Thanks to DuCool, yesterday I went to a free gig by Mr Walker. And very fine it was too. (Sadly my pal missed it. He was chilling out in a spa in Nacka. He must have been knackered.)
I saw Ryley last summer at Roskilde when he had an excellent, slightly jazzy band, with him. Yesterday he had to do all the work himself, and he did not disappoint. There’s an amazing, trance-like intensity to his performance: the lad can play the guitar. It’s impressive how he takes his many influences and makes something that is his own. John Martyn, Tim Buckley, Van Morrison ( he did a cover):all cooked up together to create something new.
The support act was Daniel Bachman, another fine, but far less flamboyant guitarist, whose restrained playing was rather lost on the noisy hotel foyer crowd.
I had a brief chat with Ryley at the merch table and he’s a charming chap. He was off to the bar and suggested that my voluptuous pal, Astrid, and I joined him. Boring old sod that I am, I made my excuses and headed off for the train to suburbia.
There is no doubt that he is Flavour of the Month. The bars of trendy Södermalm must have been empty last night. I was kicking myself that I didn’t have my Hipster Bingo card with me.
Bloke with bushy beard wearing woolly hat indoors.
Girl with bright purple hair
Ageing hipster couple in psychedelic T shirts who’d seen all this first time round
Owner of legendary record shop.
Girl with Hari Krishna shaven head
Music journalist from Swedish radio
Gay couple in indie band t shirts
Refugee from The Hobbit: long blonde hair and Tolkienesque beard
Fat, bald Englishman in a “Gong is my Yardstick” T shirt.
Bingo! Full House!
Thanks for that KFD, really you should have taken up the invitation to imbibe with RW, I once took up the offer with Steve Earle and he bought me a pint of Tetley bitter.
Ryley is a major talent IMHO, there are those around here who are not impressed but going off what their musical tastes are they can be ignored. I can`t remember when I was struck by an act with so much talent, probably The Waterboys in the early `80`s.
Are you referring to me?
I’m not averse to a bit of rehashing of old ideas, if it’s done well, you know, Baron. I don’t see many disputing my summary of John Martyn backed by the Astral Weeks band for Mr Walker. I may yet come round to it. In the meantime, I’m still searching for something innovative. I heard it last year in Flying Lotus and FKA Twigs. I still feel Lamar is pushing at boundaries. Doesn’t stop me enjoying something retro like Natalie Prass. Or, maybe, Ryley Walker. Who knows.
You’re quite Baron! On both counts.
He’s extremely talented and I look forward to watching his development. And I’m sure would have been excellent company.
But he was in a mood to party and I’d have doubtless rolled in at 6.00 am, drunk as a skunk.
Very occasionally I make a wise decision!
Just had my first play of the album – a month beckons of pleasurable evenings at home.
Which one Cat? Both are jolly tasty.
You mean there’s two? Hadn’t realised. Just relieved Piccadilly Records (Hipster Central in Manchester) of a copy of Primrose Green.
Yep. Primrose Green is his second foray. All Kinds of You being his first salvo. Well worth pinning the old lugholes back for.
Tiggs, chill man.
You are entitled to your view on Lamar but to me there is nothing original about what he does. I`ll give you that the way he takes original ideas and presents them as he does is innovative just as Rylie takes organic ideas and lets them influence what he does.
Some mates of mine played in a pub a few days ago, one was playing guitar (the most talented of the trio. The guy is gifted), another was blowing an alto saxophone (he is a very good player), the third was blowing on a gob iron (I`m reserving judgement on his abilities), there were 20-30 people listening some described what they did as innovative.
The truth is it was a feckin` racket – the same as a majority of so-called innovative music played today. Art for art`s sake, more like noise for noise sake.
That should have followed Tiggerlions comment to my previous comment.
`All Kinds Of You`, the first album is also excellent.
Actually, there’s an article in today’s paper about how innovation or originality in music is so much harder to achieve these days. I ignored it at first thinking it a rehash of the there-are-only-so-many-notes-and-instruments-to-play argument. I think I’ll read it.
Sounds interesting Tiggs.
Bottom line is your ears appreciate what they hear or not – that sax, guitar, gob iron combo was terrible.
Ah. There you go. I love a bit of sax with gob iron.
Any other artists anyone can recommend where I’ll find a generous sprinkling of hipsters?
Hipster bingo really livens up a gig.