On the same evening that England were triumphant in their opening World Cup game against Croatia, tucked away in The Grove a magical evening of live music was taking place. Headlined by immensely talented, Bristol-based singer-songwriter India Arkin, with support from local artists Dring and Emily Ashberry, it marked the first Nottingham gig from promoter Music Observer, also known as LeftLion’s own Music Co-Editor, Phil Taylor. Here’s what went down…
First up this evening is up-and-coming local folk singer Emily Ashberry, who is fresh off the back of being named as one of this year’s Future Sound of Nottingham finalists. From the moment she begins performing it is easy to see why she was selected, with her delicate guitar plucking a beautifully minimal backdrop to her ethereal vocals. It’s a set mixed with both current and forthcoming material, as early on she previews a new single (out in July) which is inspired by the classic novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café.
We are then treated to Grown Up and Bonfire Night off her A Pleasure To Teach EP, which tell contrasting stories. The former sees her tackle feelings of hopelessness while living in her parents’ attic office, whilst Bonfire Night is a heartfelt ode to her parents’ first meeting and love for each other. She then offers an intimate preview of her new album (which arrives in October) by sharing The View and Redwood, the latter an early single that has recently been re-recorded for the project. Emily then conjures up the evening’s first singalong, by closing out on a wonderful cover of Steven Foster’s Hard Times.
Next up is another promising Nottingham singer-songwriter in Dring, who is set to play on the Bodega New Music stage at Splendour festival next month. If her performance tonight is anything to go by then it will be a set worth catching, with her style bringing together an enchanting mix of folk and laidback indie. She Holds Me channels Irish hitmaker Hozier, while she makes use of The Grove’s impressive house piano to share a snippet of an untitled new song.
We then get the second singalong of the evening, as she shares a stripped-back cover of Wheatus’ classic, Teenage Dirtbag. She closes out her short but sweet set on two stunning cuts from last year’s To Be Needed At All EP, the heartfelt, vulnerable pair of Any Better and Boyfriend.
As we start to get the distant sound of cheers from the pubs in the surrounding area, bringing us news of England’s success over in Texas, tonight’s headliner India Arkin takes to the stage. From the moment she sings her first note the performance is simply breathtaking, her voice carrying all the soul of Amy Winehouse but with some of the folkier textures of Joni Mitchell. She begins by shouting out the all-female line-up tonight, before launching into as-yet-unreleased track, The Garden.
She is engaging with the crowd throughout the performance, her quirky personality shining through as she introduces each song with some behind-the-scenes intel into the inspiration. Sugarcoat, for example, tackles having to paint over the cracks in a relationship, as India jokes that “out of all the bad times come the bangers”.
Coldplay's Green Eyes is strikingly tender, before India describes being signed to HMV’s record label and then having to make an album in just nine days.
Out of that frantic time arrived her brilliant debut record Home Truths, which she showcases tonight. (I Want You) Near and Phototaxing take us back to the pain and yearning of COVID lockdown, before her debut single Dashboard Dancing has us reflecting on everything we briefly lost during that period.
We’re then brought back to more recent times in India’s life, as Senseless touches on messy “situationships” while Nomadic finds her eloquently sharing her “displaced sense of belonging” after moving to Bristol last year.
It all makes for a captivating performance, the quietly attentive crowd transfixed by her warm vocals and intricate guitar playing.
Finally, India closes a brilliant evening of music on her next single Matilda, which is about feeling lost in your 20s and having to navigate today’s bleak political landscape.
A poignant end to a delightful evening of folk music, from three immensely talented singer-songwriters. Worth missing the football for? Absolutely.
India Arkin performed at The Grove on 17th June 2026.
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