Gig Review: Clara Mann at Shoreditch state51 Factory

Clara Mann marked the release of Wishbone with an intimate candlelit set at Shoreditch’s state51 Factory.

Tucked away within the streets of Shoreditch in London, a creative studio and recording space is located: state51 Factory. It seemed like an impossible task to locate this space. It’s well hidden behind the busier streets in the area, up a set of stairs and back down again into a small courtyard where the entrance was. Inside was wine, charcuterie and cheese scattered about. Candles filled every available window ledge with the room slowly filling up for the evening. This truly was Clara Mann’s perfectly curated evening to perform a short secret set to a small selection of people to welcome the release of her new album that week, Wishbone. It felt like stumbling into an enchanted, candlelit tavern where you’ve somehow managed to grab the best seat in the house.

Clara Mann sat right in the middle of the room, keeping things understated in a grey skirt and black top. The layout was clever: between the room’s proportions, the positioning of the band and the relaxed crowd, it felt less like watching a traditional gig and more like peering into a diorama or a little box where a secret performance was happening just for you.

Live, Mann’s voice is just as clear and crisp as it is on Wishbone, and the intimate space did wonders for letting those vocals breathe. She adopted a ‘less is more’ approach that gave her a quiet, justified confidence; she commanded the room without ever needing to shout over it. There was an analogue warmth to the whole experience: at times, sitting in the crowd felt remarkably like listening to a record spinning on a turntable, naturally pulling you into a state of quiet, reflective thought.

Her backing band added a crucial layer of texture with soft percussion and strings, grounding the acoustic framework without ever crowding it. ‘Go Getter’, already a standout on Wishbone, translated brilliantly, holding together just as solidly live as it does on the record. Between songs, her off-the-cuff crowd work had a quirky, disarming charm that bridged the gap between artist and room.

The evening peaked right at the end with the title track. Mann sat alone at the piano to play ‘Wishbone’, and as the song built, the rest of the musicians gently drifted off the stage one by one. By the final notes, it was just her at the keys, wrapping up a gorgeous evening in absolute, spellbinding solitude.