Live Review
Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
Wolverhampton singer/songwriter Dan Whitehouse launched his second full album before a sold-out Crescent Theatre where he appeared with a full band including, oddly enough, two drummers though to be fair one, Chip Bailey, was a remnant who had previously been on stage with his unconventional support act Duke Special.
Not surprisingly Dan opened with a track from his new album Reaching for a State of Mind, Come To Me, which, unfortunately, was overpowered by too much percussion.
With both sets of drums banging away, Dan’s voice was a little lost and the harmonies of what seemed to be a rather nervy Harriet Harkcom were barely audible.
This problem carried into with the next song The Light.
Dan finally came through with Come Back where, without the intrusion of the harsh percussion, his distinctive voice could be heard clearly. The Birmingham-based singer was getting into his stride by the time he got to two of his best and most thoughtful ballads They Care and Three Bodies. Then the momentum stalled somewhat as Dan spent what seemed like an age tuning one of his guitars while fiddle player Thomas Boundford filled in for him before he finally launched into The River. This however, seemed to shake the last of the nerves away and the whole seemed to click together with the percussion this time being a welcome addition to Raw State. With somewhere I Don’t Want to Go, Dan was really getting into his stride and when he picked up his electric guitar and launched into Chasing Paper he looked every bit the quality folk/rocker.
If I Grow Old, from Dan’s previous album, showed how the musicians could build a wall of sound when all the gears meshed into place. The highlight of the night had to be his live version, which was especially extended for his gathered fans, of his brilliant The Fire of Lust.
Dan tries awfully hard to please and include his audience, not a bad thing for any performer, be he should concentrate more on relaxing and letting his talent speak for itself, he really is that good. And in songs such as When We Were Sleeping and My Heart Doesn’t Age you get a real feel for just how clever and intricate his writing is.
Reaching for a State of Mind is out now, visit www.dan-whitehouse.com.
For a full review of Dan's new album please click the link below,
http://folkall.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/dan-whitehouse.html
Other links:
http://tokiko.co.uk/goose_wordpress/dan-whitehouse-2/
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| Dan Whitehouse's new album |
This problem carried into with the next song The Light.
Dan finally came through with Come Back where, without the intrusion of the harsh percussion, his distinctive voice could be heard clearly. The Birmingham-based singer was getting into his stride by the time he got to two of his best and most thoughtful ballads They Care and Three Bodies. Then the momentum stalled somewhat as Dan spent what seemed like an age tuning one of his guitars while fiddle player Thomas Boundford filled in for him before he finally launched into The River. This however, seemed to shake the last of the nerves away and the whole seemed to click together with the percussion this time being a welcome addition to Raw State. With somewhere I Don’t Want to Go, Dan was really getting into his stride and when he picked up his electric guitar and launched into Chasing Paper he looked every bit the quality folk/rocker.
If I Grow Old, from Dan’s previous album, showed how the musicians could build a wall of sound when all the gears meshed into place. The highlight of the night had to be his live version, which was especially extended for his gathered fans, of his brilliant The Fire of Lust.
Dan tries awfully hard to please and include his audience, not a bad thing for any performer, be he should concentrate more on relaxing and letting his talent speak for itself, he really is that good. And in songs such as When We Were Sleeping and My Heart Doesn’t Age you get a real feel for just how clever and intricate his writing is.
Reaching for a State of Mind is out now, visit www.dan-whitehouse.com.
For a full review of Dan's new album please click the link below,
http://folkall.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/dan-whitehouse.html
Other links:
http://tokiko.co.uk/goose_wordpress/dan-whitehouse-2/
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