When Johnny Flynn last played Cardiff he was hotly tipped as the bright hope of nu folk with a real buzz building around him. After a relatively quiet 2009 I wasn’t sure if things had gone slightly off the boil and if acts such as Mumford & Sons had stolen his thunder. I was wrong. The sold out Clwb Ifor was rammed to the rafters with a mixed crowd crossing the generational divide. Rather than standing still Flynn has developed his style and much of the set was new material from his forthcoming album due in May. The new songs sounded more rootsy and even with a touch of afro beat at one stage. Flynn’s guitar playing has also improved dramatically and at times he even had a touch of TomVerlaine about his playing. Old favourites such as ‘The Box’ & ‘The Wrote & the Writ’ went down as well as you would have expected, but new material was fully embraced by the crowd which seemed genuinely excited and drawn in by the band’s performance. Towards the end an inebriated voice in the crowd shouted ‘The new album’s going to be fucking awesome’. That remains to be seen, but on the evidence of tonight it could certainly prove to be a marked progression from his debut and may well win over some of the more cynical critics around.

.............................................................................................................

Chris Hicks/Any Other Day & Kadesha
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
16th February

I first saw Kadesha doing a support slot at the Globe last year and being duly impressed we ran a feature in our new artist section. She has come along way in 12 months and now has an impressive array of songs, such as the infectious Jack Johnsonesque ‘Happy’, and a relaxed and confident stage manner. However, what impresses most is her voice. It is has improved by miles in the space of a year and has great character, power and control. She is due to be recording with Colum Regan in the coming months and he seems an ideal musical partner for her. Backed by a band in a few years time Kadesha will be headlining to packed houses without a doubt. Any Other Day seemed nervous and ill at ease. Their sound improved as the set went on, especially when switching to acoustic guitar. Time spent working on their songs and presentation should help a lot.

Chris Hicks did something I have never seen before at a gig – he gave the audiences boxes of chocolates to share out! He has an interesting voice and is a relaxed and accomplished guitarist. However, I’m not sure the style of music he plays suits his personality or voice. There seems to be a torch singer lurking in there waiting to be let out. His own material showed maturity and his songs are well constructed. However, more theatrics and drama would really bring them to life. David Ackles rather than Nick Drake and Jacques Brel rather than the Stereophonics. If he steps things up a gear, shake us emotionally, even disturb us then he could be on to something.

.............................................................................................................

Jimi Alexander & the Satellites
Buffalo, Cardiff
11th January

When you light a coal fire it takes a while for the flames to work through and do their magic. There is a brief period where it begins to smoke and smoulder and you wonder if it is going to need a few more fire lighters and then all at once the flames burst through and the heat pours out. That is how this gig felt to me.

Jimi Alexander & the Satellites are a fully formed band of greatness in waiting. They have some truly magnificent songs, they are all excellent musicians and Jimi has to be one of the best vocalists to have emerged from Wales since Kelly Jones. He has a voice so full of passion and emotion that the walls crackle with its intensity. Tonight’s set featured some of the best songs from the band’s debut album such as Baby Don’t, Burn A Little Brighter and a stunning stripped down, acoustic Queen of Denmark. There were also some promising new songs Rain and the majestic sounding April Fever.

The band are off to SXSW in Texas in March and it will be fascinating to see what the crowd over there makes of their music. Even if that trip doesn’t act as their breakthrough, it can only be a matter of time before they get the audiences they deserve. You somehow feel the bigger the audience they play to, the bigger and bolder the performance is going to be. Smouldering and almost on fire!

.............................................................................................................

Archive

Live Reviews 2009