Before the musicians take the stage just a few minutes walk from Holborn tube station, we are asked to raise our hands if this is our first time at the event. Fewer than half the hands rise, and even this many seems to be a shock to the event’s producer / founder / effortlessly charismatic frontman Ovie. This is a night with a loyal following and an almost familial atmosphere.

Tonight, however, Ovie and his fellow organisers have been unlucky. In this, their first supper club since Covid, they have temporarily lost the slated up-and-coming chef to… you guessed it. Still, going by the list of ten tasting dishes on the website, it seems safe to say that when we get the chance to eat the dinner, we will be heartily recommending it.

And anyway, the music is a feast of its own. The vocalists (Beverley Skeete, Kevin Leo, Bishop Brad, Dave Ital, Lex Cameron) are professional backing musicians who have worked with the likes of Tina Turner, Mary J. Blige and David Bowie. Their performances are as impeccable as their musical pedigree, and they belt out a whirlwind of jazz, blues and soul standards with the confidence of stars who have spent their whole careers in the limelight.

Spotlight Live: Unplugged has all the flair of a West End show, backed up by the soul of a social enterprise. It is a delight to see such talented performers centre-stage – exactly where they belong.

Evie Prichard
Photos by Brown Eyed Girl

Spotlight Live: Unplugged returns to Conway Hall 17 December 2022.