The evening of Thursday 19th May saw Eliza Carthy launching her new album, Neptune, at Cargo in Hoxton, London. After a support slot from the able Mary Hampton, Eliza and her band took to the tiny stage adorned with numerous starfish and other nautical creatures and under an amazing pop art moon designed by David Owen.

Choosing to open the show with Little Big Man from her previous album Dreams of Breathing Underwater, it was clear that although the show was to launch a new album we would be seeing old favourites as well.

In between performing most of the songs on the new album, the audience were treated to anecdotes about the stories behind the songs (Blood On My Boots the result of a drunken evening at the premier of Jerry Springer The Opera where champagne was £5 a glass don’t you know!) and the admission that Eliza has not changed her fiddle strings in 15 years.

All too soon it was time for the last song before the encore, the rousing Britain Is a Car Park. Having first heard this song live many years ago it was wonderful to see that it has finally made in on to an album.

Due to the constrictive nature of the stage (plus the fact that someone at the venue had helpfully removed the steps) Eliza and the band decided to stay where they were for the encore.

Choosing to end the show with Thursday (a sad song about forgetting what day it is and leaving her children to go on tour), Eliza proved what a versatile performer she indeed is. Whether whipping up the audience with upbeat song War, or bringing them down again with slower, melancholy songs she is a true show woman and a joy to watch.