 The Candle Thieves - Mellow 2 piece band, guitarist
and keyboard player, simple melodic tunes very
mellow easy listening, the kind of music you can
put on in the back ground and ignore, the lyrics
are pretty normal, kind of abstract and slightly
random. During the third song, they handed instruments
out to the front row, I ended up with a Tom drum,
and fluffed the beat wools and it was moved on
to someone who paid for there ticket, not a free
loader like me. The 4th number seemed to go into
a reprise of the first song. And the 5th the singer
took off into the crowd. It's all very good stage
craft and playing of there instruments, it's hard
to make easy to listen music and not have it being
cheesy, it's nice easy music, bit middle of the
road for me but I can dig it
Badly Drawn Boy - Damon starts the set on his own, centre stage
and opens with a Richie Haydn cover which is followed
by Is there something we can do?
The shining,3rd song in, is a song ain't heard
in years and I didn't know it was one of his songs
either, great tune. Playing the first few songs
To his set on his own with just his acoustic guitar.
Still wearing the trade Mark beanie. I'm not all
that familiar with most of his work other than
the ones that are really well known. Apparently
Birmingham is bringing out the misery type songs,
lol, 20 years ago, is then followed by a minor
incident, which is from the about a boy album,
and he breaks open the mouth organ for this number.
 The band come on stage and open with in safe hands.
Its First song off the new album. I was expecting
the tempo and overall feel to be more up beat,
but it still feels like the pace needs a shot
in arm. Too many miracles, is the new single tone
released and is more upbeat and brings the set
to life somewhat, I guess the dedicated fans ain't
so dedicated for a Monday night as hardly anyone
has seen the video for this song leaving them
selves open to bit of ribbing from Damon. Saw
you walk away is apparently the hardest song ,He
plays 5 seconds of the song then leaves the stage
for a fag while some roadie tunes the guitar!
This electric is a song he wrote back in 94 but
Never recorded till this new record, the set finally
has picked up in mood and pace to something more
upbeat, the sound mix id off and the vocal could
go up a notch and his guitar sounds a bit muddy
Disillusioned, has got a bluesy sound to it, which
I quite enjoy,Something to talk about is another
one that I know, and can quite enjoy it also For
the final song they Do a song medly that includes
like a virgin, Simon says, and for the encore
he covers Bruce Springsteen's thunder road, just
singing with a backing track. Overall the performance
was ok, I get the feeling that he wasnt really
up for this tonight, coming on late walking off
mid set, the sound was a bit shoddy, could have
be better but it could have been worse too.
Badly Drawn Boy - 4/5
The Candle Thieves - 3/5
Review By Robert Lawrence
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