You can find her music at Amazon Music | Apple Music | Deezer | Qobuz | Soundcloud
Over the past few years I’ve travelled around the country seeing my favourite bands and discovering new acts along the way. One of these new acts is Ellie Finnerty, a singer songwriter out of Dawlish in Devon whose lyrical musings really struck a chord with me.
July 5 2024: The Barrel House, Totnes
I first heard Ellie as I sat in the beer garden at The Barrel House in Totnes where she doing a soundcheck prior to supporting Baskery, the act I’d travelled down to see. I sat there as soft rain pattered the courtyard and was drawn in the tunes I was hearing from upstairs. I headed up to the bar and was greeted by the woman herself as I wandered into the main ballroom. We shot the breeze for a while – I bought her CD on the strength of the soundcheck – then found a wall to lean on while she played an impressive set accompanied by the rhythmic talent of Sam Elliot on the cajon.
What I discovered that evening was that Ellie has a terrific voice and writes catchy, heartfelt songs delivered with wit, charm and a captivating stage presence that knows how to work a crowd. Her songs evoked memories I’d long forgotten about – of teenage heartbreak, teen romance, nights out, life before optimism gave way to cynicism.
The audience at the Barrel House took to her immediately as she delivered an excellent set and had them wrapped around her fingers and orchestrating some audience participation. Even before she’d finished her set I’d decided that I’d have to try and see her again but Devon isn’t exactly around the corner so I thought it might be some time.
I snapped up a copy of her CD and over the course of my trip back home became familiar with her songs and as a result they became the soundtrack to my summer. These tracks can be heard on her Soundcloud account and CD sits like a permanent fixture in the car.
She’s not put out a huge amount of material but what she has released have become firm favourites with me. I’d recommend checking out her YouTube channel as she’s posted lots of live gigs on there which give a real flavour of what she’s about.
Her latest release: Solar Powered EP (2025) features five stellar songs, all of which are played constantly as I drive around this part of west London.
- Zinfandel
- Solar Powered
- Magpie
- Glistening in Gold
- Eternally
I can’t pick a favourite but there’s a song for every mood on there. Check it out.
My next encounter
I’d driven down to Cornwall to see Baskery in Penzance later that summer. When I do my road trips I try and find things to do on the days in and around the next gig I’ve got planned. By coincidence on the day I was due to drive back Ellie happened to be headlining at the Dawlish Summer Fair on August the 16th. I think I was picking my wife up from Gatwick that day so I was on a tight schedule. Thankfully Ellie was on around lunchtime so I headed across the country to Dawlish, a place I know well from family holidays, and arrived just in time for Ellie’s show which was a mix of cover versions and her own material. It was beautifully sunny day and there was a large seated crowd to watch the show.
I caught up with Ellie during her interval and was surprised remembered me. I did get a photo but it’s so awful of me that there’s no way I’m going to post it. So instead here’s a vid of her performing Generation Jaded – her take on online dating. Self-censored for the family crowd.
About the artist
Since then I’ve managed to catch up with Ellie in London a couple of times and down on the south coast. Recently she’s moved to Brighton and can be found performing regularly in the area. Ellie can be found performing as a solo act, as part of a duo and also with a full band – though I’ve yet to see her with with the band so far. Which ever way she’s always good value and worth catching.
Currently, at the time of writing this, Ellie is working on a Cruise ship entertaining guests as the main pub performer.
If you want to find out more about Ellie then check out her Instagram | Facebook | YouTube Channel | Tik Tok
Some musical selections for you
November 2021: Live at Off Grid Studios – Those Nights (The Cliff Song)
Sindercombe Social (Shepherds Bush): September 11 2024 – full acoustic set
Her first ever London Gig – part of the Hot Vox presents: social session. This was a great one to be at.