Gaz Brookfield / Apocalyptalooza - Fri Dec 21st, The Fleece, Bristol

Post apocalyptic survival celebrations at the Fleece tonight with a formidable batting line-up of the great and the good of the city’s scene.  6 acts for just under £6 pulls a merry capacity crowd clad in Santa hats and gaudy jumpers having capitalized well on a day of early office finishes.  With the end of the world averted and Christmas upon us, it’s a superb selection box of acoustic, folk/rock played on-show tonight with a mix of signed and unsigned talent available for consumption.

Apologies to the earlier acts that I missed but I arrived halfway through the event to see likeable Bristol based Glaswegian Lonely Tourist, a lively power-folk Idlewild with heartfelt and wry lyrical observations set for a bigger stage.  Next up, NME ‘Band To Watch’ and Cheltenham quartet Jim Lockey and The Solemn Sun deliver a barnstorming folk rock set ahead of next year’s headline tour.  A much heavier performance than I have seen before, they pull off a well-received versatile set that encounters the blue-collar rock/punk, indie and folk/pop of Gaslight Anthem, Biffy Clyro and Newton Faulkner respectively.   

Gaz Brookfield is the headliner though tonight; a charismatic singer/songwriter with roots in Bristol and Swindon known locally for his incredible gig work ethic (over 200 per year) and brutal, often highly comedic storytelling style.  Now on second solo album ‘Tell It To The Beer’ recorded in a homemade studio comprising of a duvet hung from the ceiling in the corner of his bedroom, he has the sing-along folk/acoustic anthems justifiably rewarded by support call-ups for The Levellers, Frank Turner, Pete Doherty and more.

 

Opening with recent re-released single ‘Diet Of Banality’ a triumphant ode to the genuine music artists and attack on faceless manufactured pop that has every punter charging their pint towards the stage; “Lets raise a glass to every real musician, at least they write their own songs.”  Brookfield wittily works the crowd throughout with a full folk band behind him as his Billy Bragg-esque storytelling covers a wide range of topics including, life on the road as an unappreciated support act (‘Limelight’), persistent van breakdowns (‘Hell Or High Water’) and political apathy/fabulously titled; ‘It Doesn’t Matter Who You Vote For, The Bastards Always Win.’  Brookfield has a clean cut, accessible vocal style reminiscent of Squeeze front-man Glenn Tilbrook as well as harbouring an accomplished percussive knuckle-rapping style and occasional penchant for two-handed fret work.

Brookfield has bags of charm as he works through his set with passion and infectious enthusiasm, clearly loved by his home-crowd many of whom would have spotted him fervently cheering on the other acts on tonight’s bill from the bar area.  Returning to the stage for Bristol National Anthem ‘Westcountry’, featuring virtuoso violin from Ben Wain, the song becomes a real event.  As was shown in last year’s corresponding fixture at the Fleece on Brookfield’s fantastic online tour diary (a fascinating insight into the life of an unsigned solo artist), the steaming crowd proudly yell “I’d rather see the west end of the M4 corridor.”  It’s a Christmas cracker of a set from one of the region’s most talented artists understandably humble in appreciation for sharing the bill with some superb and highly promising support acts.

Kindly published by venue:
http://www.venue.co.uk/music-live-reviews-g/19976-gaz-brookfieldapocalyptalooza

Best tracks - Watch through links below:

Gaz Brookfield - Limelight
Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun - A Song About Death
Lonely Tourist - Rattling Around

Apocalyptalooza:

Gaz Brookfield:



Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun



Lonely Tourist

The Escapists - Weds 12th Dec, Thekla Top Deck, Bristol

Aliens, Religion and the Afterlife are the main subject topics on the agenda for promising new indie/alt-rock band The Escapists at the Thekla tonight.  Hailing from South London, the Shins and The National inspired quartet have had their most successful year to date bolstered by recent airplay from Radio 1 and XFM.  The buzz around the band has snowballed since this summer’s triumphant Leeds/Reading Festival appearance and with their ambitious, grandiose and anthemic sound a mainstream breakthrough remains a real possibility. 

Tonight’s gig is a sort-of homecoming for two ex-Bristol Uni students within the band as part of their first headlining UK tour to support their impressive new EP ‘Burial’.  Lead singer Simon Glancy is a youthful Guy Garvey with more than a passing vocal resemblance to Marcus Mumford.  Addressing a thin but supportive crowd, his band launch into opening track ‘Screams’ with urgent drum thwacking, fiery guitar sirens and grumbling bass in the vein of The Stills but with a passion greater to that of some of the Montreal bands that the group admire so much.  It’s a ferocious but hugely melodic start worthy of a bigger audience, the sub-zero outside temperatures proving a difficult opponent tonight.  The bleak themes of death and despair are processed into rousing, uplifting sounds on next track ‘This Scene Is Broken,’ an all-out assault of pacy chopped guitar work from the impressive Oli Court and a stadium-bound infectious chorus.

A change of pace for ‘Ghost In Your Bedroom’ which is cinematically atmospheric, Glancy pushing his voice into Chris Martin territory to a sparse backdrop of light guitar chimes.  “Anyone here believe in aliens” is the call before the beginning of catchy ‘Northern Lights’ which harbours the unlikely fist-pumping chorus sing-along of “Aurora Borealis”, worth a listen for those looking for a ballsier Mumford & Sons.  Radio-friendly single ‘Post Gospel Blues’ has a tremendous combo of delicious strumming, barn-storming bass and pounding drums with a falsetto Glancy the picture of total commitment as he sings “When your body dies, your soul survives”.  More death on the agenda for closing track ‘Burial’ which feels like a step-brother to Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ as shimmering guitars meet military drums and haunting vocals to devastating effect. 

Although lyrically they may be a little gloomy, the monstrous size of the choruses and simplistic but punishing guitars could give Arcade Fire a good run for their money. It’s a tight performance in a short but sweet 7 track set from a fast improving group on an ever-upward trajectory; super-cool, stratospheric indie anthems played with glorious passion. 

Kindly published by Venue:
http://www.venue.co.uk/music-live-reviews-e/19872-escapists

Best Tracks: Click on link below to watch

The Escapists - 'Burial'
The Escapists - Post Gospel Blues


Setlist:

1. Screams
2. This Scene
3. Ghost In Your Bedroom
4. Witching Hour
5. Northern Lights
6. Post Gospel Blues
7. Burial

Beth Orton - Fri 7th Dec, Thekla, Bristol

Beth Orton has a voice that can make grown men cry.  There’s a fragility and beauty to her sound that can unnerve and soothe in equal measure.  Since the critically adored ‘Trailer Park’ album in 1996, Beth has had a solid run of success with 4 further well-received folk-tronic efforts and she arrives in Bristol following a 6 year break.  In truth it is a little odd seeing the much publicised ‘comedown queen’ kicking off the weekend but even with whipper-snapper Ellie Goulding selling out over the road, Beth’s brand of electronica-alt-folk proves a big draw as she plays a stripped down and intimate acoustic set.

Guitar fully tuned and mug of tea gulped, she opens with comeback single ‘Magpie’.  It’s a visibly nervous start but she soon hits her stride.  The opening bars show a more accomplished guitar style no doubt a result of lessons with Bert Jansch prior to his death last year. There is a defiant optimism lyrically to many of the new tracks especially the opener which belies her shy live persona, ‘I won’t turn back not for anyone, I’ve seen the sign, and I know what is mine’.  Songs of loss and sadness (Beth lost both parents at a young age) are slowly being transcended by hope and resilience, new-found parental bliss and nuptials giving confidence to push the envelope on new multi-collaborative record ‘Sugaring Season’.

 

Husband and talented violinist Sam Amidon joins her on stage for ‘State of Grace’, a hypnotic folk ballad that warms the cockles like a glass of mulled wine before Beth almost apologetically changes the mood with seductive ‘oldie’ ‘Touch Me With Your Love’. New album highlight ‘Something More Beautiful’ is intensely powerful; breathless in parts it schizophrenically switches without warning from calm to feverish passion, both impressive and frightening to the bewildered audience.  ‘Central Reservation’ inspires a whispered sing-along and leaves a golf ball sized lump in the throat.  The rather unpalatable silences that started the gig are now filled with playful banter by the self-effacing singer and the crowd chuckle to tales of Beth’s recent train commutes and ‘arguing with old ladies’.

 

 

Humble and charming for the most part but with a sometimes spiky edge she confidently declares ‘right, lets get the old songs out of the way so we can get down to what we’re all here for’.  A trio of acoustic and violin folk ditties follow and are politely consumed but its not until ‘Concrete Sky’ and ‘Call Me The Breeze’ that the slightly glum mood is lifted.  The former sees some sleek harmonies from Amidon stepping well into the Ryan Adams role and the latter a gentle country-folk foot-tapper that animates the static crowd.

 

Returning to the stage, the gangly singer invites requests and ‘Stolen Car’ bereft of trippy indie layering is a real highlight.  A spine-tingling ‘I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine’ is followed by final track and rather anti-climactic cover ‘Ooh Child’.  In truth it would have been perhaps better to see Beth with a full band behind her but she has the unassuming charisma and harrowingly angelic voice to pull off what is a committed and top-notch performance.

Kindly published online at Venue.co.uk:
http://www.venue.co.uk/music-live-reviews-b/19867-beth-orton

Best Track: Watch through link below:

Beth Orton - Concrete Sky


Setlist

1. Magpie
2. State Of Grace
3. Touch Me With Your Love
4. She Cries Your Name
5. Central Reservation
6. Something More Beautiful
7. Poison Tree
8. Mystery
9. Safe In Your Arms
10. Shopping Trolley
11. Concrete Sky
12. Call The Breeze
13. Dawn Chorus
14. Candles
15. All The Stars Seem To Weep
16. Stolen Car
17. Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine
18. Ooh Child

Ben Ottewell - Weds 5th Dec, The Fleece, Bristol

When I first heard the baritone raspiness of Ben Ottewell, like many I assumed that such a powerful resonating sound must originate from a chain smoking Tennessee whiskey-guzzling Rancher. Not so, to those of us who know him from Mercury Prize winning British indie/rock band Gomez from their rise to fame with debut ‘Bring It On’ to the present day, Ottewell still looks every bit the pasty postgraduate.

Appearances aside there is no doubting that he has one of the most powerful voices of the last 15 years; his renowned throaty howls have been the focal point throughout the band’s journey from UK to US success with 7 albums, numerous international festivals and featured songs on US film/TV shows.  Having avoided the fast-track to obscurity that has befallen previous Mercury winners, Gomez and Ottewell still maintains a loyal fanbase thanks to a prolific studio and live work ethic and a potent cocktail of blues, folk and rock.

 

Tonight sees a mix of tracks from introspective solo debut ‘Shapes and Shadows’, Gomez favourites and a couple of interesting covers thrown in to please the half full polite mid-week crowd. Kicking off with ‘Black-eyed Dog’, a song perfectly selected to introduce the uninitiated to the raw power of what is to follow, the bespectacled singer’s husky howl shakes the glasses on the tables in front of us ala Jurassic Park.  The track is carefully segued into the luscious open-tuning of ‘Free To Run’, a tune written in his teens that bobs and weaves effortlessly, the latter section accompanied by some precision finger-picking.

John Ashton aka support act Little Gem joins Ben for cover ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, Ottewell’s voice actually sounding better than Bill Withers; gruffness replacing soulfulness.  The sweeping strings on the original give way to a rather meandering conclusion of keyboard improv, the song proving less triumphant than it promised.  Where some songs dip in quality and attention wanders, Ottewell can summon up that trademark wake-up-Hades bellow to bail him out.  That’s not to say that there isn’t a smooth and soulful element in there too.  On ‘Chicago’, a solo Nick Drake inspired melancholic trip, we can hear the soothing qualities that are said to put his two young twins to sleep. 

Ottewell sails close to Seasick Steve on the fun ‘Love Is Better Than A Warm Trombone’ and penultimate track ’78 Stone Wobble’ has a jazzier feel to it.  “I’m not going to bother with the usual conceit of walking off-stage just to come back for the encore” is the mumbled address as the down-to-earth singer laps up the applause and begins ‘Tijuana Lady’.  After 4 guitar changes and a fair amount of bottled beer, Ben finishes the gig with a stripped down version, passionately delivered with yet more cathedral hall echo.  In all it’s a mesmerizing display from one of the UK’s most original voices and surely worthy of a much greater audience.

The pick of the support acts tonight is the acoustic blues of Ben Pang from Weston, flanked by electric guitars, he energetically delivers an accomplished deep-south take on Dylan.

Kindly published by Venue.co.uk: http://www.venue.co.uk/music-live-reviews-b/19833-ben-ottewell

Setlist:

1. Black-Eyed Dog
2. Free to Run
3. Shapes and Shadows
4. Get Miles
5. Blackbird
6. Hamoa Beach
7. Chicago
8. Pieces
9. Ain't No Sunshine
10. We Haven't Turned Around
11. All Brand New
12. Rosemary
13. Love Is Better Than A Warm Trombone
14. How We Operate
15. 78 Stone Wobble/Not Fade Away
16. Tijuana Lady

Best Track: Watch through link below:

Ben Ottewell - Get Miles


Best albums:

Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - Weds 28th Nov, The Fleece, Bristol

“Anyone know how to start the 2^nd verse?” is the call from singer/songwriter Sam Duckworth aka Get Cape Wear Cape Fly at the busy Fleece.  “I haven’t been out of the house in a long while,” although admittedly nervous it becomes part of the appeal of this self-deprecating but hugely talented troubadour.

Sam and co first came to prominence in 2006 with breakthrough debut album ‘Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager’ an eclectic indie/folk collection of politically charged songs about everyday life.  3 albums have followed and whilst total mainstream success has more recently been elusive, latest album ‘Mannequin’ has shown glimpses of a stripped-back  but still confident sound maintaining the much-loved Morrissey-style lyrical observations whilst moving away from those dreaded emo generalizations.

Taking to the stage with opener ‘Find the Time’, Duckworth begins well easing into his brand of honest acoustic pop/rock, sounding more engaging with the omission of drums, trumpet and customary laptop.  On next track ‘Call Me Ishmael’ there’s a throaty call to arms reminiscent of an early James Dean Bradfield that quietens the chatter at the bar.  There’s enough of an edge to keep the tracks from sounding contrite and sickly carefully side-stepping the glut of dull male solo strummers mopping up the Radio 2 market.

Growing in confidence after a couple of endearing false starts, ‘Glass Houses’ is a poignant retort to the racial prejudice of BNP policies with a funky folk feel and upbeat chorus that has the audience shifting.  Biggest cheer of the night comes for ‘I Spy’, a well-crafted anthem displaying honesty and disregard for following convention “It doesn't matter that this song has a simple tune, even though it's not what I'm supposed to do.”  Fortunately for Sam, simple brilliance is more than good enough for tonight.  Other oldie ‘War of the Worlds’ hypnotically glides along with occasional acoustic rock-outs and gravelly vocals again lapped up by the enthusiastic audience.

There’s some cheerful banter between Duckworth and the crowd throughout as we hear about his recent battle with illness which resulted in a withdrawal from a headline slot at this year’s Truckfest.  It’s pretty clear that we are witnessing the first steps on a long road back for a genuinely nice bloke with the capability to produce storytelling gems that are accessible and thought-provoking.  This is particularly true for the gig’s highlight the tender ‘Angels in the Snow,’ inspired by a fear of nuclear warfare and the emotional effect of a visit to Chernobyl, the standout track on last year’s album.

                          (Left to Right: Raza Rizvi, Sam Duckworth, Mike Harley, Cat Green)

It’s a successful comeback overall, early nerves are overcome; the crowd are enraptured and eagerly anticipate the next installment.  At a time when politics mixed with music has left most reaching for the bucket, Sam Duckworth’s articulate observational writing continues to ensure he is both relevant and adored in equal measure.

Big shout too for the bushy-bearded Bath singer Sam Eason; who reminds us of a vocally more agile Badly Drawn Boy with the passionate delivery of Damien Rice.  Sam has headlined the Fleece before and am confident he will be playing more gigs there and fewer wedding receptions.

Review published online for Venue.co.uk:
http://www.venue.co.uk/music-live-reviews-g/19802-get-cape-wear-cape-fly

Best Track - Watch online through link below

Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - I Spy

Sam Eason - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out


Setlist - To Follow