It appeared to be a bit of a Celtic takeover in the leafy suburb of Kings Heath in Birmingham tonight with Belfast`s finest blues troubadour Dom Martin in the main room while Dublin`s indie legend David Kitt entertained in the more intimate front venue room.
First up was local artist William William Rodgers who has been tagged the Bernard Shaw of Birmingham South. His thoroughly enjoyable half hour set comprised numbers such as `Landscape in Midges` and `Are We Still On` which were full of whimsical melancholy. We had a cover of comedy duo Flanders and Swann`s `The Slow Train`, a song about the singer`s wasted youth in of all places Wolverhampton in `Hot House` and a song from years gone by called `Laura` which was amended to `Hannah` as the topic of the song may have realised she was the subject in the narrative. The number ended with a line from `Ain`t No Mountain High Enough` as a tribute to Marvin Gaye whose birthday it was. This fairly poetic set closed with a hello to the singer`s Mum who was in the audience and the fast paced `Top Me Up` written about parties and partygoing. I`d not seen WWR before but will keep an eye out to catch one of his future soirees.
As the evening progressed it seems like it may well be twenty years since David Kitt last graced our fair city. His recent album `Idiot Check` was released last Friday and I have to say is a cracker. Understandably and pleasingly for me most of, if not all of the said album was shared with this attentive and intimate crowd.
The show opens with the shuffling `Balances` and the singer shares that although everything was perfect during the soundcheck, his electric guitars have been plagued by gremlins ever since so tonight is gonna be a kind of “off the hoof “ show aided by his acoustic guitars.
Nevertheless `Every Little Drop` with its extended instrumental conclusion, `Wexford Strawberries` which includes references to the Newgrane prehistoric passage tomb and `All Folly` which has reclusive Canadian singer-songwriter Mary Margaret O’Hara joining in on a loop are all as spellbinding as on the record.
The singer reveals his acquired love of Neil Diamond and shares a story of Diamond`s appearance at the Last Waltz concert and interaction with Bob Dylan at said event. The heart breaking `Step Outside In The Morning Light` which was on the artist`s first two albums mesmerises us all before we enjoy an interpretation of Philip Lynott`s `Dancing In The Moonlight`. Philip grew up in Dublin but was born a few miles down the road in West Bromwich so a wonderfully appropriate track. Another blast from the past follows with `Strange Light in the Evening` before we return to the latest release and the hypnotic `Not So Soon`.
David Kitt also records as New Jackson and shares a track that has a more electronic vibe before his most played track on Spotify with `It`s Yours`
This hundred-minute set concludes with a track off `The Nightsaver` album with `A Real Fire`, `Song from Hope St. (Brooklyn, N.Y.)` from `The Big Romance` and a final nod to the new album with `Wave Of Peace`
There are a further five dates left in the UK before this Irish musician heads home before a few more dates over here again in May so I would urge you to attend. Despite all the equipment mishaps tonight this underappreciated minstrel shared a warm, inspiring, thoughtful, and uplifting night`s entertainment that I have to say left us all fairly mesmerised.
Welcome back to Brum David but please don`t leave it so long to return again.
