Within the sweat-filled club, an enthusiastic crowd are lead through a 50 minute set, driven by songs resonant with grace and simplicity. Tracks including Lost Without You and Play demand the crowd's attention and not even an over-zealous base amp reverberating around the club can dampen the spirits. So much so, an impromptu chorus of "Stevo… Stevo…" entices Fretwell into admission that this audience is, in so many words, "much better than the previous night"! It is easy to see the appeal of Fretwell; his unassuming manner and meekness leave you with the refreshing feeling that it is all about the music. Not content just to play the whole album, Fretwell's incorporation of songs from old EPs and new tracks leave the audience with an abundance of songs to discover and to anticipate. It is however the album's singles which provide the biggest highlights; Run and New York are greeted with great ovation to which Fretwell thanks the audience for "being so kind", but it is in the encore when the band is retired and the singer performs the beautiful Emily solo where the show is truly stolen. With a plethora of singer/songwriters on the scene at the present moment in time, it is easy to start placing artists in some sort of pecking order. On tonight's performance though, Stephen Fretwell should have no qualms about where he may end up. If only it wasn't so hot! Chris saw Stephen Fretwell at the Cockpit, Leeds on Monday 12 September 2005. | 
