17th March 2024
The artist known as Freya Beer has the enigmatic rock persona all sewn up. She has a certain magical quality, exuding mystery and goth/noir glamour, while at the same time writing and singing kick-ass tunes with a certain raw directness.
Freya is a singer-songwriter from West London who lists art, literature, alternative fashion and music among her inspirations. She exudes mysterious goth-noir creativity, both through her recorded material and her on-stage persona. The live room upstairs at The Camden Assembly is a dark, intimate space, with a low stage and nowhere to hide, and this somehow seemed like the perfect place for Freya and her well-knit band to show off their talents.
Her set was polished and tight, consisting of eight songs in only 30 minutes, leaving time for only a few brief words to the crowd. Those words were chosen carefully though, allowing her to engage without wasting energy. Freya is the kind of artist who performs with absolute focus, clearly immersing herself in the music, mouthing each word carefully and with full attention, caressing her beautiful red Fender Jaguar. That meant that the brief moments when she flashed us an engaging smile were all the more meaningful.
Her set opened with two numbers back-to-back: Beauty merging into Put it to the Test (both from her 2021 album, Beast). That duo of songs acted as a mini-showreel, moving from a dark, drawn-out, muddy rock anthem into a forward-stepping, pounding message, with whispers and snarls aplenty.
Freya then showcased a brand new and unreleased track, Tatiana, before returning to familiar territory with Arms Open Wide. This is a song that opens with a dramatically haunting vocal; Freya nailed it with accuracy before moving into the main body of the song which consists almost entirely of a lengthy build – it’s like a long and winding road, and here Freya was the sultry guide.
Galore was a more recent choice on the setlist (a 2023 B-side), allowing Freya to put aside her guitar and demonstrate a different vocal quality, lingering in a higher register with thoughtful anthemic enunciation. This led to Dear Sweet Rosie: I had the sense that by now, Freya and the band were fully warmed up, more relaxed, and enjoying themselves too, and this came through in Freya’s entirely confident delivery of the words and sighs which are key in this song.
Write Her Off, Freya’s newest release, was performed with authority, as if this had been on the setlist for years. Never was there a moment of doubt, or a chink in the armour: Freya was there to show her strengths and express her art, and she made sure to make the most of every moment.
She played out with Fantasy, a more energised song, where chunky riffs and bouncing motifs lie underneath sensual vocals. This was a great way to end the short set, rounding off a full-on and utterly satisfying performance which left the crowd wanting more.
Full setlist:
Beauty
Put It To The Test
Tatiana
Arms Open Wide
Galore
Dear Sweet Rosie
Write Her Off
Fantasy
Freya Beer performed at Camden Assembly in support of Black Doldrums. Her next gig is at The Lighthouse in Poole on 20th April; she then appears at Bedford Esquires on 22nd June.
FOLLOW FREYA BEER
All Words and photos by Phil Taylor
THE SONGBIRD 