Music / Reviews
Review: Mavis Staples, O2 Academy
So the River Town Festival had a bit of unexpected drama when a baby seagull dislodged parts of the Colston Hall’s main ceiling potentially exposing asbestos bearing materials. Presumably the bird got stuck there after trying to sneak into the sold out Kraftwerk show. This resulted in several gigs being moved to the O2 Academy, which was a fabulous result for this event as the packed room enjoyed a sweaty, sultry, groove filled headline set that was as sassy as it was sanctified. The crowd were in the mood to groove as the The James Hunter Six played a rambunctious set of what is best described as rock n soul n funky rockabilly blues. Hunter (or The Artist Formerly Known As Howlin’ Wilf) is a killer band leader – witty banter, sparkling songs and a mean guitar player, all topped off with a voice that sounded like James Brown fronting out a crowd of rednecks at a juke joint.
Opening with Chickenswitch, an “anthem for cowards everywhere”, the band kicked in to gear smoothly and with understated power, like a classic Jag: stand-up bass, drums, double sax and keys all meshing in a syncopated melange of all of the best bits of popular music from the fifties & sixties. No genre was left unturned as the band somehow managed to deliver a fresh take on classic blues, soul and rock n roll that sounded timeless and yet totally current. Hunter’s voice was distinctive, somehow equally smooth and gravelly, marbled with yelps, howls and squeals that not only tapped the sixties soul shouters but the primal rockabilly cats too. The band made it all look effortless, guitar and sax duels, understated yet domineering rhythm section with a dusting of classy keys to flesh out the sounds. A cover of Baby Don’t Do It paid tribute to the originators (The 5 Royales) and Baby Hold On brought it up to date, a “diabolic liberty” of a plug for the new LP Hold On!
Closing the set with Stranded Hunter pulled all the stops out for his solo – his finger tapping and picking nothing less than a rockin’ mash up of Eddie Van Halen and Brian Setzer. No bullshit foot on the monitor clichéd moves though, Hunter simply plonked his guitar down and played the bugger like a tiny stand-up bass. Purveyors of superbly crafted, relentlessly infectious feel-good music, the JH6 left the crowd roaring for more. Seek out their music, go to a show – statistics I have just made up prove seeing this band live improves your life expectancy by six months every gig.
is needed now More than ever
Mavis Staples should need no introduction for any fan of popular music, nor indeed for anyone with a basic knowledge of the civil rights movement (but just in case). She brought a compact yet powerful band to the stage with her (rhythm section Steven Hodges, drums & Jeff Turmas, bass; Rick Holstrom on guitar along with Vicki Randall & Donny Gerrard on backing vox). Staples and the band delivered a fourteen song set that was punchy, soulful, tight and yet managed to feel laid back and relaxed. If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me) opened proceedings, its message as compellingly relevant now as back in the seventies and the tune delivered with cheeky clipped funk. It was clear from the off that Ms. Staples’ voice remains a powerful, moving instrument and Randall & Gerrard ensured her leads were decorated with a robust yet beautiful gospel vibe.
Whilst she may be in her sixth decade of performing Ms Staples showed no sign of ennui, a magnetic presence on stage she led the band with a firm yet casual authority and clearly enjoyed the set. There was plenty of banter and even an offer to take the crowd on tour as backing singers after some fabulous crowd vocals. A night of celebration, Ms Staples talked with both authority and humour of the civil rights struggle and March Up Freedom’s Highway was delivered with reverence and gusto, a reminder of what that struggle achieved but, given recent events in the US, a salutary reminder of how much is left to do.
There’s a grand tradition of covers within soul, and Ms Staples and her band picked a couple of tunes that logic suggested wouldn’t be natural bedfellows and yet their versions of Slippery People and For What It’s Worth blended seamlessly with her own material. The former imbued with a greasy funk and the latter splattered with John Fogerty meets Steve Cropper guitar licks, both tunes astute choices – reinvented and reimagined with dexterity. The set wasn’t just Ms Staples trading on past glories though, she has a newish recording out (Livin’ On a High Note) and Take Us Back not only held its own with the covers but arguably matched Respect Yourself.
The set naturally closed with I’ll Take You There, a stone cold classic that was as celebratory as it was funky, the crowd dancing and singing as energetically as they had at the start of the set. Ms Staples may have been there at the dawn of rock and soul, but this performance was as fresh and relevant as any the acts currently on the circuit. Pared down gospel infused soul delivered with passion and grace, this was a night to be treasured and on this form she’d give any of those current acts a run for their money. Despite a solid five minutes of cheering there was no encore alas, but not a single person left disappointed.
Mavis Staples: The O2 Academy, Monday 17th July 2017
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