Phoenix Arts Centre – 31 May 2008
Review by Jeremy Searle
Nottingham singer-songwriter Andy Whittle is something of an undiscovered gem, with two excellent albums to his credit and a third on the way, which judging by the songs previewed in this set will easily match them. Whereas on album he is happy to use big productions and sounds, live he stripped it right back to just him and his guitar, with some occasional bass and delicate backing vocals from Rebecca Dawson. This brings the words to the fore and, delivered in his tender and expressive voice the overall effect is amazingly moving. Self-effacing to a fault he frequently loses himself completely in the songs, as indeed do the audience.
Highlights amongst a set full of them include “Friendly Fire”, a fine addition to the ranks of anti-war songs, given slightly spooky resonance by the fact that his cousin was killed in Afghanistan a short while after he wrote the song. An insistent, urgent beat drives a song of real passion and anger. The anthemic “Come the Morning” provokes a bit of a singalong, no mean achievement for 12.30 in the afternoon, and the poignant “Ten Thousand Miles”, about a girlfriend moving to Australia and the consequences thereof, stands tall despite Whittles dry observation at the start that now she’s moved back again so the song doesn’t quite work now. It does for the audience though, as indeed does everything else from a performer who is undoubtedly a major name in the making.
Review by Jeremy Searle
Nottingham singer-songwriter Andy Whittle is something of an undiscovered gem, with two excellent albums to his credit and a third on the way, which judging by the songs previewed in this set will easily match them. Whereas on album he is happy to use big productions and sounds, live he stripped it right back to just him and his guitar, with some occasional bass and delicate backing vocals from Rebecca Dawson. This brings the words to the fore and, delivered in his tender and expressive voice the overall effect is amazingly moving. Self-effacing to a fault he frequently loses himself completely in the songs, as indeed do the audience.
Highlights amongst a set full of them include “Friendly Fire”, a fine addition to the ranks of anti-war songs, given slightly spooky resonance by the fact that his cousin was killed in Afghanistan a short while after he wrote the song. An insistent, urgent beat drives a song of real passion and anger. The anthemic “Come the Morning” provokes a bit of a singalong, no mean achievement for 12.30 in the afternoon, and the poignant “Ten Thousand Miles”, about a girlfriend moving to Australia and the consequences thereof, stands tall despite Whittles dry observation at the start that now she’s moved back again so the song doesn’t quite work now. It does for the audience though, as indeed does everything else from a performer who is undoubtedly a major name in the making.