The problematic nature of getting access to the MUSU meant that I was outside enjoying the 9pm sunshine, beer in hand when the tour manager finally got the call to the front desk.
Compare the mad dash that propelled me along corridors and up and down lifts in order to get the necessary passes, if you will, to my ultra-quiet entrance to the Academy 2 iself. TOM McRAE is ten minutes into his rescheduled show, and I’m on tiptoe because already the audience is gazing spellbound at the stage.
“He said he’s glad to be here” sang McRae – did he mean me, or himself, a possible reference to the rescheduled date? Either way, it appealed to my sense of comic timing – it was good even for an artist with a notable line in self-depreceating humour, and a ‘cult’ artist at that. ‘Cult’ is a strange word for an artist with such a mainstream rock sound, but let me tell you it’s an apt description of both McRae and his fan base.
He brandished his acoustic guitars at the centre of a percussion-free trio that included a superb performance from cellist Oli Kraus, whose playing added a real sense of drama to proceedings. The Farfisa-type organ was lit up like Blackpool in autumn and already transmitting floor-shaking analogue bass signals through the twin reverb amplifiers that stood behind them on tables and chairs.
McRae was in town to showcase his first album for two years, the newly-released ‘King Of Cards’, and the songs from this formed the early part of the show. I recognised ‘Got A Suitcase, Got Regrets’, and the single ‘Bright Lights’, both as melancholy and introspective as his earlier work. He’s got a good voice has Tom, and so it was no hardship at all to hear him try out the new material. In between songs, the gags were flowing thick and fast and the crowd were soon eating right out of the palm of his hand.
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His request for audience participation saw him ask the chaps to pipe down a bit, to let the ladies lead the singing:
“I know there’s more women here”, he said, in mock desperation. Laughter all round
Bathed in subtle light, with the audience showing unconditional love, the new songs were warmly received, but it was the older material that got the best response. You could have heard a pin drop during the quiet and mesmerising ‘Ghost Of A Shark’, whilst ‘You Only Disappear’ was the signal for another mass singalong.
‘For The Restless’ sounded powerful and brooding, and the gig was over all too soon. Tom McRae is back on form, and his 3-pronged take on U.S. rock n’ roll was as captivating to his fans as it ever was.
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