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Matt Pearce, Mike Ross and Daniel Leigh light up The Grace

Matt Pearce and The Mutiny and The Mike Ross Band played a double headline show at The Grace, upstairs at The Garage in Highbury on 9 November 2021.

Words: Kahmel Farahani

Photography: Tracey McBride and Al Stuart

“We all need live music,” Matt Pearce had said. “We need to play it, and we need to see and hear it. The community needs to reunite and bring the music back.”

Daniel Leigh is well known for fronting London based rock bands New Device and Jordan Red. Over the lockdown period, Daniel became an avid live stream performer, entertaining fans across the world during that time. Daniel has written his first solo album titled Any Other Name, which is due out before Christmas.

Daniel Leigh, at The Grace
Daniel Leigh. Photo: Tracey McBride

Dan was certainly a hit with the ladies with only his powerful voice, acoustic guitar, and accompanied by a lone violin. In the style of a young Jon Bon Jovi crossed with REM, he has the voice and the charisma to pull it off. Playing songs from his soon to be released solo album Any Other Name, tracks like Neon In The Dark have a romantic folk vibe and go down very well tonight.

Mike Ross, at The Grace
Mike Ross. Photo: Al Stuart

Mike Ross Band.

A tight three-piece band, Mike Ross sounds like an upbeat version of the Grateful Dead, with country blues licks given a turbocharge of energy via the Black Crowes. Playing songs from his album The Clovis Limit Pt 2, Mike’s guitar playing soon has a room full of seasoned players looking on impressed. A very impressive set ends with Mike Ross having gained a whole roomful of new fans.

Hella Rock Festival

Matt Pearce, at The Grace
Matt Pearce. Photo: Tracey McBride

Matt Pearce

Following the runaway success of his debut solo album Gotta Get Home, Matt Pearce and his Mutiny band are on a roll and gearing up for album number two. Tonight he shows off the searing blues chops that have gained him a fast following in the UK Blues scene.

Opening with the upbeat rocking dance of Got A Thing Going On, Matt Pearce leads his very able band through a superb set of modern blues-rock with a funky twist. Songs like Ordinary Blues and Gotta Get Home are rock solid and given a notable boost by the beautiful, soulful voice of Daliah Sherrington on backing vocals. New songs like rocking From Here To The Moon are incredibly catchy and bode well for the next album.

Matt Pearce, at The Grace
Matt Pearce. Photo: Tracey McBride

Choice covers, including a funky extended jam of The Rolling Stones Miss You and Prince’s Strange Relationship, blend seamlessly into the set and get a very decent crowd singing along. Towards the end of the set, Matt Pearce is joined by Mike Ross for some incendiary trading of guitar licks.

By the end of the show, the band have legitimately run out of songs as the audience calls for one more. The band gladly obliges by repeating the night’s first song to big applause—a great night of homegrown, original talent for the rock and blues scene.

Matt Pearce, at The Grace
Matt Pearce. Photo: Tracey McBride
Matt Pearce, at The Grace
Matt Pearce. Photo: Tracey McBride
Daniel Leigh, at The Grace
Daniel Leigh. Photo: Tracey McBride
Mike Ross band, The Grace
Mike Ross. Photo: Al Stuart

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