In the intimate setting of Southport’s independent Bijou Cinema, Naomi Campbell delivered a quietly captivating acoustic set as part of the Grateful Fred Presents Bijou Sessions, supporting Jocelyn Petit and Ellen Gira. With a modest but attentive audience, largely composed of older, seasoned music lovers, Campbell’s performance stood out for its warmth, storytelling, and subtle musical craftsmanship.
Opening with ‘Across the Waves’, a reflective piece charting her personal journey from Ireland to Liverpool, Campbell immediately set the tone for a selection of songs rooted in emotion and place. Her delicate guitar work and clear vocals created a close connection with the audience. The second song, ‘Don’t You Mind’ — which she recorded during a stint in Memphis — brought a touch of Southern soul, enriched with harmonica flourishes that reappeared later in the set.
A heartfelt rendition of Neil Young’s ‘Harvest Moon’ offered a familiar anchor for the audience, showcasing Campbell’s ability to reinterpret classics with respect and originality. She followed with ‘Your House’, a track by her band Motel Sundown from their 2024 EP El Dorado, which carried echoes of Crosby, Stills and Nash in its intricate vocal phrasing and nostalgic tone.
Her 2024 solo single ‘Tuesday’s News’, influenced by David Crosby, deepened the sense of introspection and West Coast folk homage, while the acoustic version of her current single ‘Remembering’ allowed her songwriting to take centre stage, stripped of studio polish and even more affecting for it.
The set closed with ‘The Cottage’, a wistful meditation on an empty house near her local train station — a quietly powerful ending to a set that would make a perfect side-1 for a solo album.
In a world of loud, overblown performances, Naomi Campbell’s stripped-back set was a reminder that sometimes, all you need is a voice, a guitar, and songs that tell the truth.
The Grateful Fred Presents Bijou Sessions are a series of intimate live music events held at the Southport’s Bijou Cinema. Organized by Grateful Fred's Americana, Roots & Acoustic Nights, these sessions showcase a diverse range of acoustic, folk, and roots artists from around the world.
Reviewer – Adrian Cork
On – 22.05.2025
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