Bread Rolls and Reservations: Proove, Sheffield

Proove is undeniably one of the finest pizza eateries in Sheffield – the real question, however, is whether their music compares. Over lunch, I took it upon myself to find out.

Anyone expecting hugely varied tracks or anything too upbeat would have been disappointed. While pizzas of many flavours and sizes were on offer, the musical menu exclusively offered acoustic originals and covers. Lots and lots of acoustic originals and covers.

The first few minutes saw Ed Sheeran’s ‘The A Team’ provide an ambient soundtrack as I enjoyed a mushroom bruschetta for my starter. Echosmith’s stripped back version of their track ‘Cool Kids’ was another highlight, playing as I left the restaurant. It actually manages to be on a par with the original.

Not every track hit the mark. Being played after Sam Smith’s exceptional acoustic versions of ‘Omen’ and ‘Latch’, Jessie J’s ‘Price Tag’ fell flat, as did a cover of ‘Trap Queen’ – while the original is questionable, it is nowhere near as boring as the version that was played. There were some enjoyable throwbacks on offer, though, with ‘Princess of China’ and ‘The One That Got Away’ providing more emotional moments.

The prospect of an hour of acoustic tunes is a relaxing or disheartening prospect, depending on how you think about it. However, Proove managed to set a nice tranquil tone for a Monday lunchtime, saving excitement and flavour for the food but selecting well-crafted acoustic tunes aplenty.

7/10