Claudia Kate Archives - Full Pelt Music

Norwich Arts Centre

Saturday 6th December 2025

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SKINNY LISTER – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📷Denis Gorbatov

It’s December, everything is festive, and Norwich folk in search of merriment need look no further than the Arts Centre because you can forget about the big red man for now – Skinny Lister are coming to town!

Word is obviously out because this fantastic former church is fully sold out and everyone packs in early to receive the everlasting gift of live music.

CLAUDIA KATE

Opening the show this evening is singer-songwriter Claudia Kate who claims this as a hometown show given her roots in the area. With her genuine charm and insightful tunes Kate is quickly able to endear herself to the townsfolk of Norwich.

With the audience onside, the likes of ‘Fat’ and ‘Stop the World’ are able to elicit real emotion in the room before ‘BIG TALK, little girl’ and set closer ‘Angry At Me’ stir even more belief. Kate sings of the personal and the political in a way that understands that they are often the same thing.

There is a wisdom and maturity in Kate’s songwriting which creates an air of confidence in her message and importantly in her talents. The reception provided by the audience tonight only backs that up.

VANDOLIERS

Main support for this tour comes from Texan country punks Vandoliers, who burst onto the stage with a passionate onslaught of their highly contagious musical blend. Punk attitude and country swagger merge into something uniquely engaging and from the first chords of ‘Life Behind Bars’ onwards their set is a blissful blur.

The six-piece are lively, and the songs are singalong inducing… so they fit in very well supporting Skinny Lister. The fans in the venue, many clearly already familiar with Vandoliers, all clearly think so too, and the atmosphere tonight just continues to grow in togetherness.

Frontwoman Jenni Rose is able to harness the good feelings in the venue to orchestrate their performance through a career-spanning set of enjoyable alt-country fusion. Rose then brings their set home by leading the audience through a big old sing-song – ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’.

SKINNY LISTER

The changeovers are all pretty swift this evening and that ensures that the spirit of merriment never wanes during the show. The arrival of Skinny Lister is therefore met with much joy, and the chaos quickly ensues with ‘Wanted’ and ‘Set Us Straight’.

Whether romping through punkier tracks like ‘Tragedy In A Minor’ or serenading us with softer singalongs ala ‘Colours’, Skinny Lister have the audience in the palm of their hands every step of the way.

Even with an aborted passage of the flagon during ‘Drinking Song’, the audience are still made to feel a part of the show. Singer Lorna Thomas steps into the crowd for a series of arm wrestling contests during ‘Arm Wrestling in Dresden’ and frontman Dan Heptinstall barters with the crowd for requests leading to a beautiful rendition of ‘Embers’.

Skinny Lister really do have an enate knack for making a sold out concert feel more like a close family gathering. A particularly drunken one where everyone has the best time and ends up singing arm-in-arm to their favourite songs.

Well, that’s how tonight ends anyway with Claudia Kate and Vandoliers joining in on final song, ‘Six Whiskies’, and the entire venue simply living their best lives. That’s the power of Skinny Lister and as you leave the venue and head out into the festive displays of the city you can’t help but reflect on what a magical evening that just was!