Reviews
Artist:Eric Bibb
Venue:The Brook
Town:Southampton
Date:11/06/08
Website:http://www.ericbibb.com
It was the first time I'd been to The Brook in Southampton and I have to say it's a wonderful and intimate venue. Viewing is on two levels, a flat floor, three or four feet beneath the stage level and a balcony that provides fantastic views of the artists on stage.
The stage it's self has a very New York feel to is. A strip of black walling at the back, that includes the door the performers come through and the venue logo. Apart from that it's exposed brick and really is aesthetically pleasing, helping with the intimate feel of the venue as a whole.
Bars run down the length of one side of both levels so getting served is quick and easy. They also generated my only cause for concern about the venue. I'd have liked to have heard more of support act Emily Maguire, more of which later, but she was partially drowned out by a general hubbub and a silver haired man in shorts talking loudly in particular. In fairness I have to say it was less obvious as you moved closer to the stage and the artist herself may not even have been aware of it.
I also have to say that the audience were far more respectful of the main man, Mr Eric Bibb, from the moment he went on stage, to the moment he left some two and a half hours later, the focus was entirely on his performance.
Eric, dressed in red t-shirt and wearing his trademark wide brimmed hat, started the show solo and with a plug for Keb' Mo' another great blues artist from the troubadour tradition and a man that might well bring me back to the venue pretty quickly.
The first three songs, not all penned by Bibb, immediately showed why this man has got a sixteen odd album career behind him. During the course of those songs, the material went from spiritual, through emotional and on to humorous. Each song pitched with the right tone and vocal emphasis, each song displaying a different aspect of the scintillating guitar skills that Eric has nailed and makes look deceptively easy.
I'm used to seeing Eric on a bigger stage, further away from the audience, this close you really get to see what he's doing to get the sound. It's very much more than the resonance of the guitar, though they sound beautiful, it's how he builds in bass lines and slides and the percussive element, whilst appearing to be the most laidback individual this side of Garfield.
Eric dedicates a number to his wife and tour manager, who is celebrating her birthday today. For most people taking your wife to an Eric Bibb gig would be a great present. When you're married to the star and the show is on your birthday, a song must be pretty much compulsory. And what a great song it was. The emphasis being on taking people as they are, living with the foibles and celebrating the differences as a way of bring people closer. It's a great metaphor, not for the individual, but society.
The new album, "Get On Board" is one of Eric's more spiritual, gospel tinged albums in a while, something that was reflected in the show, I say show, session is probably a better word as the line up on stage changed through the gig.
The soul element was more prominent when he was joined by Trevor Hutchinson, one of the UK's best bass players and drummer/percussionist, Larry Crocket. It also allowed Eric to raise the tempo of the set and bring in more variation.
Eric obviously likes playing The Brook, his communication with the audience, not just when he was playing was one of a genuine rapport. One of the crowd pointed out that he never seemed to stop smiling, his unpublishable response brought the house down.
What turned out to be the middle phase of the gig was full of audience participation, clap-a-longs, regularly providing beat, allowing the musicians to push their instruments more, as well as a sing-a-long number as well. The combined audience vocal tone seemingly akin to a southern gospel choir.
One of the reasons that Eric is such a great guitarist is that as well as knowing how to squeeze every last note and sound out of his guitars, and on the night he used three, he also knows when to let them be, when to let a note linger and when not to have any note at all. To him a guitar is not just a six string, it's almost an orchestra, well at the very least a string quartet and percussion.
For the final phase of the show, Eric was joined on stage by his daughter Maya, his smile transformed into the broad grin of an obviously very proud father. One of the first songs Maya performed was a song she'd written with her father about sending out thoughts and love to people a way away. She dedicated the song to her sister Matilda.
Once again the addition of an extra musician allowed Eric to take the show off in another direction as well as highlight his vocal dynamics and interplays, as they performed a couple of duets as well as having Maya slot in as a backing vocalist.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the fifth element to this set, the atmosphere. Venue and audience engage the performers to create an appreciative and receptive melting pot, that allowed the musicians on stage to build that something special, there can be few venues so conducive to a good show.
A name check of those onstage, doing the sound etc, heralded the last number. Two hours of Eric Bibb had just flown by and it wasn't over yet.. The rapturous applause that accompanied the band as they left the stage, instantaneously turned into a call for more. A scant time later, the man in the hat was back, grin still wide across his face. The heat of the lights etc had obviously taken it's toll on his clothes, but the musician beneath seemed totally unfazed from his time in the spotlights.
Two more solo songs were followed by a final appearance from the band, and this time it really was all over. Two and a half hours of great blues, is there a better way to spend a Wednesday evening?
Eric Bibb was supported by Emily Maguire, an English born singer/songwriter currently based in Australia. In a world constantly looking for new revenue streams to apply to music, Emily's approach is one of the most unusual, "Keep Walking", was financed by goats cheese that Emily manufactures at her low carbon small holding. It's since been picked up and re-released this year by Universal.
A hard working performer, Emily got a luckt break when a fan at Bournemouth Folk Club sent her CD to Aled Jones at Radio Two, that set about a chain of events that saw her supporting Don McLean on tour, including the Royal Albert Hall.
As with Eric Bibb, the last time I saw Emily play was at the Cambridge Folk Festival, then like now, she was accompanied by Antipodean bass player, Christian Dunham, though on that occasion, I think she had a drummer with her as well.
Emily performs with a passion, if she could hear the background noise of people that you could pick up further back, she didn't show it. Those big stage gigs seem to have boosted her confidence, her songs have always been strong, but the timidness has gone from her performance.
She engages with her audience better, the venue brings them closer to her, but her relationship with them is also definitely stronger. She knows she has a right to be there, a right gained by good songs.
As the set progresses the hubbub dies down, Maguire has attracted the attention and respect of those keener to talk than listen. On this showing, she is maturing into an accomplished performer and growing as an all round artist.
Her songs reflect her philosophy on the world, little things matter and we can make a difference. New songs hint towards a good album to come. The subtle bass gives her music a vibe that take it away from that of a number of her peers.