Monday 24 September 2012

Richard Hawley at HMV Institute Gig Review

Hawley backed by various flora and fauna
Gig 40: Richard Hawley at Digbeth Institute
22 September 2012

Seeing Richard Hawley tonight was just what the doctor ordered. Having left my beloved Birmingham City in the evening kickoff being trounced 5 Nil by the mighty Barnsley (a team who had lost every away game this year upto now), the biggest home league defeat since the eighties, I needed a tonic.

Entering the HMV institute things looked promising, pint of red stripe in hand I shuffled forward to be ready for Hawleys entrance. The stage set had dry ice, trees and plenty of lights bathing the band.

Hawley is one of a kind in my experience, a crooner, voice able to fill the room deep and rich, crowd hanging on every syllable. It's not something thats lost on him, he knows his audience is drawn from all age ranges.

Then in between every song there was banter, banter that shows Hawley would be he sort of bloke it would be fun to go for a beer with. We heard about his couple of days beer session before being called by Banksy to get 'Tonight the streets are ours'  in a film and retorting Fuck off as he thought it Nick Banks from Pulp, whilst hanging the washing out as penance to his Missus for drinking. He felt more cred from the song being used in he Simpsons.

The gig rattled through at pace, and Hawley really seemed to be enthused by the audience, who were particularly supportive of Dean the drummer from Erdington. We were told hat in the interval before the encore we were written down in the pinky red tour book, I.e. there's a good chance we will see Hawley again soon.

After Oceans it was over, and I got suckered into Hendersons relish (branded Hawley relish) and boiled sweets. I should have bought a record, as I agree to a degree with Hawley that mp3's are buckets of steam and not as good as records and cd's. But thank goodness I had something this good to erase the Blues.



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