THE ROAD TO ADELE

Kate Headon brings the Tottenham titan back to The Whale

As with so many a wonderful musical moment, it all happened in a pub, in Dalkey, singer Kate Headon and her musician friends decided that, hey, since the lady looked and sounded like the Tottenham superstar, why don’t we start a tribute band.

From that small drunken acorn The Adele Experience was born, sellout shows in the likes of The Button Factory and, last March, The Whale, soon following.

“It’s just such a thrill, to be able to go up there and perform these wonderful songs,” says Headon. “Besides the love that’s out there for Adele, there’s that sense of mischief that she brings to everything, which just counters all that heartbreak and fierce cries of independence.”

With local girl Emily McGuinness also in the band, this seven-piece outfit have painstakingly researched and recreated all the original Adele hits – including Someone Like You, Skyfall, Rolling In The Deep and Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love – whilst somehow managing to make them sound their own.

“It’s important to give yourself over entirely to these songs,” nods Headon, “otherwise, you’re just going through the emotions. And that just wouldn’t suit Adele’s work. It’s all straight from the heart, to your ears, and that’s what we aim for.

“It means we’re all emotionally drained at the end of each show, but, hopefully, so are the audience. And that’s really what it’s all about…”