Live Review: Asha Jefferies, Daggy Man, Neighbour

Opening the night is Neighbour, a far groovier and less contemplative experience than the acts that follow. We can’t be diving straight into our feelings before 9pm, can we?

The incomparable creative output and sharp voice of Daggy Man is something we don’t often get the chance to witness live. What starts as a small, beaming group of super fans, slowly dwindles down to a lone girl screaming her love consistently throughout the set. Love at first sight? Hypnotism? Regardless, Zen And The Cookie (Rescue Dog) gets the talkative crowd to give Daggy Man some of the time he deserves.

Asha Jefferies struts on stage in her "nine-year-old dress": "It’s really bright and loud because all of my songs are very sad." Jefferies isn’t wrong; the rawness of early tracks in the set such as Hold Yourself Together bring the room close to calling their ex.

Jefferies boldly drops mega single Everybody Talks two songs in, before dedicating the rest of her set to showcasing her development as a songwriter on the new EP. Taking frequent breaks between songs to chug from her sustainable water bottle and munch on soy snacks, this feels less like a club gig and more like bedroom practice. Hitting the same tone as Julia Jacklin, Jefferies brings a more contemporary spin to her tunes in our opinion – less stilted emotional heap and more playful rumination. In between tracks, such as Chaos and Absence & Copyright, we get some of the most human song explanations we’ve witnessed: “This song is about festival fever, it’s dedicated to anyone who’s been called a bad kisser.” 

The spotlight isn’t fully shining on Asha Jefferies yet, so it’s nice to see such a unique and genuine voice in the small space of Black Bear Lodge. We're sure she will be headlining bigger venues before too long.