Davey Woodward - Thunderbolt, Bristol, 7/5/2010

  by Dixie Ernill

published: 12 / 5 / 2010

intro

At an intimate show at the Thunderbolt in Bristol, Dixie Ernill finds Brilliant Corners and Experimental Pop Band front man Davey Woodward on powerful form at a gig to promote his forthcoming solo album, '6 Miles East of Here 5 Miles North of Nowhere'

It’s fitting that the night after Britain goes to the polls, one of our finest social and political commentators, Davey Woodward, is performing an intimate show with just drummer James Lynch for company. Splitting proceedings into two sets, acoustic and electric, Woodward opens with the excellent 'The West Country' from ace solo debut album, '6 Miles East of Here 5 Miles North of Nowhere', his Lou Reed tinged vocals and delicate strumming intertwining delightfully with the understated drum work of Lynch. The confessional of 'Burger Bar' is the only other song from the yet to be released debut as a whole raft of new songs are given an airing tonight, the best of which being the desperate ode to last chance saloon love that is 'Discount Parka' – the kind of song that made Badly Drawn Boy’s 'Born in the UK' such an essential listen. Woodward may no longer be the angry 17 year old of 'Trudy is a Squeal' fame, but in 'Activists' he proves he is acutely aware that this country is far from a joyous place. The second set is pretty much noisy pop, again bolstered by great new material, best evidenced on the hypnotic swirl of 'Lot of It Going Around'. Thankfully, there is also time to include a few gems from a back catalogue spanning almost three decades. 'Teenage', possibly the Brilliant Corners' most notable single from the late 1980s, is given an interesting reworking to lose it’s Kinksian trademark and gains a slower Dylan/Cohenesque feel, allowing the now middle aged Woodward to sing about the troubles of being a teenage boy without it sounding naff. The even older 'Growing Up Absurd' conversely benefits from the extra oomph afforded by the electric guitar and proves that Woodward’s eye for detail and ear for a good tune was as healthy back in 1985 as it is now. The riotous '1000 Screaming Girls', from the criminally overlooked Experimental Pop Band album, 'Tarmac and Flames' also shines tonight and begs the question why it hasn’t been a staple of their set thus far. Finishing with another Experimental Pop Band track, 'Jodie', Woodward concludes the evening’s entertainment in fine style. While the public could not decide an outright winner in the Election, on the back of tonight’s performance the manifesto is clear: Vote Woodward!

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