Whether it’s commanding the Rainbow Stage at British Summertime Festival or smashing her debut headline at The Lexington, Noeline Hofmann knows how to leave London wanting more.
Let’s start with Saturday, picture this: a field (Hyde Park) in the middle of London, Cowboy hats and boots (costumes I’ve decided) in every eye line and beers flowing (plus white claws for the cowgirls obviously) – THE DREAM. All of a sudden an explosion from the stage as the band kick into gear! I watched as every face around the stage whipped towards the redhead, dressed in a stunning frayed emerald two piece rocking aviators — Noeline Hofman.
One would never have known they were standing in the middle of London — it felt more like Texas or Montana or Hofmann’s hometown Alberta? But the energy soared as she began her set with a bang! Hofmann played for 40 minutes straight alongside her naturally gifted band of five; keys, guitar, drums, base and violin — all of which sang harmonies at some point. It felt like watching a family on stage who’d been playing together since childhood, they read each other, followed each others queues and never once faltered to deliver the energy of a bullfight especially on a “smokin” (as Hofman commented herself) 32 degree day.
The crowd was fully immersed, one group next to me were so wrapped up in the moment dancing that they staged a fake proposal — pure bliss and carelessness, represented exactly what Hofman describes in her last chat to with audience referring to her final track. Her music is sometimes just about “burning down the barn, breaking hearts, and partying too much”.
When my personal favourite song ‘August’ began, a couple behind me began slow dancing as if no one was around, “Goodbye banjo moon, hiya buckskin / harvests starting, there’s fires in Montan-again” swelled as two young loves were transported into the middle of a honky tonk.
Noeline Hofmann threw in a good few treats for us. The first surprise was a new song and therefore a glimpse into new music coming soon. In comparison to her usual lively melody, the bass began slowly creeping towards the verse foreshadowing something that you didn’t know was going to be good or bad but you sure as hell wanted to find out. This song was a whole new sound compared to ‘Purple Gas’ and the audience felt it. A second surprise was introduced with a question “Do y’all like Johnny Cash?”… a blunt rhetorical. Eruption from the crowd began and the temperature jumped up a couple more degrees, the band exploded into the ‘Big River’ cover and I could practically feel the heat coming from the stage.
This 23 year old captured a live festival audience with the commitment and intensity of a star, and as an opener from far across the pond it was quite an achievement to witness. We swayed, we clapped along, we danced, we felt rebellious. My face began to hurt from smiling at the pure joy that came from the stage.
And even as she left the stage, it wasn’t over. Three days later I got a whole new show at the famous Lexington, hidden away in the streets of Camden. This is a venue where U2, The Clash, KT Tunstall, Ed Sheeran and so many more have all played at some point in their careers. Hofmann was no exception to greatness that has been braced this stage.
First up, Gabriella Rose opened with two guitars she swapped back and fourth, “I am used to playing over everyone talking in bars and not listening so you guys have been amazing.”. Her genuine humbleness shone through in her short but sweet chats between songs. Her voice was like a hummingbird that flew through the room partnered with cheeky lyrics unapologetically narrating her country lifestyle — the room went nuts for it. She walked on and off the stage with the natural grace of a Miss Americana.
The room got busier and hotter, the drinks got messier and stronger and the crowd was a mixture of everyone possible. There were couples, Brits, Americans, Canadians, a surprising amount of men – if you’re looking for a cowboy husband you know where to go. Families perched in the corners, I even started chatting to an older man who heard Hofmann on the radio and showed up because he “thought she sounded like the real deal”.
The band took the stage with a welcoming cheer and the same explosion from three nights ago took flight, except this time the intimate venue allowed for an impact far more intense than before and we were officially transported in a Honky Tonk bar in the middle of Alberta. I thought the setlist would be the exact same as before but the joy of such effortless talent and natural comfort on stage is that she could do whatever she wanted and thats what she did. For the most part the setlist provided a simple skeleton; we began the same and ended the same, we had a Cash cover in the there too BUT the adrenaline that raced through the audience when Hofmann said “you know what let’s not do that, lets do this” was electric.
Noeline Hofmann added songs and replaced others, she played more than one new song (a privilege only us headline fans received) and the biggest surprise of all came half way through the show. Without the crowds knowledge Zach Bryan was cheering amongst the 170 people in the room, dancing and swaying to the show. Hofmann began a heartfelt, semi-emotional thank you speech to Bryan for taking a chance on her and then invited him onstage for us to witness a rare performance of the duo together singing ‘Purple Gas’. This was a gift given to the room, and apart from the obviously increase in phones brought out from pockets the room fell silent and all you could hear was the husky and melodic voices of Bryan and Hofmann gliding along in unison this collaboration. Magic.
Hofmann delivered perfection in both environments, at the Lexington she was relaxed and proud she said herself these venues “make me feel like I’m at home”. At Hyde Park she was a machine taking up space and imprinting in our minds.It doesn’t matter what stage you put her on, Noeline Hofmann will blow you away one song, lyric and surprise at a time.
