Brilliant pair but so different

Nigel Kennedy and Sam Ryder, Sunday, July 14

WHERE better to enjoy the late evening sunshine than by the sparkling waters of the River Thames in Henley?

Add to that the music of one of the upcoming RISE musicians, Angus Trott, of The Wave Machine, and you have the start of a perfect Henley Festival evening.

RISE is the charity arm of the festival. It aims to promote up-and-coming musical and visual artists as well as behind-the-scenes technicians. Such exposure and experience is invaluable, especially in the notoriously tricky world of the arts.

Trott performed his own thoughtful lyrics, sung in his soft and smoochy voice. His forthcoming single, Break Away, will make you want to get up and dance though.

He also played every instrument in his “band” (The Wave Machine is a solo project) from the trumpet to the guitar and percussion, often using his bare toes to aid his performance.

Angus, who was born in Henley and now lives in St Ives, closed his set with “The sun will rise another day to light up your dreams”.

Sam Ryder eventually appeared on the “floating” stage, long after we had suffered in full the Spain versus England football match shown in glorious colour on screens on the stage.

Sam was welcomed with tumultuous applause and went straight into Space Man, his best-known song, sending the audience into ever more delight.

And so he continued — full on, happy as ever to see and be seen.

It was perhaps a happy event (the football) as it caused Sam Ryder to appear long after Nigel Kennedy was on stage, giving the audience time to reflect on the amazing, world-famous violinist and his music before singing and swaying with the upbeat Ryder.

Both are brilliant in their own right, with their own styles, their own voices, proof again that there’s room for everyone in this world, on stage and off.

Bridget Fraser