You gotta feel for the lad.
Friday night under the spotlight might have meant the second consecutive gig on home turf for Manchester's Mercury-Prizewinning songwriter BADLY DRAWN BOY, but it only takes a glance at the bigger picture to bring the jetlag/deja vu-combined horrors of touring home in full.
Damon Gough 'celebrates' his sudden return to the spotlight this month with no major label shackles to constrain him for the back-to-basics release of his seventh studio album 'What I'm Thinking Pt. 1 -Photographing Snowflakes'.
As the title suggests, this in itself represents only the first instalment of an intended trilogy of full-length releases. From there you're not far away from the realisation that this the very beginning of a punishing live schedule that's set to keep the Breightmet-raised film-score sensation on the road until well into the new year. It's a particularly daunting prospect for Gough, a veteran when it comes to writing for the big screen, but nevertheless one who frequently squirms with discomfort when placed underneath the glare of stage spotlights.
Funnily enough the lighting and double-door entrances made this all-seater auditorium feel just like being at the pictures - an irony that triggers immediate complaints from Gough that he 'can't see a thing'
Nevertheless,'Is There Nothing We Could Do' and 'Journey From A-B' both hit home with effortless beauty as we were treated to an early double reminder of Gough's mercurial songwriting ability.
"I know I'm a miserable bastard... I don't like myself, I never have done" he admitted in his defence following a hold-your-breath, harmonica-assisted version of 'Silent Sigh'.
The obvious lack of planning showed in the momentary setlist dilemmas as repeated scratches of the familiar wooly hat triggered a plethora of requests from the largely mainstream audience. Even though there was a general willingness to indulge Gough's eccentricities, much of the audience were still a bit gobsmacked by this shameless display of 'so-what' ambivalence towards what they'd come hoping to hear.
An error-strewn ressurection of 'You Were Right' still brought the biggest cheer of the night thanks to an impromptu dedication to a sadly missed and well-loved Manchester comedian as the lyrics were altered to include the immortal line "on The night Frank Sidebottom died."
However, a series of 'can't-be-arsed' asides made Gough's discomfort apparent before an edgy, ill-tempered stab at 'Once Around The Block" was dedicated to his older sister in the audience only to stray off key long before his private-joke laughter broke the moment.
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In between, Gough's guitar-playing hit ethereal harpsichord heights in tribute to absent friend and Twisted Nerve artist Dave Tayak, whose disappearance was the original inspiration for 'This Is That New Song'.
There was a cameo role in the side for Stephen Fretwell on bass guitar when the four-piece backing band timed their arrival to coincide with the new material. They conspired to gently transform an initially solo airing of 'Too Many Miracles' into a strangely absorbing psychedelic adventure and there were other gorgeous moments ahead. The tremelo-warped 'In Safe Hands' was a set highlight that bubbled along submerged in a myriad of FX, with its distinctive vocal hook "Whistles and sirens/Throw me to the lions/Make me a man" standing out as proof positive of the continuing quality of Gough's remarkable way with lyrics and a melody.
An almost-solo return after a short break saw Gough round off the showcase of new 'uns with the new record's title track standing out as yet another defining example of the man's real talent
And there were repeated gushing apologies from the(ahem)'visibly refreshed' maestro concerning his earlier lack of enthusiasm for the whole process during the remainder of the night, which included full-blooded rock n roll swipes at 'Born In The U.K.' and the brilliant 'Disillusion' as well as a a bleak, Joy-Division-y return to the Twisted Nerve days as EP#1's 'Shake The Rollercoaster' made the downtempo shift into space-rock chaos.
Gough even pulled out his trademark keyboard to treat us to a rendition of Madonna's 1980s showstopper 'Like A Virgin' as this potentially awkward show ended in triumph, but BADLY DRAWN BOY has it all to do, over and over again. Tonight, it has to be said, doesn't bode well for an immediate future that consists of nothing but life on the road.
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