Andrew Combs’ meticulous approach to song writing is reaping
dividends. In fact his songs are akin to a sculptor etching each mark on their
masterpiece. Over the course of the three albums to bear his name, a multitude
of highly crafted songs have radiated in their full glory. Subsequently the UK
and Europe has benefitted from numerous visits to promote these records, no
doubt on the back of their release via Loose Music. The latest tour is in
conjunction with the most recent of these as CANYONS OF MY MIND hit the discerning
ear of a record buying public in April.
Once more East Midlands based promoter Cosmic American
re-instated their long association with Andrew and on this occasion arranged
two shows in their twin bases of Birmingham and Nottingham. It was around two
and a half years ago when the West Midlands last made the tour agenda. The
first good news is that this renewal in the studio of The Glee Club doubled the
turnout to that of the Hare and Hounds in 2014. To build on this enhancement, a
full band was in tow, perhaps just missing some pedal steel or keys element.
Anyhow those present were treated to a framed sample of what Andrew does best
and a decent spread of songs across the three records adorned a set that lasted
around ten minutes over the hour mark.
One assertion of seeing Andrew Combs live again is that he
works comfortably within the boundaries of both his environment and song style.
The sound was finely tuned for this semi-intimate setting with the band only
being remotely let off the leash with the penultimate song of the evening, ‘Bourgeois King’. This was a tilt in the
direction of a re-enactment of the album version which was in line with the
overall feel of the gig. At times you felt you were in a showcase, an
experience that is totally valid if you desire an unfiltered listen to an
album. However with a view to the limitless appeal of Andrew’s song writing
strength, this is no bad environment to be exposed to.
The set rolled out in a simple formulaic manner with the
band leaving Andrew to deliver three songs solo midway through. This segment
stripped a singer-songwriter down to its bare bones and the impact of listening
to these songs in this format was strong. In fact the pick of the set was ‘Rainy Day Song’ from this trio; the
opener from the previous album ALL THESE DREAMS and introduced as a co-write
with Brent Cobb, who happens to be visiting Birmingham later this month.
Another deviation in the song delivery was the playing of ‘Emily’ towards the end of the set. This
rolls out as one of the upbeat numbers complete with an audience friendly
chorus, fondly remembered from when Andrew thrilled an arena gathering during
his surprise inclusion on the 2016 Country to Country Festival line up.
From the new record, the Glenn Campbell-esque ‘Rose Colored Blues’ opened the set and
appealed high alongside encore choice ‘Hazel’.
We were also treated to a couple of tracks from the aforementioned previous
album with ‘Suwannee County’ taking
the gig crown of a song elevated to
another level by a live rendition. Generally the chat was kept to a minimum in
this concise show, but amongst a series of short insights we learned that ‘Better Way’ was dedicated to his wife
and ‘Strange Bird’ was a requested
song that rarely makes a European set list.
While there was an element of conservatism in the main set,
opening act Paul Cauthen continually pushed boundaries during an extended
support slot. The use of a powerful voice and a playing style that breathed new
life into an acoustic guitar kept the audience alert during the set. The usual
term warm up could possibly be shelved to describe this performance as the
temperature control button was continually raised. It was certainly a cut above
the level of your jobbing opener and repeatedly threw up images of what a modern
day Elvis or Johnny Cash would be trying to do if they were treading the indie
boards in 2017. Texas based Cauthen was promoting his latest record MY GOSPEL
and the extended preview he gave both it and his style would have certainly
done no harm to potential album sales.
CANYONS OF MY MIND has already been anointed the top album
title of the year. Where the actual record and gig sits when the dust settles
remains to be seen but enjoying the present should be preserved. The album has
garnered many enjoyable listens since release and this Birmingham show evolved
into an intimate insight into why Andrew Combs is a singer-song writer of the
highest calibre. Showcase or gig, the evening was a relevant piece of the 2017
musical adventure jigsaw.
www.andrewcombsmusic.com