Brooke Law brings Naked Heart aboard The Golden Hinde – live review
Following in the footsteps of Sir Francis Drake, Brooke Law brought adventure back to The Golden Hinde. With soulful vocals and country-rock energy, the historic ship came back to life as we left the hustle and bustle of daily life behind and went on a ‘Joy Ride’.
This historic London landmark made for a unique and intimate venue, beautifully carrying Brooke’s songs and energy. Luckily, no one was made to walk the plank for not buying merch, but we did all get involved in singing the nursery rhyme ‘When I Was One’. It was quite a scene watching everyone get fully immersed as our voices echoed around the ship:
“We’re going this way, that way,
Forwards and backwards,
Over the Irish Sea.”
One could even say we got our ‘Freak On’, one of Brooke’s most popular singles and a definite audience singalong. It perfectly fuses pop hooks with lyrics that are impossible not to remember, but beyond its catchiness, it is also a song about feeling accepted in a world that is nowhere near perfect. The audience certainly didn’t shy away from singing “I’m a freak, you’re a freak, just keep freaking on” with pride and confidence. That’s the beauty of music: it lets us connect not only with ourselves, but with those around us.
Brooke has written a wide range of genre-fusing songs that can both make you move, like the country-rock ‘Gypsy Woman’ and more recent single ‘Joy Ride’, and turn a room completely quiet with songs such as ‘Big World’. I first heard that song a year ago, right at the beginning of my photography journey, and was hooked by how deeply personal it felt.
“So much to lose, so much to prove,
What would you say if you knew they couldn’t touch you?”
But it wasn’t just the lyrics that made the night feel special. Brooke has an ability to make everyone in the room feel seen, and this performance was no different, with the added bonus of her guitarist taking the opportunity to own the room. They even braved the low ceilings of the second floor for the final song of the night, a very fitting take on Tina Turner’s version of ‘Proud Mary’. If the boat had been on the water, it would definitely have been rocking, as everyone was on their feet and moving. A perfect ending to the night.
Brooke Law is currently touring debut album Naked Heart, with another London date coming up at The Grace on 7 October.
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