Live Review: Wil Wagner, Laura Stevenson, Lucy Wilson, Iona Cairns

Iona Cairns is welcomed by a hesitant crowd as purple lights illuminate the inside of The Melba Spiegeltent. The Bristol-based singer impressively serenades us with renditions of tracks from the band Shit Present. Cairns persuades and convinces with powerfully honest lyrics and easily replicates the sound of a full band armed with only an electric guitar.

She's featured as a guest on some of The Smith Street Band's songs and Lucy Wilson makes a perfect addition to this evening's line-up as her incredible vocal range delights us during Wake Up Alone. After advising us not to "smash a kebab" before a show, she performs an incredible rendition of John Farnham's Burn For You and we cannot get enough.

From the second Laura Stevenson walks on stage, we are absolutely captivated. Tracks such as Journey To The Center Of The Earth and Bells & Whistles are easily relatable and we hang on the singer-songwriter's every word. A (shy-looking) dude who's introduced as Fitzy joins her briefly for an amazing trumpet collaboration and the crowd is now more than warmed up for our headline act.

After some very brief sound issues, a jovial Wil Wagner greets the cheering audience. Opening with an acoustic version of Death To The Lads, Wagner journeys through solo tracks and stripped-back versions of The Smith Street Band's singles, now sounding entirely new solo and on nylon guitar strings. Wagner allows the crowd participation to carry choruses, all the while belting out his authentic and emotional verses. He treats us with a new track, Laughing (Or Pretending To Laugh), from the upcoming record by The Smith Street Band, narrating an evening he spent on a New York rooftop with a woman while on tour. Continuing with a unique cover of When You Were Young (The Killers), we now join him in song for a standout performance of My Little Sinking Ship. Wagner is unafraid when addressing his battle with depression throughout his career and continues to amaze us with emotional track Laika. It's encouraging to see the audience relating to Wagner's heartfelt lyrics as he invites us on a self-deprecating journey through life.

Finally, he gives us what we've been waiting for: an upbeat, energetic rendition of The Smith Street Band's Young Drunk. Every single audience member joins Wagner to belt out, "And tonight I'm getting young drunk!" Wagner is then joined by Wilson for a brilliant duet, I Scare Myself Sometimes, and we wish this night would never end.