Gig Review: Michael Kiwanuka at The Level
A small venue for 'Small Changes' - but a big night for Nottingham...
Full disclosure: this review was never going to be objective, because I'm a huge Michael Kiwanuka fan. The man could have walked onto the Level stage drunk, yodeled the Canadian national anthem for an hour and run off screaming, and this would probably still be a glowing write-up.
But luckily, even if I was completely unbiased, the 37-year-old would receive a massive Notts Review round of applause for his intimate Rough Trade set - because he was magical.
Based on the quality of Kiwanuka’s latest album, ‘Small Changes’, it was always likely that this was going to be a pretty special performance. His fourth studio album is yet another strong outing, and is elevated by the singer-songwriter making it his most personal to date – he told the captive audience that this is filled with tunes that he has wanted to put out into the world since day one.
From the second the hazy guitar riff kicked in on opening song ‘Lowdown’, this was a distinctly Michael Kiwanuka performance, as the popular figure eased through songs both old and new
Yet with brilliant supporting artists taking to the stage alongside him – particularly backing vocalists Emily Holligan and Simone Daley-Richards, who perfectly complemented the main man’s talents – the wonders of the album were taken to new levels.
From the second the hazy guitar riff kicked in on opening song ‘Lowdown’, this was a distinctly Michael Kiwanuka performance, as the popular figure eased through songs both old and new.
The note-perfect rendition of ‘Small Changes’ was a definite highlight, with the tune encapsulating the ethos of his new record – it’s little wonder Kiwanuka chose to name the album itself after it – and his more iconic singles like ‘Cold Little Heart’ went down a treat with fans.
The musician also made the most of The Level’s intimate surroundings, setting aside time to tell anecdotes about taking his father behind-the-scenes on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ and provide insights into how the album came together.
For a soulful singer like Kiwanuka, this really did feel like the perfect set-up, allowing the audience to get to know him better both as a man and an artist. The truth is, though, it’s hard to imagine any context in which the Londoner wouldn’t excel. He is, in this writer’s opinion, one of the leading talents on the British music scene – and he showed that in full force in Nottingham last night.
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