It's fairly obvious even before ADAM GREEN bounds on stage that tonight he's playing in front of a crowd for whom he can do no wrong. The opening numbers, including the Pepe le Pew referencing "Down On The Street", whizz by to the accompanient of whoops and cheers from the excitable assembled fan base and "Bunnyranch" provides an opportunity for the first of several singalongs to tunes from 2003's "Friends of Mine" album.
This enthusiastic beginning bodes well, and Green's back up band The Gnomes give the impression of a well drilled unit, comfortable with his occasional abrupt time changes and stylistic shifts. Thus "Gemstones" is an early highlight, climaxing in a frantic punky polka fashion, followed by a charming cover of Beat Happening's "Cast a Shadow", which almost sounds like a doo wop standard when filtered through Green's croon.
However, by the middle of the set, the relentless procession of quirky pop tunes with frequently obscene lyrics begins to wear a bit thin, at least for this reviewer. Much of this can be put down to Green's performance, one which occasionally mistakes banter along the lines of "I really want some drugs! Yeah! " for charm. I must admit to knowing little of Green's back catalogue, and the initiated are certainly having a whale of a time, but at times he comes across a little like a significantly more potty-mouthed and somewhat disinterested Neil Diamond.
Unfortunately, Green's stage persona is perhaps a bit too self-aware for his own good. Every throwaway gesture and half-baked dance move will elicit a joyous response from the faithful, and he knows it. As a result, his capering begins to take on an air of going through the motions.
All songs, from the bouncy pop of "Dance With Me" (with a chorus melody more than a shade reminiscent of Ben E. King's "Stand By Me") to the rockabilly of "Crackhouse Blues" are delivered in a deadpan, nonchalant style. The contrast this this affords with his 'edgy' lyrical content (sample line from "Bunnyranch": 'do me dolly, rape me in the parking lot') can only sustain the attention for a limited amount of time.
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The fact that musically some songs veer into pastiche a little too often for this to be a good thing, The Doors-isms of "He's a Brat" being a case in point in this live setting, does little to redress the balance.
As "Choke On A Cock" and "Before My Bedtime" bring the main set to a close Green's talents as a songwriter are certainly in evidence, but their composer's peculiarly monotonous brand of charisma has caused this reviewer to begin the process of tuning out.
Nonetheless the genuine affection of Adam's audience for their hero carries the day, and brings a smile, during the encores. "Bluebirds" comes off as an unlikely but sweetly understated anthem, but of course the biggest reaction is reserved for "Jessica". The crowd relieves Green of his vocal duties for the opening verse, and he decides to join in for the chorus. Towards the end he takes everyone, including The Gnomes, by surprise by bursting into an a capella chorus of "Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart". A little more of such spontaneity would have gone a long way tonight.
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