Sarah Darling brings a touch of Nashville sunshine to a cold Cambridge night

The acclaimed country singer, backed by four British musicians, warmed hearts and minds at the Unitarian Church on Saturday, March 17

A regular visitor to the UK – and married to an Englishman – Nashville-based Sarah Darling is on her first UK headline tour.

Tonight’s venue is the Cambridge Unitarian Church, a lovely building constructed in 1927 close to the city centre.

Darling, 35, began her set by performing You Don’t Have to Be Lonely, her beautiful voice wonderfully filling the space.

The slow-burning Tell That Devil, off her most recent album, 2017’s Dream Country, came next, its explosive chorus causing heads to nod and feet to tap.

Ever prolific, Darling revealed that she had completed three tracks for her next album and said that she hoped to release it around October time.

She then played the recently released Wasted, one of these new songs, which was inspired by a true story of a woman who finds out her husband is an alcoholic.

Originally from Iowa, Darling spoke of her love for country music – as well as for artists like Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell – and noted that she loves the genre because it allows the artist to “tell a story.”

Further highlights of her splendid set included the gorgeous Where Cowboys Ride, The Boy Never Stays (a heartfelt song about her first love, co-written with Brandy Clark and Josh Osborne), Halley’s Comet, Anchor and Montmartre.

Ahead of emotionally delivering the latter, Darling explained that it was inspired by a trip to Paris she had made with her husband, whom she met in Nashville, before they were married.

Darling stated that these intimate gigs are her favourite type of show (“It’s like you’re all in my living room!”) and I think it’s safe to say the audience enjoyed it just as much as she did.

sarahdarling.com