Tonight's sold out show at the lovely venue that is College Of Music is a lovely end to the week. Fans of grunge and beyond are queuing up early to witness the man with one of the most whiskey velvety voice in the musical world. So unique is his voice, Mark Lanegan has been in numerous side projects since his early work with Seattle's Screaming Trees and his own solo work. Queens Of The Stone Age, The Gutter Twins, The Twilight Singers, Soulsavers, Isobel Campbell, UNKLE, Mad Season, Massive Attack, Warpaint, Moby, Slash The list goes on and on.
Tonight's show is focusing mainly on Mark's solo work, but pulls in covers as his new release 'Imitations' sees him cover songs from Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Andy Williams and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds amongst others.
First up is a short set by Lyenn. He is a good guitarist and vocalist, though his songs are very downbeat. Even he says he's not trying to depress us. I was nodding off a little to be honest (it's been a long week) until 'Seeds and Semen' with it's catchy guitar melody. It's not until the alarming emotion at the end of the song and Lyenn's painful screaming that I fully wake up.
Duke Garwood is a little more like it, country blues with vocals that are surprisingly similar to Lanegan's. The duo this year released album 'Black Pudding'. The only song he announces is 'Manchester Special' on his steel guitar, a lovey Americana blues instrumental, which is from said album. Lyrics to the next songs are deep too Take this blade and cut me deep / you can take half of me. Often described as Mark Lanegan's spiritual cousin across the Atlantic waters, I can see the attraction with this London based multi-instrumentalist.
Mark is next on stage to a rousing applause. Duke is back on stage to play guitar and saxophone and sing, and he is also backed by a handful of other talented musicians. I joked with the merchandise guy on the way in, as they are selling a Mark Lanegan bobblehead. I said does it move, he tried it, I said that's not very lifelike! Mark's well known to be very quiet and hardly moves on stage, letting his incredible voice do all the work. Tonight he does say thanks a couple of times and introduces his band
From the new album 'Imitations' there's the instantly recognisable Andy Williams performed track 'Solitaire'. The Sinatra's feature heavily too with Bond theme 'You Only Live Twice' by Nancy and 'Pretty Colours' by her Dad Frank. My favourite off this collection though is a take on the song Bobby Darin sang called 'Mack The Knife'.
Mark's solo work is obviously well represented, with 'On Jesus Program' from 'I'll Take Care Of You' (a cover originally by O.V. Wright), 'Gravediggers Song' and 'Phantasmagoria Blues' from 'Blues Funeral', 'One Way Street' from 'Field
Songs', 'When Your Number Isn't Up' and 'One Hundred Days' from 'Bubblegum'. Plus the B-side 'Mirrored' from 'Hit The City'
It is a fair slice of the span of his solo career.
There is also a rendition of the traditional Christmas and child ballad song 'The Cherry Tree Carol', and a fitting tribute to Lou Reed with 'Satellite Of Love'. The crowd react to this song with the biggest cheer of the evening. The rest of the setlist is work from the collaboration with Duke, namely 'War Memorial', 'Cold Molly', 'Mescalito', 'Driver', and 'Pentecostal', so tonight's gig kills two birds with one stone; promoting 'Imitations' and 'Black Pudding'. Not that Lanegan is a stranger to touring this side of the world
The highlight for me and many others (especially the lone guy who left the seats to sit on the floor slap bang in front of Mark) was Screaming Trees own 'Halo Of Ashes'. Mark let his guitarist, the only other body on stage for the one song encore; play a stunning solo while he took a seat.
Set list:
War Memorial
Mescalito
Cold Molly
Driver
Pentacostal
When Your Number Isn't Up
Cherry Tree Carol
One Way Street
Gravediggers Song
Phantasmagoria Blues
Pretty Colours
Mack The Knife
You Only Live Twice
Solitaire
Satellite Of Love
One Hundred Days
Mirrored
On Jesus Program
Halo Of Ashes
FUTURE GIGS
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