A mysterious atmosphere vibrates through the small room in Manchester Street’s Latest Music bar as two women take to the stage and where flowers lie scattered beneath their feet. Nav Vilain’s floor-length red gown contrasts nicely with partner Rain Heron's black veil dress as unusual and intriguing sounds boom from the overhead speakers. French DJ “Tof” Matgorski provides the atmospheric soundtrack for the evening.
Vilain and Heron take turns to enthral the audience with their electric poetry
Rain Heron’s voice sounds the phrase “a woman without words” over and over again, each time louder than before. Evidently, this could not be further from the truth in the live performance of 2 Voices 1 Sound. Instead, these words become thought-provoking, intense and unflinchingly honest as Vilain and Heron take turns to enthral the audience with their electric poetry.
As the performance begins, music begins to float alongside the words of passion and aggression. Vilain kicks things off, her words beginning to infect the audience, fitting to the poem itself that discusses the "infection of love" and all its sinister undertones. Her poise and demeanour on stage counterpoint the biting words she spills, quietly and calmly building into a storm of passion and frustration, her voice louder and louder each time.
Heron reveals herself to the audience from beneath her black veil, an introduction to the topic of death within her spoken word. “They take and they never give” she observes as ominous sounds crackle from Matgorski, perfectly flowing alongside Heron’s words.
As the evening continues, the performers take the audience on a journey, the music and words flowing around the otherwise silent, dark room. Emotions run high from everyone on stage as themes of love, death, heartbreak, humanity and equality are explored. Each topic is accompanied by fitting sounds. Love has the sound of jazz piano, the sound of death is jittery and disjointed, until the words mellow out and slow comforting sounds bring the night to a close.
2 Voices 1 Sound takes us on an enthralling journey of two women who most certainly do have words, and a lot to say about them.
