Given the frankly apocalyptic predictions for ‘St
Jude’s Storm’ the previous day I was half expecting to find that the Hare and
Hounds had been reduced to a pile of bricks or, at the very least, blown into a
tree or something. Thankfully Michael Fish must’ve been on duty because yesterday’s
gentle breeze was barely enough to trouble an empty crisp packet here in Brum. All
of which meant that tonight’s openers The Wellgreen (all the way from Glasgow)
were happily able to take to the stage with barely a hair out of place.
Kicking
off with Maybe It’s The Pressure of the City Life (well worth a listen) there’s
a classic feel to many of their tracks with subtle hints of The Byrds, Beatles
and Beach Boys in there and some great two part male harmonies. A ‘well good’
start to the night.
Whilst The Wellgreen’s performance was a relatively simple
affair Laura J Martin shoehorned more into her all too brief set than most
bands manage in an entire career. Although she’s a solo performer she’s got a
neat bundle of kit that provides a backing track onto which she adds some live
looped stuff, mandolin, flute, one of those keyboard things that you blow into,
a plucky thing glued onto what looked like a tambourine...I half expected her
to drag out a kitchen sink from the back of the stage at one point. In the
hands of lesser artists this could all sound a bit of a dog’s dinner but she
clearly knows what she’s doing, neatly juggling all of these different sounds
to create something...well...pretty unique. Take Red Flag for instance which
seemingly embraces everything from traditional British folk to Native American
rhythms (replete with some particularly enthusiastic ‘war whoops’).
Bonkers but
brilliant. Vocally she’s the lovechild of Kate Bush and those CocoRosie sisters
with a little added Scouse charm, a mix that’s as intoxicating as the music. Last
track, Spy, saw her play one of the funkiest flute solos in history...seriously
I’ve rarely seen someone really ‘rock’ a flute. Ian Anderson eat your heart
out. Highly recommended.
One day Euros Childs will be recognised as a
national treasure. I’m pretty certain of it. For over twenty years (first as
part of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci then as a solo artist) he’s consistently released clever,
quirky, catchy indie pop and with his latest double album (yes, a DOUBLE album)
Situation Comedy the well’s clearly not drying up. A bouncy run through one of
his classics Be Be High gets things started off, it’s as catchy as hell but a
little off the wall at the same time...which is a pretty good description of
the man himself. That’s followed up by a trio from the newbie, Second Home Blues,
Avon Lady and Ooh La Oona, each one of which are as lyrically delightful as
they are musically. Avon Lady in particular’s a real treat, as fine a lesson in
observational songwriting as you’re likely to find this side of Neil Hannon. Old
Euros ain’t just a singer and songwriter though. Oh no. He also does a fine
line in self deprecating stand up too (at times reminding me of a Welsh John
Shuttleworth, that might just be me though), scattering the set with odd
observations and random musings all delivered in that gloriously laid back and
rich Welsh accent of his. A good natured heckler is handled particularly
well...so well in fact that the individual concerns returns with a pint for him
a couple of minutes later. Now that’s real charm. No Patio Song, Donkey Island or Tête à Tête sadly but we did get the boogie woogie soul soothing
That’s Better.
To be frank though if Euros was going to play all his best songs
we’d probably still be there now. Arderchogg!
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