The Female Showcase

Some of the best venues I've ever been in are the hidden ones. The ones in back alleys or in small villages in the middle of nowhere, the venues that not many are aware of but stumble across them by accident and then slowly but surely that venue becomes on of the places that everyone wants to play. A few months ago I had never heard of The Courtyard in Ayr until I was standing outside The Burns in Irvine and Connor from A Band Called Cadence asked me to play there. A few weeks later I played on the bill along with Taylor Buntain and Alex Duncan and instantly it became of my favourite venues to perform in. It's small and intimate but at the same time is a lively and insane place to play. Every Friday night there's a different group of musicians performing. With styles ranging from Acoustic to Hip Hop, it really is the place to go in Ayr on a Friday night. Friday the 13th of April was the turn of The Female Showcase featuring Carol Davies, Rebs Cloke, Laura Hyslop and Anna Sweeney, some of the top talent in Ayr.

First up was Anna Sweeney, a 17 year old performer who sings with the heart and passion of someone much older. I've been privilaged to see Anna perform on numerous occasions, it's one of the perks of being involved in the Ayrshire music scene. Her songwriting is second to none and her voice is so gentle but so powerful at the same time. Tonight she showed up crutches with a sore throat, but she battled through it to give her performance. The beginning of her set provided a few technical difficulties but like a true pro she battled on and you could hear the hint of her sore throat in her vocals, but (unlike most performers) a sore throat actually sounded good. It added that huskiness to her voice that I think is what alot of singers need, she pulled it out the bag with a winning performance. Anna without doubt is a singer/songwriter who has a huge future ahead of her.

Laura Hyslop is an American superstar in my eyes. You know those musicians you see in pubs and you instantly think to yourself that they belong on a larger stage with a massive audience? Well Laura is definitely one of those musicians. It's her voice that instantly attracts you, it's so powerful and emotional that you can't tear yourself away, even for a moment. 

Up next was Rebs Cloke, I'm not going to lie, the first time I ever saw Rebs perform I wasn't keen. It was nothing bad, I just didn't like the style of music but the more and more I've saw her perform the more and more I've fallen in love with her music. When I saw her this time I was in awe, her vocals were amazing and pitch perfect and her songs are written so brilliantly, I struggle to believe it's the same Rebs Cloke I saw a few months ago.

Carol Davies was the host of the evening and performed at various points throughout the night, although her partner Mark was not on hand to accompany her as usual, she still performed at a very high standard. If I could tell anyone where to go in Ayr for music advice and direction, then I would direct you to Carol, she loves her music and she is one of the few who actually can give you good advice. She's a well rounded performer who interacts with any crowd and makes them pay attention, when her voice hits out those first few notes your captivated by what you're hearing. One of the true stars of the Ayrshire scene.