So here’s the thing. A week before this show I had heard an awful lot about Laura Veirs, but have never heard anything by her. I feel a bit like a fraud as I have a real interest in this singer/songwriter and couldn’t wait to see her, but own none of her records. My guilt defeated me and so I remedied the problem by popping to my local rip- off record store to buy her album, ‘CARBON GLACIER’ (a hugely raved about record), ‘YEARS OF METEORS’ (slipped under the radar a bit but well lauded), and the new and highly rated ‘SALTBREAKERS’. From what I can gather she has travelled the distance from alt country angel, to dark folk demon, and now into mellow, accessible sweetheart. Basically, she is a bit kooky and has the balls to try new things. The fact that she has travelled to safer grounds from rocky roads should not be seen as a bad thing, it’s just the journey she’s undertaken; Veirs seems to be honest and heartfelt which will do for me. Anyway, as this is a live review and not a record review I’ll just confirm that these 3 records are amazing; so much variety, so many tunes, so much heart, so much kookiness (but not too much kookiness); and she is still someone I’d love to know.

I arrived for my first time at the legendary 100 Club on Oxford Street, probably soon to be taken over and destroyed like so many of London’s other great live venues. I was a little late, but in time to catch the last 3 songs of the support act, Your Heart Breaks. I had not known what to expect really as the MySpace page says they have up to 50 members! Anyway, I saw them and am still not totally sure of how it all works – but damn it does – and damn it’s good; just singer and a couple of friends to my relief as I didn’t have a lens wide enough for the full ensemble… This was an occasion when the venue and performers were just perfect for each other. The place lends itself to a real sense of community with seating around the side of the stage and the front 4 rows of people sat on the floor – and Your Heart Breaks do the same sort of thing; create a sense of community so you feel like you are with friends; having a laugh and just generally feeling good. The 3 songs I caught were ‘The Rats’, ‘New Orleans’ and ‘Freight Train’. What I witnessed were really good songs with really nice melodies; a real anti-folk type show where invention of sound without sacrifice of the tune is key. They reminded me of a group of your mates who you love and rave about to everyone who will and won’t listen. You just want to spread the word and get other people into them to share the experience. The rap turn of ‘Freight Train’ was a great finale and made me want to find out a little more, which is always the best way to leave.

So on to the main show, and it’s the little touches that make you think this is going to be a really good one. For example, the matching suits for the boys - newly stitched we are told by Laura. The stage setup is really cosy, with the Christmas light adorned drum kit, to the raft of small instruments around the drummers feet, and on the piano just lying in anticipation of their small moment in the spotlight during the evening. This show is all about sharing the music and experience and a lot of smiling - in the way you do with a new partner when everything brings butterflies and you learn something amazing about each other every day.

The set opens with lead song from ‘SALTBREAKER’, ‘Pink Light’. This as much as any of the songs to be played tonight converts from record to live seamlessly, while showcasing the different levels and tones of her voice. It became a journey with the song hitting highs and lows, and providing a precursor to the tone of the evening’s entertainment.

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There followed a wonderful selection of exquisitely delivered songs from Veir’s records, with virtually the complete set from her latest long player, SALTBREAKER, including the vibrant ‘Don’t Loose Yourself’ and intimate ‘Cast A Hook In Me’. There are also some delicately fractured moments during ‘Where Gravity Is Dead’, which (oddly) reminded me of Radiohead and REM, with the rock grooves of ‘Secret Someones’ and ‘Parisian Dream.’

Ultimately it was the simpler, more subtly songs woven through the set that really shone. And that tends to be the thing that is best about Laura Veirs; she has a very humbling ability to portray her messages and musings in a way that both draws you in and lets you go off on your own journey, but always to the same destination. The songs have so much character you can find yourself being dragged along by either a dreamy keyboard effect or a catchy guitar hook, or just by the simply beautiful words.

I don’t want to get to carried away here because in truth a little more of the natural experimentation she plays with on record could have been brought forward, and something more could have been found in the songs. I think from midway onwards the bond between artist and audience was firm, opening the way for a little more risk, improvisation and the sonic messing that make the records so delightful to listen to.

She didn’t perform ‘Galaxies’, which if you check out on her MySpace page is just a brilliant, brilliant tune and played extra heavy would probably have added the change of pace the set deserved. The album ‘CARBON GLACIER’ (pretty much her best work and deserving of the title ‘masterpiece’) was criminally under-represented, with only ‘Shadow Blues’ in the set. It did feel a little like she was promoting the songs released on her new label (last 2 records) and dismissing the earlier work, which is a shame as it is likely that ‘CARBON GLACIER’ was the record that introduced her to most of the people attending the show. But then again, you can’t blame her for being excited about playing the new stuff, it’s better than living in the past.

The jump between albums and styles might have raised the show to epic proportions. As it was, it was a very, very good, as good a show as I have seen from a performer of this mould. With the little touches of kookiness and innocence never letting go she managed to leave the stage in joyous mood, and with a band who were just chuffed as mintballs to have been able to play with her in London.

Veirs is a little kooky, a little different, a lovely person, great musician and above all someone you would just love to be great friends with. In this age of fighting, controversy, anger, uneducated and unjustified ranting from so many of the musicians around today, Veirs is a real tonic, and something more of us could do with experiencing to start enjoying life a bit more.