It`s been a blustery wet day and the night has dried up but taken a dip in temperature as I arrive at the intimate oasis that is The Kitchen Garden Café for what has almost become an annual pilgrimage from Belfast Singer-Songwriter, Poet, Author, Raconteur, and all-round nice guy Andy White. This evening being one of his stopping off points on his fourteen-date tour of Ireland and the UK .This troubadour released ‘Good Luck I Hope You Make It`, his first spoken word, political and personal album this month inspired by Hip Hop and went back to where he first came in, listening to John Cooper Clarke and reading Kerouac novels.
Tonight`s show opens with three cuts from said new album with `The Revolution` a funky discourse on current issues such as unreasonable oil prices, social media, and AI. It kind of hints that the answer is in our hands. For me it has that vibe of Gil Scott-Heron`s 1971 satirical poem and song `The Revolution Will Not Be Televised`. A driving bassline leads us through `Password Of The Beast before this section is closed out with `Cake Yo Me`.
Andy removes his hat and picks up his guitar and leads us through an hour`s worth of numbers tinged with humour and political sentiment. We enjoy tracks such as `Religious Persuasion`, `Another Sunny Day`, the introspective `Everything’s Turning White`, and `Get It Right This Time`. We are taken back nearly forty years to the artist`s debut `Rave On Andy White` with `Reality Road` before ending this first set with `A Million Miles`, the delightful `I Miss You` and `Take Me Back Home` not the Slade hit from the mists of time but a really soothing meditative reflection on life and much more. `Speechless` is the final number and really does it`s job leaving us all pretty astounded.
A thirty minute break is followed by a further fifty minutes which begins with a request for `Street Scenes From My Heart`. We move into `If You Want It` and its unforgettable lyrics of “If you want it, come and get it, It`s the last long evening on the planet,” the tear-jerking `The Whole Thing’ and the beguiling `Italian Girls On Mopeds`. `Italian Girls` brings an extended guttural laugh from an audience member and a reference from another as to Jasper Carrot`s `Funky Moped`. These kind of moments really set an Andy White gig apart and into a more amusing relaxed special gathering.
`In A Groovy Kind of Way` officially ends the show and gets this intimate audience singing along. But it never is, and Andy remains where he is and shares a kind of encore of sorts with `Light Comes In` another from the new release, a delightfully absorbing and descriptive track with a pulsating drum beat and complementing bass line. A further cut comes with title track `Good Luck I Hope You Make It`. The final song tonight was written as the singer-songwriter watched the devastation in Gaza `The Time Has Come For Loving` and is a challenging listen which leaves us all pretty bewildered.
Amongst the banter tonight were thoughts about a socialist Spotify discussed before the internet and an acknowledgement to those who helped the singer, locally, in his career such as Janice Long and Paul Murphy from The Destroyers who are sadly no longer with us.
Andy`s shows are pretty unique as he promotes a few numbers from his latest offering, shares a few that he wants to play himself and accepts a number of requests which keeps the audience happy. Most of all we get thought provoking and hard hitting stories and songs with catchy tunes from a sharp witted socialist mind that hasn`t diminished over the last forty years. He has a loyal following and one time at this venue his Merthyr Tydfil fan club choir, a half dozen or so brave souls made the 230 mile round trip to see this artist as he hadn`t got a gig in Wales.
There`s something different and unique each night to enjoy so I’d suggest you head along as soon as possible as at the end of this month; this artist heads off to his adopted Australian homeland.
