“Kings Place’s Memory Unwrapped launched with a captivating evening of music and performance, blending nostalgia, experimentation, and unexpected encounters into a truly memorable experience.”
Kicking off its much-anticipated 2026 series Memory Unwrapped, Kings Place played host to a sometimes strange but thoroughly wonderful evening of performances.
The evening began with Tom Ward on piano and Giulia Marro on clarinet and vocals, who set the tone with an intimate yet energetic jazz set in the foyer. Welcoming the audience to what Kings Place described as “a bold night of unexpected encounters,” their performance launched the new series, which explores fragmentation, memory, and the ways music can inspire change.
With the audience huddled together, murmuring in anticipation, and their pixellated images projected slightly mysteriously on the wall, Tom and Giulia’s set concluded and the night proper began. Suddenly, silence fell as Festival Voices, a contemporary gospel choir, eerily appeared high above on a balcony. What followed was hauntingly beautiful: Illuminate by Crystalla Serghiou, the choir’s ethereal harmonies cascading over the audience, filling the space with exquisite sound. The audience was then invited into the venue’s largest hall to hear more from the choir’s eclectic, experimental repertoire. The standout was Blips by Ben Nobuto, in which the choir seamlessly blended spoken word from radio broadcasts, overheard conversations, and Bible verses with sung interludes. The precision of the ensemble transformed what could have been disjointed into something jarringly twisted yet brilliantly defined—a true highlight of the evening.
Once the choir had left the stage, the ‘festival’ portion of the programme began, with the audience free to explore three different rooms, each hosting a distinct style of performance.
The first, Altered, was an immersive virtual reality experience from acclaimed company Ristband, set to rhythmic soundscapes by Venice Bleach and Alexander Parsons. Intended as a meditation on Kings Cross and its stories, the experience was visually impressive, though brief and lacking depth, with much of the setup time diminishing its overall impact.
In one of the smaller rooms, artist-in-residence Olivia Chaney offered an intimate set of covers and originals. The folk multi-instrumentalist shared stories between songs, interweaving anecdotes that made the performance feel fluid and personal. At one point, Chaney forgot the lyrics to a melancholic lament and laughed it off, a moment that underscored the vulnerability and authenticity present throughout her 20-minute slot.
The night concluded with Joe Webb at a grand piano, delivering a dazzling set that drew from ragtime, jazz, and tango. Sometimes sombre, sometimes upbeat, Webb’s masterful control and energetic playing style rounded off the evening with flair, charisma, and technical brilliance.
The festival provided numerous unexpected encounters, showcasing both the breadth of musical exploration and the performers’ remarkable skill. In line with the series’ theme, the evening evoked nostalgia, fragmentation, longing, and reflection, all while maintaining a forward-looking energy. While a few moments felt misjudged or underdeveloped, the overall quality, variety, and inventiveness on display made for an unforgettable night.
Memory Unwrapped kicked off with an evening to remember, and a strong start to what promises to be an adventurous series.