Mr Plow - The Musician, Leicester - 5th December 2007
Review by Jeremy Searle
No, Homer Simpson hasn’t turned up to offer his services. Mr Plow is the nom-de-plume of a local Leicester man whose depths of self-deprecation can be assessed from his comment that “anyone with opposable thumbs can put my guitar playing to shame.†While it’s true that his style is rudimentary it suits his music and songs perfectly. Pitched somewhere between Nick Cave at his most dolorous and the Handsome Family without the humour his dark tenor echoes around the venue as he opens his set with a song in which the narrator exults as he tells how he slaughtered his bride. Things don’t get any brighter either and even on the one love song played, “Lullaby 2â€, when he sings “No-one else will come/No-one else is here/I will keep you safe now/You’ve got nothing else to fear†it sounds more like the threat of a serial killer than the reassurance of a lover.
Entirely appropriately he finishes his short set (he’s supporting Kate Campbell) with a cover of the traditional “In the Pines†and is gone, leaving the world a darker but better place than when he arrived. Mr Plow doesn’t seem to gig much, nor have much (if anything) available to buy, but if he comes your way his bleak world view is definitely worth catching. | |  | Sam Baker - CCA, Glasgow - 7th December 2007
Review by Mike Ritchie
Gig of the year? You bet even though I’ve enjoyed excellent shows this year by Richmond Fontaine, Cat Power, Robbie Fulks, Seasick Steve, The Willy Clay Band, Dinosaur Jr, among others. This two-hour experience, no other word for it, was utterly spellbinding, swamped with emotion and so intense you had to take a swift intake of breath to cope. And there were people who were tearful during some songs in Sam’s extraordinarily beautiful and moving performance. His spoken and singing voice merge seamlessly so his between-songs chat and actual tracks stop and start before you notice, the gently picked intros the only guide.
With two brilliant albums “Mercy†and “Pretty World†released since he started song-writing seriously seven years ago, he had no shortage of wonderful material to mesmerise a full-house. Outside in Sauchiehall Street, the Friday night madness was in full flight with added festive gusto but inside you could have heard a pin drop in Edinburgh such was the rapt attention afforded each and every song. Waves, Baseball, Juarez, Boxes, Sweetly Undone, Slots, Kitchen – lots of one-word titles for songs, you’ll notice. But he packs into the songs his hugely emotional lyrics with words hand-picked to communicate his thoughts and observations – “no slackers,†as the Texan told a radio interviewer recently. A slightly slurred delivery, words spoken and gently sung, create an atmosphere all of their own.
Mostly deaf from a terrorist train bombing over 20 years ago in Peru that killed a family of fellow passengers and left him with a constant struggle to rebuild his life, Sam can tell such simple stories, despite his pain. Observational and caring, lushly toned and carefully crafted, his songs are works of art that delve under your skin to make you take notice. With no set list, he responded to requests that really had to be yelled out loud and, as he settled himself for each, he revealed his quick wit, an admiration for the Daily Star, a huge interest in the “missing back from the dead†canoe man story, an astonishment that Scottish heather could be turned into ale.
It was late, late in the set that he finally sang “Broken Fingers†explaining that it was a song he had to build up to as it “sucked something out of a room†– and it certainly did. “These broken fingers, some things don’t heal, I can’t wake up from a dream, when the dream is real…these broken fingers.†Stunning, sad, brilliant (sorry, that word again) – a real lump in the throat moment. We’re all familiar with the overused term “must see†- but this guy is in that category, in a class all on his own, actually. Last gig of the year for me, the best saved until the last. Thank you, Sam. | |  | Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - 02 Arena - 19th December 2007
Review by Andy Riggs
Bruce returned to the UK for a one off show this week, and even the shambolic organisation at the 02 Arena failed to take the shine of this stunning performance.
With 20,000 to cater for (not including the corporate & VIP rockers) the staff at the Arena had their work cut out getting everyone into their seats for the start at 8.30pm. This is not the forum for my gripes but the procession from the entrance of the 02 Arena to my seat was a shambles.
I rarely attend these big arenas for two reasons, firstly the seating location is random and my tickets indicated that I was in H (at least I know now what that stands for ‘The Heavens’ and secondly the audience full of middle aged rockers (like me) except they decided to get up, dance and obscure the view for many people. The view was bad enough, it took me several songs to spot that Bruce’s old lady was not there, Hilda Ogden could have been on backing vocals for all I could see.
BUT Springsteen is worth all of this. From the opening chords of ‘Radio Nowhere’ this was a fabulous two and half hours in the company of the best live act in the world.
Despite the well-known crowd pleasers such as ‘Born to Run’, ‘Dancing In the Dark’ & the latest addition to this ‘Girls in Summer Dresses’ from ‘Magic’ it was the less well-known songs that made the night for me. ‘Racing In The Street’ was performed to perfection with Springsteen’s voice showing no sign of decline a powerful & warm rendition even in the cold of this vast arena. This was further confirmed by a raucous rendition of ‘Reason To Believe’ with Bruce’s harmonica and waling taking centre stage.
The show tonight just confirmed that Springsteen has such a wide and varied back catalogue to choose from, and that for the last 30 odd years songs such as ‘Thunder Road’, ‘She’s The One’, ‘Jungleland’ are stone cold classics and new songs from his latest record including the title track, ‘Devils Arcade’ and ‘Long Walk Home’ sit comfortably with Bruce’s finest songs.
But for me the real highlight was ‘Because The Night’ with Nils Lofgren rolling off one of his great guitar solos, and Bruce leaving the spotlight to Nils and looking on in admiration of Nils’s virtuoso solo.
Up in ‘Block H’ the chap in front of us had spent all the evening trying to encourage his wife to get up and ‘boogie’ when Bruce ploughed into ‘Dancing In the Dark’ it was her signal to finally leave her seat and I took the gamble that this might be the last song) and headed for the exit as the Jubilee Line beckoned and another queue!
Great concert, great singer, great songwriter, great band shite location and my last arena concert – although The Emirates Stadium beckons in May. |
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