Ordinarily I'd gripe quite hard about a lineup that features four solo acoustic singer-songwriters, on account of the coma-inducing tedium of such a slew of sameness. I'm all for there being a stylistic unity across a bill, but by the same token, variety is the spice of life. Fortunately, all three of the local players gave something very different from one another before My Jerusalem's main man did his solo turn on the final night of his fortnight-long UK tour.
It's a pity that so few were present to witness their performances, or that of the headliner. I daresay the football was a major factor: the whole nation had taken to the pub or stoked up a barbie on the hottest day of the year so far, and were drowning their sorrows in the wake of England's crashing out of the World Cup while these brave men stepped up to the mic. Their loss: they might have found the show the perfect distraction.
Nevertheless, Klein delivered a great show. Keeping the between-song chat to a bare minimum (his opening comment was 'Ah, York... also known as the city that will have to travel to London next time,' a less than subtle hint that he too was less than delighted by the turnout), he poured heart and soul into the songs. Dressed in dark jacket and black jeans and prowling the stage, he emanated an aloof coolness, matched by his husky vocal delivery, punctuated occasionally by an impassioned yelping howl that sends shivers down the spine.
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Expanding the standard acoustic guitar / vocal sound with his own percussion, made by means of banging his guitar and the judicious use of a loop pedal, he played some stripped-back versions of tracks from his latest EP and not inconsiderable back catalogue, both as a solo artist and with My Jerusalem. 'Goodbye' was magnificently downbeat and cracked, while by contrast 'Sweet Chariot' was positively electric, Klein coming on like Frank Black with his finger in a live socket. He left the stage with a thumping loop of home-made percussion that rang on for an age before the lights came up. I just hope he was kidding about not coming back to York.
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