Grant-Lee Phillips – The Gov Tuesday 8 May 2018.
Words Geoff Jenke
One man, one guitar, one amazing, powerful voice. Grant-Lee Phillips, the travelling troubadour rolled into The Gov for an evening of blues and wonderful songs.
Grant-Lee Phillips has earned a reputation as a consummate songwriter and story teller. He first emerged in the early 90’s with the acclaimed trio Grant Lee Buffalo. Grant Lee Buffalo played Adelaide as support to R.E.M. on their last tour of Australia in 2001.
Grant-Lee Phillips is probably better known as the town troubadour on the cult television show The Gilmour Girls. But tonight, it was all about the man and his songs.
From the start it is obvious Grant-Lee thrives on stage and past and present converge as he plays an array of songs from his extensive career. He is here in support of his ninth solo album, Widdershins and the evening starts with a selection of songs off that album commencing with a jangly almost Byrd’s like, Walk in Circles. It is also immediately obvious that Grant-Lee is in good humour with his rapport between songs. After King of Catastrophes he said he can see the “people over yonder. Hey I wonder the opposite of yonder is?” When someone sang out “Hither” he dedicated the next song, The Wilderness, to all the people over yonder and hither.
Next came a raft of Grant Lee Buffalo songs, starting with Honey Don’t Think, Mighty Joe Moon and the beautiful Jupiter and Teardrop. People started singing out requests which surprised him a little, telling us we will be “double parked in the 90’s” and that “there is a strict 2am curfew and I won’t have time to play them all”. However surprisingly, after playing the requested Lone Star Song, he told us he hadn’t played it for a long long time and that he had forgotten what a great song it is and that he should and will play more regularly. If he continues to play it in other Australian shows, they can thank Adelaide for it.
After wringing emotion from Josephine of the Swamps, Grant-Lee said goodnight and walked to the side of the stage, never actually leaving. He taunted us a little from the side before returning with Matt Joe Gov (who was support act) to accompany him on guitar and harmonica on Come to Mama and Calamity Jane. The sound was good and the extra guitar filled out the songs wonderfully.
Grant-Lee finished the evening solo with two magnificent Grant Lee Buffalo songs in The Shining Hour and Fuzzy.
Still he didn’t leave the stage, instead coming to the side to meet people, sign autographs and sell his latest solo album. Such a humble man.
The Killers may have been playing over the road on this night, but it was us at The Gov that got a killer set.
Full credit to The Gov for the way they set up the room. With tables and candle lighting, one felt like he was sitting in a downtown blues/jazz bar in New York.
No Comments