LIVE REVEW: MORGAN WADE - KARLEY SCOTT COLLINS - THE FORUM - KENTISH TOWN

In many ways this was to prove to be a most unusual, evening - not perhaps the springboard for a C2C 2026 Main Stage appearance, if anything it was the opposite, instead of bells and whistles we would get simple musicianship and good natured banter - it was most refreshing. The evening would be played out with a backdrop of a black sheet with the word OBSESSED ( Morgan's 2024 album ) written over it in white capitals in the manner of a child who had been kept behind after school. There was no drum set up, in fact it would prove to be an evening of stools with both acts playing seated.

Normally this could be the signal for a long drawn out evening with a crowd gradually getting increasingly restless yet the Morgan Wade crowd took it in their stride.

Karley Scott Collins would add a little glamour to the evening in a sparkling black number, looking tall and elegant with her long blonde hair, she would tower over her supporting guitarist. Her set list was a reminder of her appearance at C2C a few years back, it was only seven songs but she definitely made an impact - the subject matter of the songs seemingly at odds with the visage of the lady performing, made for a winning combination.

After professing a deep love for London she would open with "Hands On The Wheel", the memories of C2C came flooding back, the depth and power of the delivery and the drawl are not what you initially expect to hear. The lines at times almost spat out

"She probably got her hands all over you" it made for a compelling opening.

"American Boy" was constructed around a recurring guitar riff, the feel good nature of the song was dampened by the preface that he broke her heart!

The guitar sound to "Runner" tried slowing the pace, for this song, apparently "7 years in the making to do it justice", however it would see Karley fire out the lyrics at speed with some venom. An unexpected cover, although one that suited Karley's timbre perfectly was "House Of The Rising Sun". With a little additional echo the room reverberated to Karley, with her guitarist Jake Flaugh, occasionally breaking out into an uptempo spanish guitar section. An interesting introduction to the next song mentioned folk in the South getting married young and staying together if they were happy or not.

The story of a wedding ring weighing someone down was brought home in the most powerful way with the song "Heavy Metal", the words of the title enforced repeatedly in the chorus.

Karley would acknowledge "Quit You" as being the favourite song she has ever written, about someone struggling with addiction but battling through to the other side.

A farewell song of an entertaining set would appear in a song about Karley's Nanna - who lived life to the full it's fair to say going by "Marlboro Reds"

After the glamour of Karley Scott Collins, Morgan Wade continued the somewhat basic vibe of the evening, taking to her stool in jeans and a couple of tshirts with a heavy pair of boots, while her guitarist Clint Wells would sport a hobo style cap. Morgan and her band would sit in straight line and simply play. with just a little banter with each other or with an odd member of the audience inbetween. On arriving there was a quick enquiry to the audience

"How's it going?" and then we were off.

The main set of the evening would see Morgan open with "Phantom Feelings" the combination of guitars and keyboard making a good base for Morgan's voice. The chorus with three vocalists made for a warm overall sound and the lack of a drum kit was instantly forgotten.

Similarly "Matches & Metaphors" came delivered with real feeling especially on the final line of the chorus "Hey, baby, can I use you right now?", Morgan's latest single "East Coast" came with no introduction

"Hope you know I loved you the most

Yeah, but you took the life outta me"

The final lines slowly drawing the song to a close.

There was an an effortlless ease in how Morgan and her band interacted, the chorus on "Time To Love' Time To Kill" saw the three voices beautifully come together as one. The intensity of the songs was eased by band conversations such as the one about Human Centipede 3!

Things returned to normality with "Run", the keyboards noticeably more prominent giving another edge to the sound. The piano sound also stayed prominent on "Reality" another classic combination of vocals and a stand out track on the night. Clint would immediately kick off the guitar intro to "Left Me Behind" with it's pained final chorus line

"Why don't you want me anymore?"

Almost as the final note played Morgan kicked off the intro to "Deconstruction", immediately grabbing the attention with

"Talked about childhood

My first concussion"

Delivered for the first half almost as a slow whisper the vocals then exploded into life and Tyler James on keyboards suddenly stood up and played a trumpet solo.

"Take Me Away" would be the first major phones in the air moment, and saw a major crowd singalong.

Morgan's vocals on "Crossing State Lines" were delivered with force throughout on a song that saw the three musicians push the sound that they could create to the maximum, in both a vocal and musical sense.

The musicality continued with "Pschopath", the keyboards once more to the fore. It would lead directly in to "Stay", with Morgan pulling at the heart strings when she would quietly ask

"Tell me why I can't stay?"

The mood would lift lyrically with "Moth To A Flame" with Morgan giving a noticably more tender delivery.

"2 AM In London" was naturally another phone / singalong moment.

Morgan would reflect that her first ever headline shows ( 2 nights at The Garage) were in London, and that she intends to come back a little more often than she has. An updeat guitat riff then lead us into "The Night"

The main set would close with all 3 musicians on guitar for the song that looms largest in Morgan's catalogue - "Wilder Days", it naturally sent the crowd into something of a frenzy of singing and phone waving. As it finished and the artists left the stage, the somewhat unusual evening kept surprising - there was to be no encore - it simply couldn't be followed, there would be no moaning and groaning just an acceptance that it probably couldn't be bettered and that maybe an early night was not such a bad thing.

PHOTOS BY: COLLIN JONES PHOTOGRAPHY