Brian Nash, Naomi Campbell and Tom Lloyd came together to perform acoustic sets at the first Narrative event of 2024.
What is The Narrative?
The Narrative is a monthly songwriter showcase and networking event ran by Rheana Forrester.
The event takes on the ‘in the round’ style, which is where the songwriters sit together, taking turns to play their songs acoustically.
The style creates an intimate and collaborative atmosphere – a place where artists can showcase their work and interact with the audience on a sensitive and emotional level.
“It’s ran by creatives for creatives.”
Rheana Forrester
Rheana Forrester said: “I felt like we needed a space in Liverpool to truly showcase songwriting, so I took it upon myself to set this up to create an inclusive and intimate environment to do so.”
Brian Nash
The famous band Frankie Goes To Hollywood guitarist, Brian Nash, has over 36 years of professional experience in the music industry. Starting in 1984, Brian still makes performance appearances in the present day as a solo artist under the name, ‘Nasher’.
The band’s iconic song, ‘Power of Love ‘was written by Nasher. The year marks the band’s 40th anniversary, a year in which we saw a return of them at the Eurovision opening in Liverpool in 2023.
During his time as a soloist, Brian has released four albums and played live at a variety of venues, from festivals and arenas, to the local pub.
In 2011, a published autobiography by Trinity Mirror called ‘Nasher Says Relax’ made its way to bookshelves and was later transformed into an audiobook. You can read Nasher’s autobiography here.
During the performance, Nasher played his songs ‘Yesterday’s News’ and ‘Salt in Our Veins’. He has vocal, guitar and songwriting skills that capture you, making you listen and feel every word and note.
Brian would often speak about Liverpool, his time touring the world, and the importance of events like The Narrative within his set.
The 60-year-old said: “There is so much competition in Liverpool.
“Who’s got the best gigs or who’s got a bigger audience – it’s important for gigs like this to really connect with the music.”
Naomi Campbell
Multi-talented performer Naomi Campbell is a woman capable of the extraordinary.
Last summer, Campbell supported Chris Helme from The Seahorses on a UK tour, then flew to Tennessee to perform in songwriting contests in Nashville and Memphis.
The Irish musician is one third of the popular Americana band, Motel Sundown. Karen Turley and Robert Johnson make up the rest of the band that formed in 2018.
Motel Sundown are based in Liverpool and are inspired by the likes of Johnny Cash, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan. They released their debut album ‘If You Were Listening’ in 2022, receiving more than 20,000 streams to date.
Naomi’s performance was fuelled with emotion, from filling the room with laughter as she cracked out her jokes and told her stories, to tears falling as she played and sang melodic, heart-felt songs.
The singer-songwriter talked about her time in Nashville and how it felt similar to The Narrative gig.
She said: “It’s really exciting. I did a lot of writers’ rounds when I was in Nashville recently and that was a lot of fun, so it’s nice to do it here in Liverpool because I’ve not done anything like this locally before.
“I think it’s really nice to perform in something where you can really talk about your songs and the stories behind them.”
Naomi added: “Everyone is going to be listening because it’s such an intimate venue and intimate setting.”
Tom Lloyd
Songwriter and drummer Tom Lloyd played a sentimental set at The Narrative. Artists like Bruce Hornsby and Steely Dan have inspired Lloyd to write enchanting songs.
Lloyd was accompanied by Lydia Shute, a 21-year-old singer-songwriter. Enlightened by pop/indie artists Gracie Abrams and Phoebe Bridgers, Shute has a modern, airy, light, yet well-controlled voice.
During the night, Tom played keys and harmonised with Lydia’s vocals. They gave a heart-touching and passionate performance.
Over the past couple of years, the songwriter’s journey has ignited an ever-growing lust for writing. Tom spoke openly about his path, allowing his music to be understood and appreciated.
He said: “I took the plunge into songwriting. I grew up playing the drums, but my dad was a keyboard player and he always told me when I was younger that I’d end up playing piano. I was sure that I wouldn’t, but here I am.
“I’ve been writing songs in my bedroom for a long-time and its time to get the song out there and work with amazing musicians like Lydia.”
Tom plans to release his debut single this year.
The next Narrative event will take place on February 6 at the Output Gallery, and is set to feature The Real People, Katie Nicholas, and Cal Williams.
You can reserve a space here.
Two image credits to @Jessiesnaps
Mersey Music 