Having recently chewed the fat with Patrick Wolf, we here at
Clash are full of innovative ideas and what a great idea it was to watch him
kick off his UK tour at Salford Keys, the media hub of the North. With a venue named after possibly one
of the best artists to come out of the North West, it was rather fitting that
Patrick embarked on his 10 year anniversary tour at The Lowry. Turning up at the correct venue on time
counts for a lot in this industry, and thankfully Clash’s timekeeping is spot
on, so much so that the talents of supporting act Abi Wade were fully
appreciated.
Being
a multi-instrumentalist is a talent in itself but having the vocals to enhance
the performance further brings talent to another level. Abi Wade certainly
possesses all these factors – her haunting vocals reverberating around the
theatre amongst a deafly silent crowd. Yes, you heard correctly, a silent crowd
for a support act – something you don’t come across very often. Her cello playing was captivating, used
as a percussion instrument with drumsticks and the bow itself thumping against
the body to create a complex web of sound whilst her fingers created the bass
that complimented her vocals so very well. Holding similarities to Wolf, her
modesty, musical ability and personality it is easy to see why Patrick has her
as a supporting act. Think Florence Welsh without a Machine using acoustic
instruments and you’ve just about got it.
Alas,
with the Wolfpack out in force it was time for the Wolfman himself to grace us
with his presence. Extravagantly dressed and sauntering toward the glossy grand
piano, anyone could have been mistaken for thinking a musical was taking place.
How wrong they would be, opening up about the difficulty of his teenage years
and interacting with the audience about his musical struggles, we see a
different side to Wolf, relaxed, at ease and jovial between songs. The ninety minutes was awash with
atmosphere, emotion, and the deep and, at times, dark vocal we have all become
accustomed to, taking hold of the theatre and the audience within it. Crowd favourites such as; Hard Times,
Oblivion, and Wind In The Wires are stripped of their electro-pop roots being
reinvented on the plethora of instruments that Patrick so effortlessly
plays. The raging spotlight of
yesteryear seems to have faded, but Wolf seems as content as ever with his
current situation and tonight that shone through with the stunning vocal and
instrumental performance he gave. The Wolfpack may be trudging home through the
unforgiving Mancunian weather, but each one of the knows they have seen
something special and as another decade beckons who knows what lies ahead for
Patrick Wolf.
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