Friday 15th October: Weekends in York are still providing sparse fare in respect of new music to tempt us to the city's bigger venues. Thankfully, while the "clubs" are failing to entice, those pubs which try to drag the punters in by providing musical entertainment (albeit generally in the form of covers bands) are still providing ample opportunities to see some good acts. Tonight it's a rare full complement, including one new-comer, on an even rarer visit to the Punchbowl (Stonegate version) to see someone who is rapidly becoming a favourite.
I suppose, if we were to be totally honest, none of us would have known about Adam Dawson if he hadn't been chosen as Breathing Space's new guitarist. Although he plays regularly in York, it's generally not in a combination of venues we frequent and the nights we frequent them. Tonight, though, is the third time I've seen him, in a third different venue. It's not just the music, either - Adam seems happy enough to take time to speak with the punters and comes across as a genuinely nice guy.
The Punchbowl is a bit of a strange venue for music. The acts perform in one of its three rooms. In fact the room that doubles as a dining area and that people have to walk though to get to the back bar and the, errm, conveniences. The former means that the music doesn't start until food has stopped being server and eaten and the latter means that it can be quite a busy thoroughfare. Tonight, as Adam started his set, all the tables were taken and my usual standing spot was occupied. In fact, by the time we had all turned up I found myself standing through the doorway of the back bar, listening to the music rather than watching the performance and directly in line with the Table.
Why the capitalisation? Well, for me at least the Table has taken on a degree of notoriety. The smaller of two tables directly in front of the stage area it seems that every time I've seen an act at the Punchbowl it has been occupied by people who are determined to shout at each other over the music. Tonight was no exception but it was slightly embarrassing when I pointed out the Table to Adam while chatting to him during his break only to have him tell me that the occupants were friends of his. You know those times when you wish that the ground would open up underneath you...?
Anyway, as the second half of the set started, the occupants of both of the tables in front of the stage had moved, meaning that we got a chance to sit down, a much better view and less shouting. For all its faults, the Punchbowl does serve a very good selection of real ale and is a pretty good venue for music.
I realise that I've yet to mention Adam's performance. The set comprised mostly of songs we've heard him perform before and which are becoming familiar, even if I can't remember what some of them are called or who sang them without resorting to noting down lyrics, hoping I can read my won writing when I got home and Googling. Tonight a mixture of technical difficulties and a voice suffering from a week of teaching meant that Adam felt the need to apologise for a below par sound and to choose carefully which songs to perform. Not that it was too noticeable and it was still a thoroughly entertaining evening.
We were even treated to three of Adam's own songs - two more than last time. Along with the ubiquitous Lazy Susan, his latest single, we got I'm Coming Home and the beautiful and emotional Silver Skies, another track from the single, as the encore. I'd like to think that it was my request that got the latter played but it could just be that he was planning it anyway.
A more or less complete set list for tonight is:
Forever Lost (The Magic Numbers), unknown, Cannonball (Damien Rice), Dream Catch Me (Newton Faulkner), Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol), Hey There Delilah (Plain White T's), Sewn (Feeling - not sure about this one), Rule The World (Coldplay), Poker Face (Lady Gaga), Use Somebody (Kings of Leon), Lazy Susan (Adam Dawson), Streets of London (Ralph McTell), Shine (Take That), I'm Coming Home (Adam Dawson), Little Lion Man (Munford & Sons), Sloop John B (The Beach Boys), Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen), Silver Skies (Adam Dawson)
Showing posts with label Adam Dawson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adam Dawson. Show all posts
Friday, 22 October 2010
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Playing In The Wood
Friday 10th September: I know, I know... It's been a while. Sadly, for the best part of a month my only exposure to live music was a Turkish trio who "serenaded" us during a meal while on holiday. I would have reviewed them, but I don't generally like writing bad reviews. (Although one band that I recently expressed some dislike for added the review to their Facebook page and took some degree of pleasure from what I had written when, perhaps, the most favourable part of the review was that I seemed to be the only person in the room not to like them. I guess any publicity is good publicity.) Anyway, normal service has now been resumed.
Adam Dawson must be doing something right. The new guitarist for Breathing Space - now fully integrated after appearing on stage at the Cambridge Rock Festival (which none of us attended) - not only managed to drag all four regulars away from our usual venues, so much so that one of us couldn't even find the place without help, to see him play tonight but an optional plan "B" of heading back to familiar haunts at the halfway stage was quickly abandoned.
Tonight he was playing the Royal Oak, in a much smaller room than the Roman Bath, where we first saw him. The smaller room meant a much more intimate gig, while the presence of a group of Germans, attired in some form of traditional dress and drinking from a four-pint glass boot (!), led to a much more fun and light-hearted evening. This despite one of our continental cousins seeming to be under the impression that he was at some sort of hoe-down (!!).
Adam himself played a similar set to last time, playing both six and twelve string guitars, mixing the modern with the not-so-modern and the familiar with one or two that I didn't recognise. He even turned his hand to a couple of requested songs that he wasn't overly familiar with himself, bravely playing along while everybody else in the room tried their best to remember the words to Bowie's Space Oddity and The Eagles' Hotel California, adding even more fun to the proceedings. He only admitted to playing one song of his own, current single Lazy Susan, but I have a feeling that the first song played was Omniscient Scarecrow from his 2003 album - I didn't recognise it as anybody else, but it did sound naggingly familiar and definitely had the word "scarecrow" in the lyrics...
At the end of the evening, which stretched well beyond the advertised 11pm finish, we chatted with Adam and he informed us that, although it may currently seem quiet on the Breathing Space front, they are rehearsing every week, as well as writing for the fourth album and that things are progressing nicely, albeit with a slightly different sound to past output. While there may not be a tour until into next year, the band have recently been booked for a CRS gig in Rotherham.
A (more or less) full set-list for tonight is:
The song that may, or may not, be Omniscient Scarecrow, Mumford and Sons (Little Lion Man), The Magic Numbers (Forever Lost), Lady Gaga (Poker Face), Kings of Leon (Use Somebody), Ralph McTell (Streets of London), unknown, Damien Rice (Cannonball), Snow Patrol (Chasing Cars), Turin Brakes, unknown, Eric Clapton (Tears in Heaven), Mumford and Sons, Newton Faulkner, Adam Dawson (Lazy Susan), Take That (Shine), Bob Dylan (Tambourine Man), Beach Boys (Sloop John B, I think...) David Bowie (Space Oddity), Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here), The Eagles (Hotel California), The Beatles, The Dubliners (Wild Rover), The Kinks (Lola, Dedicated Follower of Fashion), Eric Clapton (Wonderful Tonight)
Adam Dawson must be doing something right. The new guitarist for Breathing Space - now fully integrated after appearing on stage at the Cambridge Rock Festival (which none of us attended) - not only managed to drag all four regulars away from our usual venues, so much so that one of us couldn't even find the place without help, to see him play tonight but an optional plan "B" of heading back to familiar haunts at the halfway stage was quickly abandoned.
Tonight he was playing the Royal Oak, in a much smaller room than the Roman Bath, where we first saw him. The smaller room meant a much more intimate gig, while the presence of a group of Germans, attired in some form of traditional dress and drinking from a four-pint glass boot (!), led to a much more fun and light-hearted evening. This despite one of our continental cousins seeming to be under the impression that he was at some sort of hoe-down (!!).
Adam himself played a similar set to last time, playing both six and twelve string guitars, mixing the modern with the not-so-modern and the familiar with one or two that I didn't recognise. He even turned his hand to a couple of requested songs that he wasn't overly familiar with himself, bravely playing along while everybody else in the room tried their best to remember the words to Bowie's Space Oddity and The Eagles' Hotel California, adding even more fun to the proceedings. He only admitted to playing one song of his own, current single Lazy Susan, but I have a feeling that the first song played was Omniscient Scarecrow from his 2003 album - I didn't recognise it as anybody else, but it did sound naggingly familiar and definitely had the word "scarecrow" in the lyrics...
At the end of the evening, which stretched well beyond the advertised 11pm finish, we chatted with Adam and he informed us that, although it may currently seem quiet on the Breathing Space front, they are rehearsing every week, as well as writing for the fourth album and that things are progressing nicely, albeit with a slightly different sound to past output. While there may not be a tour until into next year, the band have recently been booked for a CRS gig in Rotherham.
A (more or less) full set-list for tonight is:
The song that may, or may not, be Omniscient Scarecrow, Mumford and Sons (Little Lion Man), The Magic Numbers (Forever Lost), Lady Gaga (Poker Face), Kings of Leon (Use Somebody), Ralph McTell (Streets of London), unknown, Damien Rice (Cannonball), Snow Patrol (Chasing Cars), Turin Brakes, unknown, Eric Clapton (Tears in Heaven), Mumford and Sons, Newton Faulkner, Adam Dawson (Lazy Susan), Take That (Shine), Bob Dylan (Tambourine Man), Beach Boys (Sloop John B, I think...) David Bowie (Space Oddity), Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here), The Eagles (Hotel California), The Beatles, The Dubliners (Wild Rover), The Kinks (Lola, Dedicated Follower of Fashion), Eric Clapton (Wonderful Tonight)
Monday, 26 July 2010
CD Review: Adam Dawson - Lazy Susan (single)
Monday 26th July: At just over three and a half minutes Lazy Susan, the newly released and incredibly catchy (I found myself singing it at work the day after first hearing it) single from Adam Dawson is by far the most radio-friendly of all the singer-songwriter's physically releases. (His previous, the album In The Beginning from 2004 is much more pastoral, almost contemplative.) Immediately bringing to mind 60's pop, you can easily imagine the song being performed by the likes of the Beatles. The short but complementary electric guitar sections, which naggingly remind me of something that I can't quite put my finger on, add an extra flourish to the almost simplistic main tune - a mix of acoustic guitar, Hammond organ and drums, all played by Adam himself. Don't be put off if that description makes it sound a bit of a strange melange. Everything works together to produce a superbly melodic song which, along with the accompanying video, tells the story of how a young party-goer finds herself re-evaluating her life. Light, airy and instantly likable.
In what can only be a strange coincidence, the second track, Mirror Mirror, opens with the type of simple, repetitive keyboards reminiscent of some of Iain Jennings' songs. (Adam is about to join Iain's Breathing Space as their new guitarist.) This wonderfully atmospheric song would fit right in with some of related band Mostly Autumn's output which is, perhaps, no surprise given Adam's past guitar teacher. But that's not to take anything away from Adam's writing - there's nothing wrong with showing your influences, especially when they lead you to produce something as beautiful as this.
Although not mentioned anywhere on the CD, I believe that Silver Skies is dedicated to Dirk Macrae, former frontman of The Asylum Seekers (one of Adam's former bands), who died suddenly in 2006. Without being too sentimental, this is a lovely tribute to an absent friend and a song which will soon be performed "full band" (as Adam has stated it was always meant to be) by Breathing Space. In the future, this version may only be seen as having historical interest but it rounds the highly enjoyable single off in style.
This review was based on the physical release but all tracks are also available from itunes.
Track Listing:
1: Lazy Susan
2: Mirror Mirror
3: Silver Skies
Credits:
All songs written and performed by Adam Dawson
Engineered by John Spence at Fairview Studio
Lazy Susan video directed by Paul Richardson and featuring Roxanna Kilmaszewska as Susan
In what can only be a strange coincidence, the second track, Mirror Mirror, opens with the type of simple, repetitive keyboards reminiscent of some of Iain Jennings' songs. (Adam is about to join Iain's Breathing Space as their new guitarist.) This wonderfully atmospheric song would fit right in with some of related band Mostly Autumn's output which is, perhaps, no surprise given Adam's past guitar teacher. But that's not to take anything away from Adam's writing - there's nothing wrong with showing your influences, especially when they lead you to produce something as beautiful as this.
Although not mentioned anywhere on the CD, I believe that Silver Skies is dedicated to Dirk Macrae, former frontman of The Asylum Seekers (one of Adam's former bands), who died suddenly in 2006. Without being too sentimental, this is a lovely tribute to an absent friend and a song which will soon be performed "full band" (as Adam has stated it was always meant to be) by Breathing Space. In the future, this version may only be seen as having historical interest but it rounds the highly enjoyable single off in style.
This review was based on the physical release but all tracks are also available from itunes.
Track Listing:
1: Lazy Susan
2: Mirror Mirror
3: Silver Skies
Credits:
All songs written and performed by Adam Dawson
Engineered by John Spence at Fairview Studio
Lazy Susan video directed by Paul Richardson and featuring Roxanna Kilmaszewska as Susan
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Breathing In
Monday 19th July: Two weeks ago I hadn't heard of Adam Dawson, although over the past few years he has played with at least three bands (the first when he was just 14 years old) as well as a solo performer. However, it was recently announced that he would be joining Breathing Space as their new guitarist so, tonight, Andy and I are at the Roman Bath checking out a solo show by somebody who, while not on the verge of major stardom, is probably about to get recognised (and scrutinised) by a relatively large and passionate group of music fans.
Although a multi-instrumentalist, Adam's solo act (tonight, at least) is that of yet another in the ever growing crowd of man-with-guitar or, in this case, two guitars, acoustic with added effects. While I was expecting that, I can't say it filled me with joy and anticipation. There have been too many times when such a performer, usually a singer-songwriter, has failed to grab my attention or entertain me. It turns out that this wasn't going to be the case tonight.
Adam's set comprises of acoustic, cover versions of songs ranging from artists as diverse as Coldplay (Viva La Vida), Snow Patrol (Chasing Cars), Kings of Leon (Use Somebody), Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here), Take That (Shine), Steve Harley (Come Up And See Me), Oasis (Wonderwall), Turin Brakes (Underdog), Chuck Berry (Johnny Be Good), Neil Diamond (I'm A Believer) and, errrm, Lady Gaga (Poker Face), mixed with a handful of his own songs, including Silver Skies, I'm Coming Home, new single Lazy Susan and my favourite on the night Behind The Light.
I'm happy to say that the original songs were good enough that they fit right in with the rest of the set. This was no bland performance - the songs were catchy and different enough to stand out not only from the covers but also from each other. These may have been stripped down, acoustic versions of the full songs but they were extremely good versions.
Being a Monday, the Bath was a lot emptier than we normally see it and, therefore, a lot quieter, which meant that it was easier to hear the vocals. For the most part these were incredibly clear, especially on the quieter numbers, but there were a couple of times when they became a little muddy (particularly during the Snow Patrol number). Although it was during the quieter numbers that Adam seemed to shine vocally (one of my favourites from his covers was a really nice version of The Plain White Ts' Hey There Delilah), his guitar playing was superb throughout, with the mixture of styles required for the different songs all being performed more than adequately. During the set there was a couple of really smooth segues - I'm A Believer into American Pie and Brown Eyed Girl into a Beatles song (the title now escapes me), the latter being done so smoothly that I didn't even notice until he started singing...
During a break in the set, I took the opportunity to chat to Adam and found him to be a genuine, affable bloke who exudes a slight air of controlled excitement at the prospect of joining Breathing Space. He told me that they had already worked on turning Silver Skies into a full band version and that there would, inevitably given the new line-up, be a slight change in direction.
While tonight may not have been the best indicator of how Adam is going to fit in or perform in the band, given the polarity of styles, it was a thoroughly entertaining evening during which my foot tapped and I sung along. A good selection of songs, performed well to an appreciative, if fluctuating audience - what more can you ask for?
Although a multi-instrumentalist, Adam's solo act (tonight, at least) is that of yet another in the ever growing crowd of man-with-guitar or, in this case, two guitars, acoustic with added effects. While I was expecting that, I can't say it filled me with joy and anticipation. There have been too many times when such a performer, usually a singer-songwriter, has failed to grab my attention or entertain me. It turns out that this wasn't going to be the case tonight.
Adam's set comprises of acoustic, cover versions of songs ranging from artists as diverse as Coldplay (Viva La Vida), Snow Patrol (Chasing Cars), Kings of Leon (Use Somebody), Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here), Take That (Shine), Steve Harley (Come Up And See Me), Oasis (Wonderwall), Turin Brakes (Underdog), Chuck Berry (Johnny Be Good), Neil Diamond (I'm A Believer) and, errrm, Lady Gaga (Poker Face), mixed with a handful of his own songs, including Silver Skies, I'm Coming Home, new single Lazy Susan and my favourite on the night Behind The Light.
I'm happy to say that the original songs were good enough that they fit right in with the rest of the set. This was no bland performance - the songs were catchy and different enough to stand out not only from the covers but also from each other. These may have been stripped down, acoustic versions of the full songs but they were extremely good versions.
Being a Monday, the Bath was a lot emptier than we normally see it and, therefore, a lot quieter, which meant that it was easier to hear the vocals. For the most part these were incredibly clear, especially on the quieter numbers, but there were a couple of times when they became a little muddy (particularly during the Snow Patrol number). Although it was during the quieter numbers that Adam seemed to shine vocally (one of my favourites from his covers was a really nice version of The Plain White Ts' Hey There Delilah), his guitar playing was superb throughout, with the mixture of styles required for the different songs all being performed more than adequately. During the set there was a couple of really smooth segues - I'm A Believer into American Pie and Brown Eyed Girl into a Beatles song (the title now escapes me), the latter being done so smoothly that I didn't even notice until he started singing...
During a break in the set, I took the opportunity to chat to Adam and found him to be a genuine, affable bloke who exudes a slight air of controlled excitement at the prospect of joining Breathing Space. He told me that they had already worked on turning Silver Skies into a full band version and that there would, inevitably given the new line-up, be a slight change in direction.
While tonight may not have been the best indicator of how Adam is going to fit in or perform in the band, given the polarity of styles, it was a thoroughly entertaining evening during which my foot tapped and I sung along. A good selection of songs, performed well to an appreciative, if fluctuating audience - what more can you ask for?
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