US singer songwriter performs in Cosham for local radio station
The George Inn is an old fashioned-style pub, and jolly good show for that, which was host for visiting US singer-songwriter, Stacy (no ‘e’, thank you mum and dad) Gabel (not ‘le’ as per a pitched roof) the first of two shows supporting local radio station The Flash (theflashonair.co.uk), where real music lives, the station that dares to be different.
These are not just fund and awareness raisers but a warm-up for Stacy before singing at the Troubador in London on Tuesday, September 16.
So we gathered on a rather stormy early winter’s summery evening for this intimate acoustic show by Stacy, who first connected with the Flash during Covid and has been a huge supporter ever since, which the Flash is vice versa.
Stacy is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the Atlantic seaboard, who visits the UK every September; she has had a varied career as a vocal/dance teacher, award-winning singer-songwriter, child wrangler for TV plus Disney (camera) and Nickelodeon (producer and camera) media, published author and now full-time with her music
Her performance was 2 x 45-minute sets totalling 18 songs, a mixture of her own compositions and some classic songs, one in particular I’d never heard live before, a very pleasant surprise. Her own songs are definitely unique to her but compared very well to the classics. In the first half Stacy began with the first ever song she performed (A Little Magic) about her guitar, which also helped her learn to play (and play she can, nothing extravagant but very adept).
Classics included Here Comes the Sun (Beatles), Eternal Flame (Bangles, my favourite of this half), Blue Skies (Irving Berlin) but, for the first time ever, Accentuate the Positive (Bing Crosby), an intriguing choice
Stacy also sang America (Simon and Garfunkel) but with a few moments silence in memory of Twin Towers (24th anniversary) and reflecting on the ongoing violence in the US
Second half picked up the tempo, her voice reflecting that she can also perform in a band setting just as well (the second show) with excellent renditions of Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell), Blowing in the Wind (Bob Dylan, how apt for the weather) and, my favourite for the whole evening, Someone Like You (Adele), all supplemented by her own Stir Crazy, Sunny Days (the Balloon song), At the Zoo-oo-oo (name of her published children’s book), Straight to Voicemail (the encore) but also a song (Captured) that Stacy has no current intention of recording or publishing (shame, it is a lovely song).
Stacy has a very easy going nature, very confident interaction with the audience with tales about her and her music, very clear vocals, very good range with that power just tucked away. George regulars Dave and Peggy commented “excellent, crystal clear, diction good, good banter, putting her own stamp on ”
Very impressive all round, recommended, grab an opportunity in future visits (stacygabel.com ; facebook, Instagram etc)
Ken Ebbens - Flash radio presenter