Country songstresses, Julia Cole and Alyssa Bonagura take to the Pizza Express Live stage in Holborn London for a fantastic night of good food, chill vibes and, of course, fantastic music.
The atmosphere in the Pizza Express Live venue was quite the aesthetic to say the least. The low lighting, table service, and a menu filled with glorious Italian food created a relaxed feel that set the mood for the rest of the evening. The plan for the night originally was that Alyssa would take to the stage first to wow us with her wonderful voice, before Julia shows of her talent for the rest of the evening. However, during the soundcheck they decided to completely change the plan…but for the better. They decided that the crowd would enjoy it more if they were to be present on stage throughout the whole show, and to take it in turns to sing their own songs. They called this a “writers round.” Between songs, they would do a story time for the audience. They would explain what each song was about, the inspiration behind the lyrics, and the audience would be absorbed with interest as they explain the origins of each track.
Alyssa Bonagura sang her newest track “New Wings” which went down a treat. A particular magical moment was when she started to sing Coldplay’s dazzling and emotional hit “Fix You” – a song that everyone knows and every one in the audience was singing along. It was a moment where you could truly appreciate the power that live music creates. The chills that we felt down our spine when this moment happened is one that we won’t be forgetting in a hurry.
Julia Cole also knew how to wow the crowd with her fantastic storytelling skills within her lyrics. A particular highlight was when she sang her hit “Things I Can’t Say” – a song she released with Spencer Crandell and has reached an astonishing 11 million streams on Spotify! She dedicated the track to her sister who just so happens to be getting married at the weekend after the gig had taken place!
The gig just kept getting better and better. After the girls took a short break, they returned to the stage…but this time, they weren’t alone. London has a strong country community and their were other artists that attended in order to watch them perform. However, in the second half, they invited their musician friends to join them on stage for a sing along. They sang a couple of songs together including Florida Georgia and Ben Rexha’s hit “Meant To Be,” and Dan and Shay’s “Tequila.”
The best part about watching this performance from start to finish, was to witness the beauty of independent artists support other independent artists. All the way through, the two stunning singers would hype up the other. Who doesn’t love women supporting women? No one, that’s who. And when they bought their friends up on stage to join them, that was truly the icing on top of the cake. It just goes to show the power that music has on all of us, and the connection that it builds. Although plans had changed on the day, they couldn’t have planned it better. Being in the audience, you felt that you were a part of something beautiful.
To keep up to date with Julia Cole and Alyssa Bonagura, be sure to check out their socials below;
Alyssa:
Julia:
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