Peter Bruntnell @ 21 South Street
I'm very fond of 21 South Street, one of Reading Council's venues, with two small (70 and 100) capacity rooms. We use South Street for Delicatessen, and it works a treat.
Last night I saw Peter Bruntnell, playing with James Walbourne as accompanying guitarist, supported by two of Case Hardin, doing an acoustic set.
Case Hardin were fine -- strident vocals, lyrically a little too wordy, very competent musically. Well worth a look, probably a lot better in full five-piece mode.
I first heard of Peter Bruntnell when I was sent a review copy of his single Have you seen that girl again in about 1997 (I was a reviewer and, briefly, music ed for the student paper in my first year). The single was very good indeed, and I later found a copy of his first, earlier, album Cannibal in the always-something-interesting Reading record shop Sound Machine. Later on I found a copy of his third album, Normal for Bridgwater, which was an almost perfectly-formed slice of Alt. Country/Americana, except for the fact of Bruntnell's nationality - british - and the very british wit that infuses the lyrics.
His fourth album, Ends of the Earth, taunted me in record shops when I was a bit strapped for cash, and he was touring a fifth album, [Played Out], a stripped-down acoustic album, made with James Walbourne, and featuring mostly old material re-arranged. It's this album he's touring at the moment (in Winchester this evening, and at the Borderline on Friday).
The line up was Peter Bruntnell himself on acoustic guitar and vocals, with James Walbourne on backing vocals and electric guitar (he plays piano, acoustic and mandolin on the album). Two things are apparent as soon as they start playing. One is that Bruntnell's vocals are every bit as good as they are on record, and the other is that Walbourne's playing is nothing less than sublime. Bruntnell's playing is good, don't get me wrong, but Walbourne is just something else.
It quickly becomes very apparent that the two-piece really works. The songs, great anyway, are elevated in this intimate setting by the immediacy and contrast of the playing: the almost visceral country-tinged electric guitar work coupled with the just-so pitch of the vocals made for a wonderful sound. Melancholy songs ( Down town, Here come the swells) gained in sadness and longing, the more upbeat numbers ( By the time my head gets to phoenix) gained a more contemplative air.
There weren't a vast number of us there, but South Street is a really good venue, and the gig felt very intimate, very laid back - most of us were seated around tables at the front, cabaret style (what we do for Deli, actually). All the songs gained something from this feeling. The familiarity extended back onto the stage, too: At one point Bruntnell finished a song and then decided he needed the loo, dashing off stage, leaving Walbourne to fill in. Walbourne took over Bruntnell's acoustic guitar and rattled off a country number at breakneck speed with blistering finger work.
It was a great gig, and you should buy his records.
- 27.5.2004, 11.34
- File under: gig, review, Peter Bruntnell, 21 South Street, Delicatessen