from the album, which dominated the set. The first seven numbers immediately had the crowd singing the chorus, loudly, and to be honest they never really stopped. The atmosphere was electric.

With a voice that captivates you with power, control, and emotion, which she can take so high you fear for the glass in the Apollo, I kid you not. and by the time the older biggies come out like ‘When We’re High’ and ‘Lost On You’, ‘Girls Go Wild’ and the very emotive ‘Recovery’, I was surprised that the crowd had any energy left, but they rose to the occasion. And a song that I had always thought would be great live, title track ‘Love Lines’, and I was right. The track builds into a big bombastic sound, it was immense, before finishing with ‘Hola’, leaving the assembled crowd, ecstatically happy, with big smiles into the cold London night. Like us, hoping that it won’t be too long before we get chance to experience this fantastic artist again, please!

Photos by Geoff Griffe
Review by Jenny Griffe