Starting out in NY’s infamous No Wave scene playing bass with Teenage Jesus & The Jerks in 1978, Jim Sclavunos carved out a distinctive reputation for himself as a drummer, recording with Sonic Youth and The Cramps before joining Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in 1994, and co-founding Grinderman in addition to his solo project The Vanity Set.

An in-demand producer (The Horrors, Gogol Bordello, Beth Orton) and remixer (Depeche Mode, Grinderman), he also hosts his own monthly show on London’s Soho Radio.

Nicole Atkins’ 2007 debut album NEPTUNE CITY introduced the world to a charismatic performer and writer with a powerful, versatile voice of dramatic subtlety. A unique arranger, Atkins’s critically acclaimed albums MONDO AMORE (2011), SLOW PHASER (2014), GOODNIGHT RHONDA LEE (2017) and her latest, ITALIAN ICE (2020) recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound with members of the Swampers, Bad Seeds, Dap Kings and Spoon, have established her as a genre-bending artist with a penchant for noir-ish sensuality.

Nicole has hosted shows for Sirius XM and the pioneering Amazon Music/Twitch tv series “Live from the Steel Porch”.

Following a chance encounter at a benefit, Atkins and Sclavunos began writing songs together in London. Despite having barely just met, the duo dove in full tilt with only a Casio keyboard and an acoustic guitar and within an hour flat completed their first co-write ‘Gold Was My Baby’. Reconvening their endeavours on the other side of the pond in Harlem - this time with a battered upright piano and an unruly guitar (and an even more unruly cat) - the songs poured out fast and furious.

The duo were assisted by Davey Horne on keyoards.

“I think our music sounds like heavy ancient books thrown down to the gutter by gods during a hurricane - in slow motion,” declares Atkins. “Or psychedelic folk tunes written by lonely Martians,” counters Sclavunos.

For the most part Sclavunos played a supporting role to Atkins with some dramatic and rocky drumming which served as a solid rhythmic backdrop to her music. I counted songs from 5 records including the opener title track ‘Neptune City’ from her highly acclaimed debut. Atkins displayed a powerful voice that adapted to a variety of sentiments and generic styles with Sclavunos chipping in backing vocals as in the performance of ‘A Man Like Me’.

Throughout this compelling performance Atkins communicated easily with an audience who were paying an enthusiastic return visit. The show ended with Sclavunos coming from behind his drum kit to join Atkins at stage-front to perform a couple of songs including a new composition and single ‘Strange Weather’which is also the title of the forthcoming new duet album.

This was an exciting, exhilarating and somewhat unique show with a welcome diversity of emotion, pace and style. Once again, St Marys has thrown up great international talent and a show to remember.

Setlist

Neptune City
War Torn
Goodnight Rhonda Lee
AM Gold
Brokedown Luck
The Way It Is
Never Going Home Again
Walkin’
Take Aim & Shoot
A Man Like Me
Memories Come and Go
Feign
Halfway Home
Captain
Maybe Tonight
ENCORE
A Night of Serious Drinking
Strange Weather

https://www.nicoleatkins.com/

https://www.jimsclavunos.com/home

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