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Tonight is the anticipated David Ward Maclean show simply entitled ‘New Songs’, a showcase of new titles penned in the past twelve months, and if former-glories are anything to go by then we’re in for a treat.
At 8pm the previous evening I had stood in Basement Bar whilst a down-hearted Jonny Dobbs and band finally concluded that performing was no longer a possibility. River floods had caused sewage blockages and as all hands on deck tried to rectify the situation, the rising water levels edging nearer the stage had the final say and we parted ways. Come Thursday night, that could have all been just a bad dream; despite the aroma of disinfectant, Basement Bar is back to its usual charm with candlelit tables, bowls of sweets and its trademark crimson chic.
Proceedings unfold with a healthy helping of banter between Maclean and his familiar audience, punctuated with jokes regarding the previous night’s events. Tonight’s set comprises some titles that regulars will have heard surface over recent months, alongside a selection of entirely unfamiliar numbers. Highlights include the brooding but delicate ‘The Killing’, steadily becoming a set staple, and the tentatively titled ‘Autumn’ which dazzles with its subtle virtuosity as it lyrically celebrates the season in this northern city. Of other newcomers, ‘London’ offers a poetic chastisement of the rat-race of the capital, whilst ‘Superman Won’t Fly Tonight’ is an introspective slow-burner; largely chord based, it is a departure from Maclean’s usual finger-picked intricacies, instead drawing attention to the poignant lyrics. Despite the show’s title, a handful of songs from Maclean’s debut album release ‘Acts of Faith’ manage to sneak in too, including ‘Was’, ‘Barricades’ and the poker-inspired ‘All-In’, all of which were received with particular delight. Always one to serve-up accomplished musicianship with an equally entertaining side-order of good humour, during one of many inter-song tuning changes Maclean calls out to some mutterers ‘if you must talk can you at least talk in D?’, and ‘did you ever hear about the Nun and the Hippie?’
Fans and followers will be glad to hear that David Ward Maclean is set to hit the studio in January with a pick of his new material for his follow-up album, with a return to City Screen Basement Bar planned in mid-April for the album’s launch party.
Despite a couple of false starts and a voice that appeared to suffer around some of the higher notes tonight, a few swigs of Grolsch and Maclean reclaimed the set, soaring through his final numbers. At times lulling into mellow meditation and at times thrashing ‘seven shades of crap’ from his instrument, the amazing truth is that on a stage that often boasts three acts in one night, this lone man and his guitar can hold the attention of a hushed Basement Bar for a solid two hours. Come hell, or more importantly, high water, David Ward Maclean will never fail to deliver.
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