Roddy Woomble

It had only been a couple of weeks since I had last visited the Birnam Arts Centre to see The View but as soon as I heard that Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble would be playing there I was already planning another visit.  My girlfriend Jo and I arrived nice and early, which if you know Jo is a minor miracle,  so had a chance to have a drink in the cafe before the support act started.  Looking around, it was amazing to see how many faces I recognised, it seemed that draw of Roddy Woomble had driven lots of people to make the trip from Perth to Birnam.  

We took our seats just before the support act local singer-songwriter Kirsty Fisher took the stage and began entertaining us.  She was accompanied by her sister Hannah on fiddle (and piano) and guitarist Rod Jones.  It was an assured performance with a strong set of songs, exquisite harmonies and Rod Jones swampy guitar complimented Hannah's melodic violin lines to great effect.  The stand-out track for me was "All At Sea" with its finger-picking, the insistent bass strings sounding like a cello in the mix, Rod's shimmering lead interlinking with Hannah's piano lines.  

During the interval, we checked out the merch stall, and Jo picked up a copy of Roddy's latest album "The Deluder" and we were assured that if we popped back after the show Roddy would be available to sign it.  Looking forward to our meet n' greet we re-take our seats and Roddy and his band take to the stage.  We immediately recognise fiddle player Hannah and guitarist Rod Jones who are also in Woomble's Band.  The show starts with a great sounding solid drumbeat and the first song "Look Back Like Leaving" from the album that Jo has just bought.  The laid-back groove, with its Beatlesy organ, gradually builds as violin and keys swell and the song ends with an unscheduled loud pop as the organ is turned off.

As the show progresses I'm starting to get a real kick out of the rhythm section.  Danny Grant has a drum sound that is really dry and solid and his playing on some tracks has a real Southern Rock vibe that reminds me of one of my favourite acts Drive By Truckers.  I should also point out at this point that I was becoming slightly distracted by trying to figure out whose face was on Danny's faded T-shirt.  First, it looked a little like an elongated, nineties-era David Bowie and then from a different angle it resembles a crumpled Chris Isaak.  Finally, I decide that it's definitely a distressed K.D. Lang and try to put it out of my mind by concentrating on the funky bass-line that Luciano Rossi is laying down on the awesome track "Like Caruso" another killer track from Deluder.  The bass-lines from the new album are really groovy; Rossi is obviously having a ball playing them live and he and Danny have an amazing rapport together.  "Like Caruso" is such a great song and Roddy sings it with aplomb, prowling the stage like a young Malcolm McDowell.  I briefly wonder if the song is about David Caruso, star of CSI Miami, or Enrico Caruso the famous opera singer.  Probably the opera singer I reluctantly decide.

Next up is a song from Roddy's solo debut album the beautifully brooding folk-rock "As Still As I Watch Your Grave", with lyrics that Nick Cave or Johnny Cash would be proud of and a melody and arrangement reminiscent of Teenage Fanclubs underrated gem "Cells".  Before playing the charmingly child-like (it was actually written with Woombles nine-year-old son) and beguiling Jupiter, Roddy introduces his band and finally puts me out of my misery when he says and "Danny Grant wearing a Celine Dion".  Celine Dion!  Of Course!

"The Deluder" really is a cracking album and I am delighted when we are treated to three of its tracks in a row.  Hannah and Rossi harmonise nicely together on "Any Old Kind of World Will Do", Rod provides a great guitar hook on "The Deluder" and there are more great harmonies on "Remember to Breathe" this time between Roddy and Hannah.  It's a really appreciative audience tonight at Birnam Arts and they are really chuffed when Idlewild single "Little Discourage" gets an airing.  It's at this point that a little bit of fuzzy guitar starts to creep into the arrangements and I really like how the track selection gets gradually more rocky, also Hannah's violin really gets a chance to shine and she's sounding like a modern-day Scarlet Rivera.  

Last song (before the encore) is the perfectly crafted "Between The Old Moon", it's a beautiful example of how a song can conjure pictures and tell a story:

Now everyone is gathered for the town hall meeting
A community of closed doors
Have opened tonight
In a town that's full of ghosts
That won't stay in the grave
That learnt everything from whispers

If that was the first paragraph in a book I was leafing through in Waterstones I would be walking out the door with it in a plastic bag before you could blink.  I'm not the only one who is really digging the tunes tonight and soon the band are back for a well-earned encore that starts with Idlewild favourite "American English".  This is followed by the Gallic Pop of "On N'a Plus De Temps" which see's Roddy and Hannah doing their Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin thing to perfection.  By this stage, thinking that this must be the last song, my girlfriend Jo is getting a bit despondent that Roddy hasn't played "My Secret Is My Silence" but he pulls out it out of the hat at the last minute.

Before we head home we take another trip to the merchandise stall where Roddy is graciously giving signatures and posing for pictures with the audience.  Jo is too shy but I have a quick word, signature and Roddy poses for a picture.  We leave happy after another great night out in Birnam, listening to "The Deluder" all the way home.