Badly Drawn Boy @ Queen's Theatre, London (6th November 1999)
Damon Gough has been accused of not trying, of being half-arsed, or
being a bit of shyster. It is not so, at least now. Clearly, to anyone
who watches him put on this show, he's trying very hard. If not,
there's some serious luck-riding going on and the guy has no fear of
ridicule. The entire evening is geared to entertainment, with a
comedy duo providing distraction twixt the support and the main
attraction. It fits the evening well and prepares us for the deadpan
and mildly vulnerable persona presented by Mr Gough. He begins the
set by knocking out several songs solo, demonstrating not
inconsiderable abilities to (a) write simple but poetic enough pop
songs and (b) project some happily non-cheesy feeling. What makes this
segment truly work are his wisecracks, daft jokes and asides about
nerves, the presence of his family and the music industry. He is then
joined by the opening band, to provide the full backing some of his
compositions require. It remains fun, but there are enough thoughtful
touches to avoid the danger of becoming a bad joke. Some minimalist
but intriguing backdrops play on the screen behind the assembled band,
and we see neon messages light in stages above the band. Throughout
he's in control of the crowd, engaging in banter and drawing the whole
place further in. The guy is funny, he can write songs, and he's
willing to stick his neck out a little bit in an attempt to
entertain. Whether or not his records can attain the quality to match
his intent is yet in the balance, but his efforts to provide something
different in an oft-stale live environment deserve some serious
applause. (Drew)
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