Cornwall Road Trip: A Night of Music At Cafe Irie

Cafe Irie lives in the heart of Newquay, close to the beach and neighboring specialty Cornish shops. Inside, the ceilings hang low over vintage couches, giving it that cozy cafe vibe. The crew and I have determined that this was probably our favorite spot to eat over the course of our stay in Newquay.

They offer a full menu of sandwiches, salads, juices and other small plates, with a handful of  choices that may sound strange, but you can’t help but try them. On both occasions, we ordered the Mezze platter that was overloaded with hummus, fresh baked breads, chutneys, oils, veggies, and an array of cheeses. After working around the clock, this was the perfect thing to share and fuel up on.

On Friday Night, Free People hosted an event at Cafe Irie with free champagne, product giveaways, and live music by Jamie Beau and Alice Jemima. Both Jamie and Alice traveled into Newquay for this event, and their musical talents drew in the crowd and provided the entertainment for the night. I sat down with them after their sets and was able to learn a little bit more about them.

Jamie Beau

Describe your music in three words:

Percussive, alternative, and folk.

How long have you been playing music?

Around 15 years in many different forms. I’ve been in metal bands, alternative country bands and all kinds of stuff like that. The stuff that I’m doing now is only since September last year that I’ve started going down this route. It’s certainly the most comfortable and soul satisfying thing I’ve done.

What is your favorite thing about performing?

I find there’s always one moment in every gig I play that you look out at the people watching and they’re singing along and at that point you think, okay, I think people are into this now, and you can turn it up a notch.

Who is your biggest musical inspiration?

There’d be a combination really. Vocally, Chris Cornell without a doubt, swiftly followed by Jeff Buckley, Mike Patton and all that sort of thing. Guitar-wise, there’s a guy called Thomas Lee, an Austrian singer sound guitarist. The guy is sensational — honestly. Go and watch the YouTube videos. He does a version of “Don’t Worry Be Happy” which is brilliant.

Describe your personal style:

Rough! I guess vintage, kind of bohemian.

Have you just released an EP?

Yes, my “Shedding Skin”  EP has been out since July.

Click here to check out Jamie’s EP, “Shedding Skin”!

Alice Jemima

When did you know that you wanted to play music? 

Well, I started playing guitar when I was 8 and I didn’t start singing or writing until I was about 11 or 12. I gradually started performing when I was 13 at schools and open mics and stuff. I took Spanish guitar lessons which I didn’t like and then I found this guitar teacher and I told him I wanted to play like Jack Johnson or KT Tunstall and he was like, “Right, we can do this!”

Who is your biggest musical inspiration? 

When I was inspired to perform it was mostly Corrine Bailey Rae and Jack Johnson, Everything But The Girl, and Sade.

Describe your music in three words:

Indie, acoustic and pop.

What is your favorite thing about performing?

Meeting lovely people!

How would you describe your personal style? 

I guess I wear 60’s-esque dresses and vintage.

Is it just your EP you have out right now?

Yeah, it’s my first one, I made it all at home. The cover and stuff were designed by my step-dad who’s an art teacher and I recorded it and produced it all, and then got other people to listen to it and to make sure it was alright. Then we put it out into the world.

Click here to listen and find out more about Alice’s EP, ” All The Boyfriends”.

More indie music from the BLDG 25 Blog.

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