Live Review

Gruff Rhys – Glasgow School of Art

• 24th Nov 2010

Glasgow School of Art’s Vic Bar provides an interesting venue for a gig. A small stage is set to the side of a dark bar, where black and white seem to be the predominate colours. Tables and chairs sit in front of the stage, which is eerily bathed in a violet light. But the atmosphere is one of excitement for the show ahead.

Support artist H Hawkline played a short set of rather maudlin songs; just one man perched on a stool with an electric guitar. His languid style and melodic guitar work combined with a lilting Welsh accent to produce some enjoyable songs. Even with a voice that was suffering a little from the rigours of the tour, he still entertained the growing crowd in good style.

Gruff Rhys is best known as the frontman of Welsh rockers Super Furry Animals. But he is also a fine solo performer with two albums to his credit and a third to come out early in 2011.

The small space was packed to capacity by the time Rhys stumbled onto the stage. Dressed in an anorak over a woolly jumper and sporting a bobble hat, he looked more like a fisherman than a singer. But from the moment he picked up his guitar and started to play, there was no doubting his musical qualities.

This was a gig of two halves. Initially Rhys played what he called depressing songs, his voice strong and even over some fine guitar work. Demonstrating his complete ease on stage, he treated the crowd to a number of humorous introductions to his songs, describing one as the soundtrack to a genocide scene and another as the first in which he mentions Poland.

Several tracks were taken from his first album Yr Atal Genhedlaeth and sung in Welsh. Unfortunately the lyrics were totally beyond me, but if there has ever been a language better suited to mellifluous melodies I’ve yet to hear it.

Rhys also previewed songs from his forthcoming album, to be called Hotel Shampoo. Sophie Softly was perhaps the pick with its delicate guitar and high pitched vocals.

The second half of the set saw Rhys utilise a bewildering array of effects to produce sounds that ranged from the interesting to the downright bizarre. He started with a small drum machine to add a beat, and then moved on to a small keyboard that looked like an early Casio model.

Sensations In The Dark from the new album was excellent, the track played at a fast pace as demanded by the special effects. But there was more to come.

Rhys then used twin mics with different sounds, as well as managing to record one vocal track and play it back so that he was harmonising with himself – a neat trick. And if this wasn’t enough what sounded like a barking dog was mixed in before a final scream repeated to close the track.

The set only lasted an hour or so, plus a one song duet with Hawkline. But it was both highly entertaining and innovative, demonstrating that Gruff Rhys is far more than a singer. His new album will be worth checking out if last night’s show is anything to go by.