But first came support act Ruth Lyon, performing alone at the keyboard and proving just as entertaining between songs as during them. Her wonderfully dry, witty stage chat wandered through some rather unusual collections, dead insects and bark among them, before she introduced a song inspired by her favourite tree in Northumberland. Ruth explained that she usually performs with a band, occasionally finding herself looking around as though they might suddenly materialise beside her, but that playing alone meant she could follow her own timings without worrying about anyone else. It suited the relaxed intimacy of her set perfectly.

Lucca Mae arrived with her band, a clearly well-regarded drummer, bass guitarist and a particularly impressive lead guitarist, whilst also picking up the guitar herself during the set. Visually, she looked every inch the modern incarnation of a 1960s icon; black dress, hair and platform boots fitting the music without tipping into costume or pastiche.

Her sound sits somewhere across jazz, R&B and soul, led by a voice capable of moving from soft restraint into something considerably more powerful without losing any of its clarity. There are moments that bring Paloma Faith to mind, and inevitably flashes of Amy Winehouse, although to rest simply on those comparisons alone would be to miss the confidence and personality already evident in her own material.

The set drew from her album alongside newer work, including a track called ‘Remedy’, the origin of which apparently came from a Post-it note left on a mirror; one of those small, everyday details that quietly grows into something far larger. It was a lovely glimpse into her writing process, and another example of how comfortably she engaged with the room throughout the evening.

Despite the size of the audience, there was nothing overstated about her performance. Lucca appeared relaxed and unhurried, smiling frequently and sharing the stage generously with the musicians around her. That ease came through most clearly during a cover of a Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac track, where she stepped down into the audience entirely, leaving the band the floor and listening alongside everyone else. It might seem a small gesture, but it said plenty about her approach; entirely comfortable allowing the musicians their moment, which they made excellent use of.

A couple of songs performed alone gave Lucca the opportunity to show just how strong her voice is without the full arrangement around it, and she seemed equally at ease in either mode. Those quieter sections also created a welcome shift in pace; the full-band songs had richness and drive, with the lead guitar frequently taking a well-deserved spotlight, while the solo performances allowed the shape and character of her vocals to come fully forward. There was no sense of needing the volume or weight of the band to carry that material.

Once the band returned, the music built again with some better-known songs including ‘On Top of the World‘ and ‘Because Of You‘, parts of the audience joining in, and the interaction between the musicians remaining one of the most enjoyable elements of the night; listening to one another, leaving space where it was needed, and taking real pleasure in the performance.

Lucca made a point of thanking Thomas from The Cluny for his work on the sound, which was richly deserved. The balance gave proper weight to the individual instruments without burying the vocals, something that doesn’t always happen, and that made a genuine difference to the experience throughout.

And then came the whistling. Whistling accurately is one thing. doing it as part of a live song, under lights, in front of a packed Cluny, is quite another. Lucca carried it off beautifully, adding another delicate musical detail to a performance already full of them.

What remained most striking across the evening was the absence of strain in any part of it. Lucca Mae has presence, style and a voice that can fill the room without anything feeling forced or showy. She may have looked like a soul queen transported from another decade, but there was nothing stuck in the past about the music; a modern take on those influences, played by an excellent band and fronted by an artist comfortable enough in her own ability to let everyone around her shine too.

The Cluny crowd had clearly arrived expecting something special, and by the end of the night the smiles on stage and throughout the room suggested Lucca Mae had given them exactly that.