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Nick Lowe, Terry Reid London,Palladium,October 14,2001 The rumours are true. Nick Lowe's support act for this shortest of possible national tours - just three dates - is legendary nearly-man of British rock, Terry Reid, who turned down the job of Led Zep vocalist only to see his own burgeoning career tie itself up in a series of contractual knots. He takes the stage armed with nothing but an old acoustic guitar. On his first gig here in over 20 years he's met with various scattered cries of "welcome back!" from a smattering of long-time fans. "This is how I started off," he mutters, going straight into 1968's surreally beautiful "Without Expression". Amazingly, the voice is still there, a perplexingly beautiful sand-on-silk journey from Nick Drake delicacy to Robert Plant blues-wail. There's a captivating without-a safety-net quality to his performance tonight that some in the audience find a little scary. He breaks a string and you think he's lost the crowd but then on "Waterloo Sunset", as Reid's vocal shifts from sweet to raw, he's won them back again. A revelation. If he comes back next year with a proper band, don't miss it. Nothing could follow that daring tightrope performance, and Nick Lowe doesn't even try. Smart, tailored, with an enviable head of well-groomed snow white hair, he takes the stage with a lazy, assured lope and a smile that suggests we're all in on some grand cosmic joke. With a voice that travels first class across the Atlantic from Suffolk to Memphis, seducing all who hear it, Lowe could sing the road directions to Runcorn and make them sound like a poem. Tonight, however, he begins with a beautifully understated acoustic rendition of The Chi Lites' "There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is Seated At The Conference Table)". We know why he's playing it so there's no need for an explanation. Haunted, wistful renditions of Dig My Mood's "The Man I've Become" and "What's Shaking On The Hill" establish the evening's warm, autumnal tone. With the neo-country heartbreak of "Lately I've Let Things Slide" and "Indian Queens", both from gloriously assured new album, The Convincer, some judiciously selected "hits" ("Cruel To Be Kind", "Half A Boy") and a beautiful solo rendition of all-time classic "The Beast In Me", it's a set that confirms Lowe - as opposed to tricksy Mr Costello - as one of our most treasured British singer-songwriters. Heartfelt, poignant, honest, it's just enough to keep you warm on the journey home. Written by Andrew Male * first published in MOJO magazine November 2001 Terry Reid Set List: Without Expression * Hong Kong * Don't Worry Baby * Seed Of Memory * Crazy, Young, In Love * Waterloo * Sunset * One Night Of Sin * July * Nick Lowe Set List: The Conference Table * Lately I've Let Things Slide * What's Shaking On The Hill * Half A Boy And Half A Man * Has She Got A Friend * Faithless Lover * The Man I've Become * I'm A Mess * She's Got Soul * True Love Travels On A Gravel Road * I Live On A Battlefield * You Inspire Me * Cruel To Be Kind * Bygones Won't Go * Indian Queens * Let's Stay In * You're My Wildest Dream * Shting Shtang * The Beast In Me * What's So Funny About Peace Love And Understanding * Heroes And Villains * I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock'n'Roll |
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