Joesef Review

At the tender age of 24, the soulful Glaswegian musician Joesef is quietly on his way to be a future household name within the UK music scene and he proved this is the case with his stunning gig at Soup Kitchen in Manchester.

Supporting Joesef was Katie Pham who without her band playing behind her (but two of them supporting her in the crowd) and what she described as a ‘hastily put together’ set, didn’t seem phased at all and provided a great opening to the night. Alone with her smooth, striking voice, a guitar and keyboard, she gave her audience relaxing indie pop that deserves to be hear by more, it’s a shame that wasn’t more people in the crowd to see her. ‘Save Me Some Saucy’ was one of the highlights of her set.

The moment Joesef with his band started his set, I couldn’t help but move to his dream-like and funky indie pop and I wasn’t the only one in the crowd. We got treated to tracks such as ‘Loverboy’ and ‘Limbo’ with their groovy hooks showed influences of Motown and jazz with a little bit of hip hop that demonstrated a beautiful combination. A highlight of the night was ‘Don’t Give In’ which with its melancholic guitar sounds, his dreamy and clean voice and open lyrics marked with vulnerability proved to be evidence for the talent he holds. Even when his voice is isolated with soft guitar notes it further emphasises his falsettos and truly great soulful voice. The only negative I have is that the set wasn’t longer than it was as I could have enjoyed at least another hour of his bedroom pop.

He mentions after he finishes a song that he hasn’t been drinking that night and that shows that you don’t need alcohol to be confident as at no point during the gig did he seem to act shy or uncomfortable. As a result, this confidence further encapsulates a set that should had been witnessed by more people. It was clear to understand how he sold out King Tut’s in Glasgow (the same venue that Oasis were originally signed) and is being compared to Amy Winehouse. It is highly recommend that anyone gives him a listen and I look forward to hearing more from him.

Overall, a mix of funky and melodious guitars, groovy basslines, soft drumbeats, dreamy synth and a stunning voice provided a pleasant evening of music.