When I arrived at The Ship at just after 7:30pm last Friday, February it wasn’t easy to find somewhere to perch, the restaurant was in full swing with most of the tables occupied and drinkers were shoulder to shoulder the length of the long bar.
In short, the place was buzzing with a mixture of locals, tourists, hotel guests and diners of all ages, a good mix and a great atmosphere.
Sam Carey took to the stage after sorting out his set list and sound check, full of confidence he delivered his first few numbers and grabbed the attention of what had now become a full house.
He is a powerful, soulful singer who felt equally at ease covering Adele, Nat King Cole, George Ezra and Frank Sinatra to name but a few in his varied repertoire. These were big songs from big and famous household names but Sam delivered in his own unique style to a very receptive audience.
It’s a shame the volume of the backing track was too loud at times, Sam having to work harder than he needed to make himself heard and it’s fair to say the performance was also slightly chaotic and disorganised but with better backup and support from his sound team this could be easily remedied.
If you’re looking for good raw talent from a unique and passionate young singer with guts and determination, keep an eye out for Sam Carey, he’s on his way up.
Image Credits: David Russell https://www.hastingspubhistory.com , Nick Forman .