In the musical sense, the term “unplugged” refers to an acoustic performance.  Oh sure the instruments may still be physically plugged in, but the overall vibe is more laid-back and intimate.  Electric guitars and full drum kits are typically not seen or heard at gigs such as these, and as a result the decibel level is not driven nearly as high. The Junk Bar already draws in the audience with its ambience and smaller than average stage, so it proved to be the perfect location for a softer and more gentle approach to live music.

This evening was HILZ’s first gig for 2025, and once again she had some stellar support acts.  The first of them was Ella Mari, who actually shared the stage with HILZ at The Bearded Lady late last year.  It was a pleasure to see her perform for just the second time.  For her set at The Junk Bar, she was joined by a keyboard player and a third performer who provided woodwind elements in the form of clarinet.  Ella strummed an acoustic guitar and sang, with some rich three-part vocal harmonies filling the performance space during their time on stage.

The second support act was Siena Larsson, who I had seen plenty of times in the past.  She played a stripped-back acoustic set that night, and it was a similar affair at The Junk Bar as well.  She told me before this gig that all of her songs are written on acoustic guitar, and she is able to perform them in their purest form in this manner.  She is equally adept at accompanying herself on guitar as she is at fronting a band.  Some of the songs in her setlist were performed acoustically for the very first time, which felt new and refreshing to the ear. It’s always pleasant to hear an artist present two very different takes on the same song, almost as if each version is coming from a different perspective.

HILZ is one artist who usually has some heavier instrumentation in her songs, such as electric guitars, bass and a drum kit.  It was therefore a very different approach at The Junk Bar, as she was joined on stage by an acoustic guitarist and a percussionist who played bongos, a shaker and a stompbox.  Her brother played keyboard as always, so that aspect was unchanged.  HILZ refers to her bandmates as “the lads” and they always provide some beautiful vocal harmonies no matter the nature of the gig.  HILZ has a remarkable vocal range and I find it astonishing that the percussionist’s harmony lines are higher in pitch than hers!  The songs performed in their setlist at The Junk Bar were generally taken at a slower pace, when compared to how I have heard them in the past.  There was a real smooth groove felt throughout the whole evening, which kept the audience thoroughly entertained from beginning to end.

Words and Photo by Alan Atkinson