The Song Remains the Same

Tuesday evening I jumped in my car and drove to Bristol to see Samantha Crain play a support set to the Staves, the drove back. I didn’t ‘ang about for the Staves, not because I don’t like them, but because it was a school night gig, I’m training for a marathon I just really wanted to see Samantha Crain. She was amazing, funny and heartbreaking (as I told Gideon Coe). From time to time a single piece of confetti would drop from the rafters, which she commented upon. It seemed to fit in with her melancholy Americana. Crain also admitted cribbing one of her songs from my favourite Richard Thompson song ‘1952 Vincent Black Lightning’. Just a brilliant set, although she didn’t play the song i really wanted - ‘Reunion’ - should I have shouted that out? I get terribly shy. Bought her EP, surprised a bouncer by leaving before the main act and I got the hell out of dodge baby! It did feel a bit mad just nipping across the bridge for that, but it was way worth it.

Which brings me to my larger point. Gigs! Gigs are back! After 18 months we get to see live bands again. Tuesday’s support slot wasn’t my first outing. Back in August my first gig on the eve of Greenman was Gruff Rhys at Clwb Ifor with my mate ‘Evil Edna’ Stradling. It was a surprising night on a number of scores. Ed’s not really a gig going guy but thought it might be ‘amusing’. Clwb ifor was packed and you would have been forgiven in thinking that nothing unusual had been happening. It has been unexpected how quickly it’s felt normal going to a gig that night, although both Evil Edna and myself had a twinge of anxiety at being amongst so many people again. What I was wrong footed by was how emotional i was at being in crowd again seeing live music again. I stood there close to tears and thought ‘How could I have forgotten how much I love this?’. The joy of live music hasn’t left me during the pandemic it’s just been sleeping. I became so emotional that I had a skinful, bought some chips on the way home and fell off my bike on the way home. A proper Cardiff night out!

Greenman followed and was a complete celebration. I was convinced it wasn’t going to happen so it was a pleasant surprise and everyone was so pleased to be there. Sian and i mostly hung about and i seemed incapable of staying up past 10pm, though we did see Cardiff band ‘Panic Shack’ who became our new favourite band, noisey duo ‘John’ with the singing drummer - I’m always a sucker for a singing drummer - and ‘This is the Kit’ who are always wonderful.

Since then the floodgates have opened with a bouncy gig at Cardiff Castle , the band ‘Squid’ at the TRamshed, a sublime Nick Cave and Warren Ellis gig and my favourite gig of the year Anna B Savage at the Louisiana in Bristol. It’s been so great to get back to live music. A vital part of life is back, a part which adds spice and a whole heap of enjoyment and love. This leading to Gigmaggedon next month with seven back to back gigs! Pray for me.