Ed Harcourt - London Bloomsbury Theatre - 12/12/02
5/5
By: Toby L
A solo-act that's never been definitive to a 'sound' - let alone, goodness, the mere notion of a 'scene' - whilst Ed Harcourt may prove one of the country's most presently tag-less musicians, he can be rest assured that he's also the most enthrallingly adventurous.
Yes, it sounds a brave proclamation - but, really, who else is conjuring an art quite like this..? It's not the instrument-swapping, nor the accompaniment of a string and horn-section which fabricates the wide-screen motion-picture to a full-blown epic - it's the heart that exudes the product: the unquestionable humanity and charm which epitomises a 'Harcourt performance', as the process will be known in the future to come.
'You're much better than last night's audience,' quips the composer, only bettering the sentiment with an enquiring of, 'Who wants some champagne,' our host motioning towards the front row of the Bloomsbury with a full-sized bottle and plenty of plastic-cups to go round. And whatever the comment exerted, it's a safe bet that it's uttered without even the flimsiest hint of a pre-conceived, crowd-pleasing gesture, for Ed is one of us - only with better attire and smarter shoes.
Plus stronger musical-ability, obviously. Performing the final night of his tour and the second sell-out date at the venue in question, EH and band are in defiant mode, basking in the glory of the occasion, and collectively sticking their middle-fingers up to the greats which have preceded them. An overseas compere bafflingly arrives on-stage at the top of the show, only to jabber in a tone not recognisable to the seated attendees, triggering laughs and the entrance of tonight's headliners. Opening with the grand piano-based 'Bittersweetheart', the following hour is a faithful representation of Harcourt's upcoming second album, 'From Every Sphere', performed song-by-song in perfect synchronisation.
Those fortunate in the audience to have swiped a preview-copy of the featured work remain smug throughout, secure in the knowledge that they're witnessing the live-unravelling of potentially one of 2003's albums of the year; and just look at the material up there on offer - the glistening romanticism of 'Metaphorically Yours', performed so triumphantly impeccable that grown men can be viewed crying in the wings, and the upcoming single 'All Of Your Days Will Be Blessed' so sparklingly haunting, albeit infectious, that a follower behind our row beckons a verbal release of, 'F**king hell,' in sheer disbelief that such an instrumental-package could be assembled.
That's not it, either: there's the expansive, 'Heroes'-cum-'Common People' languor of 'Watching The Sun Come Up' to consider, aired extravagantly enough to herald a minor tremor, whilst the omnichord of 'Jetsetter', intense harmonica-piano minimalism of 'Sister Renee' and haunting, apocalyptic swaths of sound which form the new record's title-track collectively constructing the stuff of dreams... Literally, the entire presentation is intensely flawless.
The band walk off to a customary, gigantic reception, and return to play some of the signature-material, with the jaunty-pop of 'She Fell Into My Arms' and slumbered tranquillity of 'Something In My Eye' barely a patch on an achingly stark 'Those Crimson Tears', complete with restricted strings back-up. It should be all that's needed, but the greed-dominated hunger sets in, prompting more spectators' adulation and vocal-roars. Expectedly, they all revisit for a final, frantic dash-through of the near-amusingly maudlin 'Shanghai', Ed hesitating to crush instruments in quite the fashion that has landmarked past concert-triumphs, and instead absorbing the standing-ovations and jubilant cheers as his and the group's reward for ninety minutes of compelling showmanship.
A diversity and dextrous complexity to marvel at, the infiltration of all genres beneath the heart of the universe seems Harcourt's stance, and thus his unpredictable artistic-demeanour. But, because his craft can not be categorised amidst a record-store's conventional stacking-system, ensure you're not detracted to fall in love with one of the UK's most gifted and open-minded of talents; after all, such graceful and warming musical stature seldom presents itself within the monotony of our everyday existence... It's just a sheer pleasure too that he seemingly savours it as much as we do.
Artists in this article: Ed Harcourt
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