Lucy Duffield and Abi Browning are a pair of ladies you are probably going to hear an awful lot about in 2012. With La Roux’s Ben Langmaid on production duties, War Of Words’ first two releases are quite brilliant, the kind of infectious pop-songs that made Elly Jackson a household name in 2010. This time, however, Langmaid has moved away from the 80s flavours of that album, leaping forward a decade to utilise the big pop sounds of the 90s with equal potency.

Tonight is the daunting prospect of their first proper gig and they look understandably nervous as they launch into opening track ‘In Deep’. Unfortunately, the nerves seem to get the better of them a bit and it isn’t an entirely cohesive set. While Browning and Duffield both have massive voices, the harmonies are sometimes a little off and the onstage chemistry feels, at times, a little forced. They could also afford to lose a couple of tunes, the cringe-inducing ‘Womenology’ being a case in point. Still, when it is good it is very good, with ‘Force of Love’ and ‘Battleground’ showcasing their undoubted talents particularly well. With a tiny bit more polish, they could be a thrilling live prospect.

2009 Mercury prize winner Speech Debelle plays a handful of mainly new tracks, giving a lesson in stage presence and audience interaction. There isn’t a moment when the crowd doesn’t feel completely essential to the performance and her conversational style is perfect for tonight’s intimate setting. Of the new material, epic closer ‘Sun Dog’ is particularly stirring, with Debelle’s rapid delivery beautifully juxtaposed against washed out electric guitar, marking a noticeable progression from her excellent debut. With her second album set to drop in February, Speech Debelle looks in line for an exciting 2012.

Jet Vevers