Words by: Lucy Williamson
Photos by: Rhys Hurd and Lucy Williamson
Yoga space turned magical gig venue for a dreamy evening with Essy Sparrow and friends!
It’s a spring Saturday evening and Sunshine Cafe & Yoga is beaming with joy for an evening of creative activities and live music from Essy Sparrow with support from Kitty Crocker and Sunfull.
As you made your way through the arts space, the tables were brimming with creative tables where you could take part in flag embrroidery, badge making, and also choose a temporary tattoo with quotes like “girlhood”, a nod to Essy’s song, and a fab mini tattoo of Essy herself — loved this!
We also had the pleasure of chatting with local illustrator and artist Frank Pallow, who would be sketching the acts for the night! In the creative arts space, there was also a sign that said: “I saw Essy Sparrow at Sunshine Cafe & my life will never be the same…”, and that sign certainly rang true for many!
Come 7 pm Essy invited everyone into the gig space, a tranquil room with vaulted beam ceilings and wooden floors. A shelf full of yoga mats and house plants lined along the left side of the room, and around 70 chairs lined up to the back of the room for a sold-out event. The intimate setting painted a perfect backdrop for a night of live music from some of the South West’s highly anticipated up-and-coming acts in the scene!
South West singer-songwriter Kitty Crocker took to the stage with her acoustic guitar. From the very first note, her ethereal and harmonious voice weaved its way to fill the room with her melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and potent guitar playing, which sent a wave of goosebumps through the audience. Kitty performed several of her songs, including ones from her newly released EP “Good Riddance and Goodbye”, which left many teary-eyed.
Fresh off performing at Wanderfal in Falmouth, the duo band, Sunfull, delivered another goosebump-filled set. This was my first time seeing Arianne on vocals and guitar and Zach on drums together! In December 2024, we had the pleasure of hosting a Whisper Live at The Fish Factory with Arianne performing solo. Highlights of the set included the track “Nos da”, which means good night in Welsh, and their BBC Introducing in the South West Track of the Week “Hero”.
The duo closed the set with the cover of “Everybody’s Talkin'” by Harry Nilsson, a soulful rendition that wrapped the audience in nostalgia, creating a feeling of a homely connection with the peacefulness of Cornwall and looking up towards the future.
Beaming with a lighthearted spirit, Essy Sparrow jokily mentioned there wasn’t an emcee for the evening, so she introduced “Essy Sparrow and her band”, and then she quickly ran to the back of the room to walk down the aisle with her dancers to the opening song “Girlhood”. The crowd roared and applauded with joy!
One of the standout moments of the evening was the hand-painted lyrics from Essy’s track “Artists Dreamers”, which were displayed on cards that the dancers incorporated into the routine, a thoughtful touch to the set. Perhaps one element I loved the most about this seated gig was how many members of the audience continued their embroidery throughout the live music performances.
The audience enjoyed the live music while crafting handmade pieces to add to the Essy Sparrow flag, which would be taken to her future gigs. This perfectly intertwined blend of music and pure creativity created a real sense of community and well-being.
Halfway through the set, Essy invited Kitty Crocker back on stage to perform a cover by fellow South West musician Liang Lawrence. The melodies were hauntingly beautiful, and once again showcased the vibrant music community in the South West!
As the set drew to a close on the horizon of 9pm, Essy and her band performed a second edition of “Girlhood”. A cheer ten times louder than the first, which I didn’t think could be possible the first time around. The sheer joy was reflected through every person in the room.
You can just tell that so much heart and soul had gone into this event. From the creative activities to the incredible live music, all the way to the hand-painted tickets made by Essy herself. It was smiles all around for those who were lucky enough to experience a truly special evening.
A wholesome showcase of the vibrant music community in the South West! A feeling of togetherness and pure joy!
FFO: Laura Marling, Maisie Peters, Lucy Rose
