Tom Hickox, Fiona Brice – Kings Place, London – 9th May 2025

Tom Hickox makes a welcome return to the live stage to promote the his new album, The Orchestra of Stories

Arriving at Kings Place in good time, there is no doubt in my mind that this evening will be a more refined event than I’m used to. All seated and a very cultured feel, the venue exudes a certain style. Modern but not cold, perfect for tonights performances.

FIONA BRICE

Kicking off the proceedings with a short set is Fiona Brice. She is an orchestral composer, arranger but, above all, a very accomplished violinist. She takes to the stage, a lonely figure, with just a set of pedals to accompany her. Playing phrases on the violin, then sampling them in real time and playing another layer on top, building up a complex rhythm and soundscape. 

It is hauntingly beautiful, while not losing the very soul of the instrument. Melancholy in places, disturbing in others but there is something about the sound of a violin that reaches deep inside me. You could close your eyes to this and be transported to another world.

While tweaking the pedals, Brice comments this is all live just to make it clear there is no playback here, this music is all being created in front of our eyes. She briefly moves to the grand piano dominating stage right to play her forthcoming single, imploring the audience to “stream the ***t out of it!“

Whilst the set is short, it is definitely impactful, showcasing some strong compositions and music that is difficult to pigeonhole. I’d definitely like to hear more.

TOM HICKOX + A SMALL ORCHESTRA

While Fiona Brice was a lone figure on the stage, by stark contrast, Tom Hickox is joined on the stage by a small orchestra of 11 people comprising Shez Sheridan on guitar ( from Richard Hawley’s band), Simon Lea on drums (from The Temperance Movement), Chris Hill on bass (RAYE), Ross Stanley on keys (British Jazz Award winner), Aaron Akugbo on trumpet, Zoe Tweed on french horn and Benny Vernon  on trombone. They are completed by a string quartet from Chineke! Orchestra. 

BRIGHT MUSTARD AND GRAND PIANO

The orchestra take their places to applause and the clapping is increased a notch as Tom Hickox takes to the stage. Sporting a bright mustard coloured suit he takes his place at the grand piano and launches into the first song of the evening, The Clairvoyant.

For a few reasons, he hasn’t played live for a few years now and this evening’s show is for the launch of his latest album, The Orchestra of Stories, an album that is as individual as it is eclectic (we labelled it “sumptuous“). The set has many tracks from the album but there are a few older audience pleasers slipped in too.

As much as Tom Hickox is an accomplished musician and composer he is also very much a storyteller, with many of the songs drawing on real life events and events recorded in the history books. We have The Lisbon Maru, telling the story of a Japanese’s cargo ship that was carrying PoWs in 1942 when it was torpedoed by an allied submarine resulting in a massive loss of life.

CLOSER TO HOME

We have a song about Fidel Castro and how an assassination attempt resulted in the assassin and target falling in love. Closer to home, Roy And Eve tells the story of his grandmother and how an artist acquaintance became obsessed with her. The Port Qinn Fishing Disaster recounts, as you’d expect, the details surrounding this event. 

Tom breaks the cardinal sin of remarking on football at a London gig, with boos and cheers greeting the mention of Spurs, this is followed by laughter as he explains the song is about broken dreams!

Perseus And Lampedusa sees him shift from the grand piano to centre stage to play on a mounted accordion (I’m not sure if there is a specific name for this instrument!) As the set progresses, confidence grows and it’s clear everyone on the stage is enjoying themselves. By the time we get to Let Me Be Your Lover you can hear a pin drop in the quiet passages. This is a song that is loaded with emotion and clearly resonates around the room.

Monsters In The Deep is greeted with cheers and, almost as soon as it has started, the set is over, we have a brief encore, finishing with a monumental version of Chalk Giants. This leads to a well deserved standing ovation. A tour de force of songwriting, combined with Hickoxs soulful vocals, and the added depth of the orchestra has made for a memorable evening. Let’s do it again soon!

All concert photography by Graham Hilling. You can check out more of his work on his website, here.

Tom Hickox online: Website / Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / YouTube

Fiona Brice online: Website / Instagram / Bandcamp

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