 | | Flynn (pic: Ged Camera) |
Due to the lack of the usual student crowd, the singularly titled Flynn appears to be performing to the hardcore followers, which means family and friends. His deep, resonating voice fills not just the upper area occupied by the bands, but the lower hall as well. Everyone has one of those days when nothing goes right – a succession of frustrations making you want to go back to bed, let things pass over and start again.  | | Aidan Smith (pic: Ged Camera) |
Tonight is one of those occasions for Aidan Smith. At the start of the set, he acknowledges his initial error – he has forgotten the plug for the keyboard, but his trio will continue using a miniature guitar, trumpet and normal guitar. A nicely skewed sense of humour is evident in the lyrics and his smooth voice holds the attention, but then the niggles arise. The feedback kicks in, the set list is hastily re-arranged to include a cowboy song the rest of the band don’t appear to know, and Key of G And C is whispered before the song collapses after 20 seconds. Ultimately, a quiet “**** it” is murmured and the set finishes.  | | Kamal Arafa (pic: Ged Camera) |
Strings aplenty form part of the unit supporting headliner Kamal Arafa, including a double bass and two violins. The lush sounds float over the crowd and into the street, as Arafa sings about love in a manner that betrays his youthful looks. Never maudlin, occasionally humorous, seriously cool and composed, the orchestral swoops and swoons are well received by a crowd that has now grown appreciably in numbers. All in, lovely stuff. | 
