ORIANTHI + JAMES BRUNER @ O2 ISLINGTON ACADEMY 29TH JANUARY 2026
I was aware of Orianthi as having served as a guitarist in Alice Cooper’s band. I also knew that she had worked with Michael Jackson and Richie Sambora. What I didn’t realise was just how extensive her own back catalogue is. Tonight, then, promises to be something of an education.
Before we get there, support act James Bruner takes to the stage. Raised in Springfield, Illinois and now based in Nashville, I briefly worry that he might lean heavily into country territory. Thankfully, that concern proves unfounded. Instead, James deals in blues-based hard rock, backed by a classic three-piece line-up of guitar, bass and drums.
For opener Switchblade, James appears without a guitar, throwing himself into the role of wildly kinetic frontman. At times, it feels like he’s trying just a little too hard. Things settle noticeably when he straps on a guitar for Can’t Keep Wanting You, briefly trading dual leads with his guitarist, who is clearly no slouch. This track, in particular, feels like it owes a nod to Lenny Kravitz.
Red Light sees James briefly venture into the pit. Vocally, he’s an intriguing presence, with an impressive range but a tendency to growl on the lower notes. There’s something of Josh Todd from Buckcherry in his delivery, albeit without the tattoos or the swagger. Crunching riffs abound, and the guitar solos are genuinely excellent. There’s plenty to admire here, though I can’t help feeling the set would benefit from James playing guitar throughout, fostering more of a band dynamic rather than a frontman-plus-backing-musicians feel.
Before Orianthi takes the stage, the PA pumps out an unexpectedly funky playlist, heavy on 1970s disco classics. Mercifully, this bears no resemblance to what follows. Orianthi appears with a stripped-back three-piece band, handling both guitar and vocal duties herself. From the opening notes, they are absolutely on fire.
First Time Blues immediately showcases the telepathic connection between guitarist and drummer, with the percussion perfectly accentuating Orianthi’s jaw-dropping playing. To say her guitar work is out of this world feels almost reductive. It may be heresy in some circles, but there are moments where she feels like a female Jimi Hendrix. She really is that good — a comparison she herself leans into later in the set.
You Don’t Wanna Know hails from a record she “made a long time ago in Nashville”, though there’s not a trace of country influence. Orianthi is refreshingly unprecious about covers. Growing up, her dad “used to play B.B. King records around the house”, so we’re treated to a beautifully executed version of Never Make Your Move Too Soon. As a singer, she’s every bit as impressive as she is as a guitarist — singing and playing simultaneously with immense feel and dynamic control.
Rescue Me delivers a vicious riff after each chorus and a mind-melting wah-wah solo. Honestly, Orianthi, you spoil us.
The set now strips back further for an acoustic interlude, with Orianthi performing solo. Where Did Your Heart Go? comes from Rock Candy, written during an astonishing burst of creativity that saw her compose fourteen songs in fourteen days. It opens with a stunning intro. A cover of Bo Diddley’s Before You Accuse Me follows. I vividly remember seeing The Band perform this in The Last Waltz — and it suddenly dawns on me that the footage was filmed around a decade before Orianthi was even born.
The band return, and Orianthi asks the crowd whether they should do “some heavy shit?” The response is unequivocal. Light It Up is delivered with absolute ferocity. A swaggering take on ZZ Top’s Sharp Dressed Man follows, handled with no shortage of confidence.
The set closes with an utterly coruscating version of Hendrix’s Voodoo Chile (Slight Return). It’s flawless. It’s electrifying. Even the bar staff are visibly into it. Orianthi even breaks out some teeth-playing, with a teasing snippet of The Burning of the Midnight Lamp thrown in for good measure.
I say this without hesitation or exaggeration: Orianthi is one of the best guitarists I’ve ever seen. I was initially surprised at just how packed the venue was. By the end of the night, I knew exactly why. Apparently, this was her first UK show since 2018. Let’s hope she doesn’t leave it anywhere near that long before returning.
WORDS: MARK KELLY PHOTOS: CRIS WATKINS
