Gaz Coombes stop off in Liverpool during his acoustic album launch tour happened on a cold January evening. I’d bought our tickets months ago knowing there would be a clamour for them, and i was proved correct. Waiting with baited breath for one of, if not THE most talented British artist to adorn the stage in a packed Phase One. He entered stage left to a rapturous crowd, he greeted the crowd with his usual pleasant and gracious manor.
He’s a seasoned talent now, and now since the end of the Supergrass reunion tour which ended at the Taylor Hawkins memorial concert, its his turn to soak up all the plaudits for his albums release.
“Turn the car around” is a new sound from him, a little less electronic to his first three, but polished and well written, and performed with astounding vocals which is now as distinctive as anyone anywhere. He starts with four tracks from the album, including “Sonny the strange” and “Long live the strange”( theres a theme here !). Then he back tracks to “Matador” for “The girl who fell to earth” and “Detroit”. We even had time for an Old Fashioned to be crowd surfed from the bar to the stage which he thoroughly deserved.
Sometimes there aren’t enough superlatives for a performance or a talent, all i can think of is incredible and perfection. Ive been a Coombes fan since his first album, and even before that with the quirky Supergrass, and he’s never faltered. His excellence continues here. This, for me, is a future classic and its should be purchased at the earliest possible opportunity !! 12.6 points out of a possible 11!
Ian Digilogue
News at Ten
Phase one
Chuffed to bits
Words and Photos: Ian Digilogue