Review: Sophie Lloyd – Support Chez Kane

The Underworld, Camden (October 17^th 2024)

Reviewer / Photographer: Phil Honley

The Google piece “Sophie Lloyd is a British musician and virtuoso guitarist. Since 2011, she has gained international recognition on YouTube as a rock and metal guitarist. She has been a guitarist in Machine Gun Kelly‘s touring band, which she joined in 2022. Her debut EP ‘Delusions‘ was released in 2018.“

I have always sat up and taken note when the latest Sophie Lloyd shredding video has popped up on social media feeds…..hard not to. 

Sophie Lloyd raised her profile with the impressive 2023 release ‘Imposter Syndrome‘. Eleven songs lasting forty minutes. In my humble opinion this together with Those Damn Crows’ ‘Inhale/Exhale‘ was the best rock album released in 2023. She was never going to be allowed to not take this on the road. She was aided and abetted on the album by some mighty fine vocal talent including the likes of Lzzy Hale, Nathan James (Inglorious), Chris Robertson (Black Stone Cherry) and Marisa Rodriguez (Marisa And The Moths) Marisa also joins Sophie on this, her debut solo and only UK show. I feel privileged to see this talented young lady on one of only two scheduled shows, the other being at The Whiskey a Go Go, California in January. However she will be supporting Those Damn Crows at The Utilitia Arena, Cardiff in December.

This gig was originally scheduled to be staged at The Camden Assembly but was immediately apparent that an upgrade was necessary to facilitate the demand and it was subsequently moved to The Underworld which sold out immediately.

With the benefit of having a photo pass I knew that I would have to start queuing, probably before sunrise, in order to gain a reasonable shooting position, such is the layout in The Underworld. Rumours were circulating whilst I was making my way to London that a queue had already started to form at 4:30ish, two and a half hours before doors. Only six in the queue when I arrived as the affluent VIP contingent had already entered. One Underworld disciple had been queuing since 3:00. Doors were half hour late in opening but what’s an extra 30 minutes when you’ve been queuing for four hours.

Chez Kane provided the support and boy did she and her powerhouse band go down a treat. I can’t believe I haven’t seen this young lady before, I certainly wouldn’t have forgotten such an encounter. This Welsh lass also fronts with her two sisters in the band Kane’d.

Chez has two albums under her belt, her self titled album released in 2021 which successfully reached No. 8 in the UK Rock Album chart. This was followed in 2022 by ‘Powerzone‘. Each album was well represented on the night with four or five numbers from each.

I didn’t catch the band members names but did recognise Harry Scott Elliott on guitar as he also plays with Tyketto. His fellow guitarist was very animated and pushed out a couple of impressive solos.

(click on photos to enlarge)

Setlist:

1. Too Late For Love – Chez Kane
2. All Of It – Chez Kane album 2021
3. Nationwide – 2022 Powerzone album
4. I Just Want You – Powerzone
5. Love Gone Wild – Powerzone
6. Ball n’ Chain – Chez Kane
7. Get It On – Chez Kane
8. Powerzone – Powerzone
9. Rocket On The Radio – Chez Kane

Sophie Lloyd has performed live before with rapper Machine Gun Kelly across the globe and guested many times but this was her debut debut live performance under her own name. She was really proud to be playing especially in front of her family, they must have felt really proud to have such a talented daughter. Her uncle had made the trip from Australia especially, well worth it I would think.

Sophie kicks things off with the high energy instrumental ‘Battleground‘ followed by the first song Sophie wrote ‘Bulletproof Revolver‘ with the backing of her fiancée and soon to be husband Christopher Painter on Drums, Adam Darat thumping bass and Christian Rivers additional guitar.

Sophie had announced a few days before the gig that Marisa Rodriguez from Marisa And The Moths would be joining her for this gig and as a teaser released a video of ‘Won’t You Come‘, the track on ‘Imposter Syndrome‘ where Rodriguez provides vocals.

Not sure if it was public knowledge but I had no idea if or who would cover the male vocals but on pops Gaz Twist who I now know I saw a few years ago fronting KilliT.

Marisa Rodriguez and Gaz Twist were both superb covering the duties and doing justice to the high level performances on the ‘Imposter Syndrome‘ album including Brandon Saller (Pressure), Lzzy Hale (Imposter Syndrome), Chris Robertson (Let It Hurt), Michael Starr (Runaway), Matthew K Heafy (Fall Of Man), Lauren Babic (Hanging In), Trevor McNevan (Avalanche) and Tyler Connolly (Judge and Jury),

What was particularly impressive was Rodriguez’s interpretation of Michael Starr’s ‘Runaway‘.

Rhiannon Brailsford and colleague joined the band on stage towards the end and were both enjoying themselves dancing and presenting the audience with what seemed to be an endless supply of inflatable guitars, many of which I must say found me as the first point of contact as I was catching the events through my camera lens.

This awesome evening was brought to a close with ‘Do Or Die‘. I initially thought Nathan James (Inglorious) would be favourite to join Lloyd on the night but sadly surfing Facebook I discovered he was on holiday….the depths I dive to researching a gig.

(click on photos to enlarge)

Set List:

1. Battleground (Instrumental)
2. Bulletproof Revolver 
3. After Insanity 
4. Let It Hurt 
5. Fall Of Man
6. Pressure 
7. Enter Sandman 
8. Thunderstruck 
9. Won’t You Come 
10. Runaway 
11. Hanging On 
12. Comfortably Numb – Sophie only 
13. Delusions 
14. Imposter Syndrome 
15. Avalanche 
16. Judge And Jury 
17. I Think I’m OK
18. Do Or Die 

No encore but why would she? A cracking 18 number set with no waffle.

A very impressive debut performance from Sophie Lloyd and she surrounded herself with a great team of musicians and with Rodriguez and Twist enjoying and sharing vocal duties she certainly played her trump cards. Watch this space for more gigs on the horizon as Lloyd most certainly has the buzz and she has an ever growing fan base that will be demanding tickets.

Sophie Lloyd proved that what her millions of YouTube followers enjoy when watching her shred to some prime covers in the comfort of her home is only the tip of the iceberg of this young ladies talents. 

If you have not yet listened to ‘Imposter Syndrome‘ you should do so immediately.

©All photographs are copyright of Phil Honley – Gigsnapz. They may not be altered or used without express permission.