Echo Wants Her Voice Back

Denmark Street is a mecca for musicians and last night I was back on it’s hallowed ground. Not to purchase a guitar but to see some live music at the infamous 12 Bar Club. Although I’d stepped inside this venue during the rolling daylight hours, I had never seen live music on the doorstep of it’s beating heart…but what a night I chose!

The night started with Echo Wants Her Voice Back; the reason why I was there.

One night can make a huge difference to your spirit…..

Tonight, Echo Wants Her Voice Back was joined by charismatic guitarist MaW who sat tuning his guitar on the stage of a venue that takes you back in time, into a time when human interaction and conversation evolved around a knowing atmospheric invitation to a porthole straight to the centre….of your soul. I kid you not. This venue is magic….and as Echo (Eleni) walked onto the stage that’s exactly what you felt…..an air of magic. Is it the venue that intices the performer into a higher state? Echo Wants Her Voice Back started the set with a song called ‘Troy’ which had a vocal to die for. With a rich and melodic vocal line Eleni cut the silence with a knifes edge of intonation…she had the audience hanging on her every word and with MaW providing a cool, calm and collected back bone and intricate guitar technique, by the end of the first song they had won the hearts and minds of us all. As the set progressed I began to realise that Eleni’s story telling within the songs was truly captivating. As a lyricist, Eleni wraps herself around you; lyrically weaving her words with both precision and passion. The first song, she sung the words “Destroy Me!?” ……if anything after that tune we were a pile of egos heaped on the floor, our bones and and flesh left raw and real as she shed us of all bravado….

Eleni captures your attention with a confidence that she has arrived home. She really commands the space she is in and as the music played I couldn’t help but think of Radiohead…and the lyrics… Everything in it’s right place…

Intensity, passion, focus, humbleness, boldness, tenderness, expression, love and respect. These words, these things are contagious. They can ignite a flame within us, re-ignite a dying flame or fuel the one that is already lit. This is what happens when you connect the right venue, the right setting with the right artists and a willing audience…. Eleni oozes these words from the essence of her performance and song. The tenderness and control is heart felt from artist to audience. Throughout the set Eleni and MaW pulled us closer in with songs such as ‘Dear Man’, ‘Wizard’, a Greek folk tune and a amazing cover version of the infamous song Jolene.

Echo Wants Her Voice Back wasn’t missing her voice tonight. It was in full flow, powerfully communicating emotions through the art of songwriting and performance. I always like to look around at the audience and other peoples reactions and what I saw was a pure connection, a soul connection where music is the vessel. - Music Earth Rise

Next to take the stage were Echo Wants Her Voice Back, which is a new band project fronted by American “folk noir” artiste Eleni Skarpari. The three-piece ensemble (two guitars and a cello!) opened with an experimental, PJ Harvey-ish number called Gone For Good, complete with an extended acapella intro. That was followed by You Left Me Here, which called to mind comparisons with Lorde and Bjork and which made great use of alternating loud and soft sections. It’s taken from the band’s recent debut EP, as was closer Bricks And Sparrows, which saw a third guitarist (introduced simply as “George”) joining the other three on stage, leaving Eleni to concentrate on vocal duties. - Songwriting Magazine UK

Eleni Skarpari was next on stage at the Half Moon; under her stage name ‘Echo wants her voice back’. Supported by a guitarist and a cellist, A natural charisma surrounds Eleni whilst she performs, and she captivates the audience with her fantastic vocal performance and melodic backing, which is why we would recommend grabbing tickets for ‘Echo wants her voice back’ as soon as you can! - Music Earth Rise