Badly Drawn Boy - London Queen Elizabeth Hall - 26/6/02
4/5
By: Toby L
'I'm gonna start with some new ones, because these are the freshest in my mind at the moment...'
Good ole' Damon Gough, AKA the solo-genius of Badly Drawn Boy, hasn't really ever been one for structure in a live-show. The above comment is made in reference to the set he plays tonight in the all-seated and slickness of the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London's plush and high-brow South Bank region. His first performance in the UK capital for over a year, he makes an effort to ensure that the one-man, two-hour set encompasses all hopes contained by those in attendance (though, seemingly, he's given up on the idea of entertaining the media present that have dismissed his prior concerts, scowling bitterly on the matter, 'F**king press.').
From the outset, however, he needn't worry too much - the whole thing is an unquestionable, albeit entertainingly rocky, success. The stripped-down nature of the tracks played, both old and new, creates an intimate chance to absorb some of Gough's at times poignant and at times humorous poetry, with a particularly cute 'Something To Talk About', fusing into the affair following a 'Been Caught Stealing'/Jane's Addiction-esque ending of a recently worked-on effort, with all the flair and melodic subtlety of its original recorded rendition.
But this wouldn't be BDB if there weren't a few surprises - most of which are made in good jest. For instance, when that part of the evening comes when just a guitar and vocals seem too repetitive to continue for much longer, he kicks down a switch on the floor and proceeds to fill the room with a funked-up series of percussion and bass, prompting our Boy to dance in a similar fashion to a stoned grandad. His following attempt at improvisation on the provided keyboards provides him the chance to hit out three different hooks and record them on-loop, allowing the hat-adorning Manc-wonder to smoke cigarettes in chain and grin proudly at his mechanical achievement.
Only the next part of the evening, involving a tenuous interpretation of audience-participation, proves more riveting. Ridiculing the clichι nature of lounge-singers, Damon croons improvised lyrics as he moves over to the edge of his platform, reaching for a rose from a bucket located on-stage. Singling out an American girl in the front-row, he gestures for her to rise next to him and gently sway by his side. 'What's your name,' he sings, but it won't be easy; despite her claims to be called 'Roxy' later on, due to the full-blast assault of the PA, what instead comes out is closer to 'Rarks-key' - and you can imagine just how she doesn't get an easy ride from then on in.
So, yes, fundamentally, this is showmanship in its traditional form, using the gift of circumstance and feeling of the moment to form the basis of the performance. As you may expect, this is why everything's different each night in the world of a Badly Drawn Boy concert - when else will his fellow techie, Sharpie, get an ode sung to him after distracting the star-turn mid-song whilst placing down a recently-tuned guitar, after all? And in what other instance will you receive such a tenderly-selected and spontaneous set-list such as the one displayed this evening?
Because, although you can often become dazzled by the sensational events that occur amidst it, what remains consistent and powerful throughout is just what people have specifically come for - the music. So, as all widen their eyes and get lost within the romance of 'The Shining' and single 'Once Around The Block', it's when he progresses over towards a grand-piano at the back to perform a gorgeous 'Silent Sigh' and a new song he deems to be his best to date - 'You Were Right', an exquisite piece dictating the troubles of loving 'someone 'til the day they are gone' and his admiration for fellow artists such as Jeff Buckley, Kurt Cobain and John Lennon - that you're truly aware of the unique gift and talent of this northern-soul.
As he closes with a clap-a-long of 'Disillusion' and a couple of encore-pieces before speaking drawly, 'I think we'll call it a night - thanks a lot,' fittingly, he receives a triumphant round of applause, a standing-ovation enabled from those that have spent the last couple of hours being moved to laughter, tears and sheer internal warmth.
Unpredictable, consistent and human, Damon Gough is one of Britain's finest live-talents on offer - despite what the hacks say.
Artists in this article: Badly Drawn Boy
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