Richard Thompson

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Karen Miller reports

Richard Thompson is often referred to a “folk artist”, and while it’s true that there are definite folk influences in his voice, music and subject matter, anyone who went along to the show last night expecting an evening of gentle entertainment would have been in for a surprise.

Richard Thompson knows how to rock and plays the most feral, brutal and savage electric guitar you’re ever likely to hear – a complete contrast to the polite, quietly-spoken, posh Englishman who jokes between songs. It’s hard to believe this was a man who, in his early Fairport Convention days, was painfully shy!

Not only is he one of the best guitar players I’ve ever seen play, but he can sing too. The sound in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall was clear with the guitar nicely up front in the solos. The Richard Thompson band were impressive as well. Michael Jerome, the drummer rocked on a very minimal kit. The fiddle of Joel Zifkin wasn’t utilised as much as it could have been, but “utility player” Pete Zorn was kept busy on backing vocals, acoustic guitar, flute, clarinet and saxophone.

There were no support artists and the first half of the gig featured tracks exclusively from Richard’s 2010 release Dream Attic – murder ballads, an anti-Wall Street song The Money Shuffles, songs of loss (A Brother Slips Away) and more. My personal favourite was a ballad entitled Stumbled On.

After the break we were treated to songs from Richard’s career, but sadly, none of the ones I’d been hoping for. I’d have liked to have heard Shoot Out The Lights, Crawl Back or even Bathsheba Smiles, but we did hear Wall of Death, Tear-Stained Letter and The Angels Took My Racehorse Away.

• Richard Thompson - BBC Artist page

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