Tina Dico - Live - Photo: Michael Rasmussen

Initial thoughts about Tina Dico are that her music (certainly her official releases, anyway) are somewhat sterilised and have a glossy, lacquered finish. Well, to put things straight, live she is a totally different proposition all together.

The “Jericho” is no more than a room above a pub, however this does lend itself to benefiting the performer by allowing them to see the whites of the audiences eyes, and vice versa. Intimate, it is.

Opening the gig, Tina was cold. No, she really was, explaining she had to blow on her hands to warm her fingers to play. This did not however, extend to the audience, who, whilst not wildly ecstatic (this is good old reserved England, after all) gave a warm and appreciative response throughout her set. Approaching the gig as a Tina “virgin”, it was very quickly apparent that this girl could play, intricate guitar melody lines counterpointing her personal and intimate lyrics.
Confident and cool, she proceeded to wow us with tales of lost love, loneliness on the road, and insights into the female / male psyche that produced knowing smiles from many members of the audience, a sure sign that you really are saying something that connects.

Engaging to the end, Tina Dico is a much more intriguing experience live than on record. Her voice, sometimes pure, sometimes jagged, but always with emotion, augments a captivating personality. Here’s hoping her record company will take note for the next album.

Review by ‘The Oracle’

(the first guest article for NotPop for a gig that I couldn’t get to… Sean)

Tina Dico - ‘You Know Better’ from the current album ‘Count to Ten’

www.tinadico.com

Tina Dico YouTube Channel

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