Jessi Deluxe Debut UK performances at the Barfly and Metro Bar.


It's a classic once in a while story.
You get invited along to see yet another new band
and go with expectations not exceeding much more than that.
Another new band.
You hear the promotional songs. They're good. Better than the average.
Still you don't expect to be so blown away on the first night that you come away thinking
you've just been privilieged to see a future rock legend at the very earliest stage of her career.

Wednesday night at the Barfly - Chalk Farm was the most exciting night I've had seeing a new act for a very long time.
In Jessie Deluxe I saw a band that will rise to the level
where one gets "used to breathing rarified air", as Steve Kilby wrote,
making their first steps out into the world to get the name spread about
to start building up the all important early fan base.
There will come a time when they start playing bigger venues as they gain more success
and I bet I'll never get to see them so close and so raw again.
As album sales and therefore revenue grows, so will the inevitable gloss that comes with it.
Better quality sound systems and lighting and bigger stages.
With that will come more distance between audience and act.
It's nobodys fault it's just the way of things.
But I can always look back and say smugly "Well, I was lucky enough to see their debut gig at the Barfly".

Jesse has that rare quality of a true performer.
She has the spark.
That undefinable element which detaches the best from the rest.
Apart from that she also has wonderful energy, a great voice with a superb range, natural performance, a beautiful face
and a smile to wreck your life.(see above)
She is a competent songwriter, though we have not heard her best yet, by a long way.
She will eventually write THE song that sends her up to the room at the top, you just know it
and when she does that will be the defining moment in her career.
Her performance is one of great rock posing with eyes and mouth making some glorious expressions.
One minute she struts about like a wooden doll with her eyes thrown up,
the next is all out, head back, Hendrix.
It's brilliant to watch.
She has an inner stillness and peace about her when she is not engaged in her music, that she switches from when the songs kick in,
getting totally lost in her rock persona.
"Angel" is her best song yet but that won't be what makes it for her.
She has much better music yet to come out of her and I can't wait to hear it.
Yet and all, Angel is a good song and is well worth buying or downloading.
I can't stop singing it. It's a posessing melody, with a superb voice - guitar parallel line in it. It's on the money.
Other songs about love and life, one in particular about "Macho Men" are also well worth having and getting to know.
It is a good debut collection of music.
Jesse is wonderfully young and with the right care and nurturing which I'm sure she will get from Transistor Project I feel she will develop into a career artist and not one whose fortunes will wane with a change in fashion.
She is a refreshing rock act in a chart currently dominated by four piece male rock look and soundalikes.
She is unique.
So in fact are the rest of the band .
The drummer plays each night as if it's her last.
She headbangs relentlessly while she plays and is a rock on percussion.
She never lets up and is a complete Tasmanian Devil of a player.
They brought along a fill in Bassist for these gigs who is also a friend.
A diminutive girl who played a very musical and often complex bassline compared to most rock players.
Her Fender Bass looked huge on her but she kicked in with the music and backed up the percussion as well as the melody perfectly.
She has a wonderful personality and rides a Harley Davison.
Now, sorry , but a girl who rides a Harley and plays great bass in a rock band?
It doesn't need to get any better.
Another thing that struck me about Jesse Deluxe is that despite my futile attempts, none of them seem to drink alcohol.
Even after the gig they refused my repeated offers of beer, sticking to their bottles of Evian.
Or maybe it was neat Vodka hiding in their bottles and they thought I was a wimp drinking beer.
Seriously, they all seem to be so level headed, so friendly and unassuming.
It's silly of me to hope they will become successful because I'm sure they will despite my blessings.
But they do deserve to. If there is any justice.

Definitely check out their latest offerings and get to see them at any available opportuniy.
You will be happy to have heeded my advice, people.
Girls, you will want to be her.
Boy's you will want to be her.......... boyfriend.
She certainly swept me off my feet.
Jesse Deluxe are definitely the pick of new unsigned music at the moment but they won't remain unsigned for long