I’m pretty certain that Coal are one of my favourite local bands around at the moment, but if I’d in any way needed convincing of this, Tuesday’s magical gig at the Waiting Room would’ve done the trick.

I rarely go out during the week (because I have the stamina of an old woman and I like my beauty sleep) so it felt kinda strange being one of very few out on Long Street on the eve of Women’s Day. Inside there was a modest turn out; a pity but at the same time it made the already intimate setting feel like it could be a friend’s living room.

I’d been to the Waiting Room on just one previous occasion, and that was spent out on the roof, contemplating the city below, so I didn’t know what to expect of it as a music venue. Apart from the initial assault of feedback the sound was good; the lighting was red and moody, not my favourite but suited well enough to the band.

They played an extended set which included several lovely (and refreshingly unobvious*) covers of PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Bat For Lashes & Florence + The Machine  and some guest collaborators on guitar, vocals and sitar.

The music was great and the band’s on-stage banter very entertaining, all around it was a really lovely evening.

*Every time someone mentions a Florence song, I feel like it’s inevitably Dog days are over, so I was really glad that Coal chose a another, more deserving song (Cosmic Love)

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