Another superb line-up at Stockton's Georgian Theatre last week featured four very different performers.
Tyneside's Richard John Thompson is a songwriter of real talent and has an album out on the North-east cottage industry label Chicken Wire Records. Backed up at the Georgian by a second acoustic guitarist, the songs were creative and the singing spot on.
Next up, Elaine Palmer knocked everyone's socks off again as she poured herself into the performance, warming us up on a cold and chilly November night with a few new songs and a few old ones.
Luma Lane is an unusual talent. Playing acoustically for the first time she told us, she mixed Nico or Björk-esque vocals with Velvet Underground style guitar and keyboard electronica. Twisted Nerve Records snapped up Luma and they know a thing or two about grooming gifted and unusual performers. I hope she returns with her full band.
Described as an Icelandic one man band, headliner MUGISON is a genius. His album Lonely Mountain is literally handcrafted - he stitched the sleeves together himself. It's a shimmering beauty, The Beatles seeping by Oasis into a Radiohead sonic reverie.
Live he is witty, manically multi-tasking and inspirational. Battering his guitar, shrieking into a distorted mic and giving it six to the dozen on his laptop. The result is layers of sounds, sampled vocals, building towards orchestrations. There's a magical childlike quality to his music that appears to include wind-up toys, toy shop pianos, worn out drum machines and poetic lyrics.
He'll return next year with an extended set, until then check out his album and light up your winter with a little Mugison magic.
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Billingham boys Whatler recently launched their album This Time at the Georgian. They've only been going for five years and already have two albums and an EP to their name not to mention a host of line-up changes. It's a busy sound from a busy band devouring the punk rock'n'roll dream. Flying guitars and melodic vocals are pushed up to the top of the mix.
Exceptionally catchy songs with big pumping choruses, there's even a familiar cover but Boro fans will listen in vain for any lyrics about George Boateng. It's a high quality product from a high quality act.
Movie double-acts come in all shapes and sizes ...and with varying degrees of success.
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