The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
ROCKTALK GIG GUIDE
● Acoustic songsmith Charlie Dore is making a welcome return to Courier Country.
The Pilot Of The Airwaves star revisits the Green Hotel on Thursday following an impressive debut at the Kinross venue last June to promote her ninth album Dark Matter.
Charlie and longtime cohort Julian Littman have barely stopped gigging since, and fans can look forward to another diverse show featuring guitars, dobro, mandolin, lap steel, piano and harmonium. “Playing songs live certainly develops their muscle,” she says.
“We only go out as a duo or a trio so we don’t have the luxury of a trumpet or a clarinet, but we swap instruments all the time, or sometimes we even swap a song within a song, so we try to keep the variety up.”
Charlie co-wrote Jimmy Nail’s 1992 chart-topper Ain’t No Doubt and her songs’ve also been recorded by George Harrison, Tina Turner, Lisa Stansfield, Ricky Ross, Sheena Easton, Celine Dion, Black, uB40, Status Quo and Paul Carrack.
Praise for her characteristic wordplay on the science-themed Dark Matter has delighted her. “Our live show’s about selling the lyric, and that’s what’s been really gratifying, people mentioning the lyric a lot,” says Charlie.
“Maybe it’s because a lot of the subjects you wouldn’t normally write a song about, but I don’t set out to be odd and left of centre, that’s not my remit. I just try not to repeat myself or repeat angles that are well used.
“For instance, you might ask, ‘What’s a song called Man In Bed doing on an album called Dark Matter?’ It’s because it’s unexplored territory, it’s about when you dream and it being a sort of solo flight.
“In terms of the development of the song it’s just trying to get the lyric across more than ever, which is hard because in a live situation people are doing so many things. I always think it’d be interesting to put sensors on somebody’s brain when they’re listening to a song and see what they’re picking up.”
Material from Dark Matter still figures prominently at Charlie’s gigs, but increasingly she’s dipping into previous works such as Cuckoo Hill and Cheapskate Lullabyes. “We’ve relaxed slightly,” she adds.
“Last time we were sort of religiously doing almost the entire album. Now we’re also reintroducing songs that we like playing from the other albums. I am still really niche, so it’s a question of reaching more people.”
With more gigs ahead this autumn, Pinner-born Charlie admits she’s in no hurry to follow up Dark Matter. “I haven’t written anything at all since last year,” she says.
“I throw so much stuff away. Just because you’ve spent hours or days on it doesn’t mean it’s right. When I’m writing I always think about the people I most admire lyrically, like Leonard Cohen, Randy Newman and Paul Simon. I’m always imagining them casting their eye over it.”
Kinross tickets are £18 from mundellmusic.com.
● Prog exponent John Hackett plays Kinross tomorrow.
The flautist and guitarist has featured on solo albums by his brother Steve Hackett, the ex-Genesis guitarist, and released his rock debut Checking Out Of London in 2005.
John’s 2017 set We Are Not Alone was recorded with guitarist Nick Fletcher, Jeremy Richardson (bass) and Duncan Parsons (drums), who’ll join him at Green Hotel.
Tickets £20 from mundellmusic.com.
● A founder of psych-rock provocateurs Brian Jonestown Massacre is at Conroy’s Basement tonight.
Matt Hollywood and The Bad Feelings will perform tracks from their recent debut album plus career highlights at the Meadowside venue. Tickets £13 from seetickets.com.
● Teen post-rock duo Albany launch their Origins EP at Church tonight, with support from Indica, VFLambda and Kurnel Fist. Tickets £5 from gjpromotions.uk, Grouchos, Assai Records and at the door.
● It’s a 4pm start at Clarks On Lindsay Street tomorrow for Mort Wriggle & The Panthers.
The forerunners of Dundee legends Skeets Boliver are performing for the first time since their live comeback after more than 30 years at Clarks in 2011. Original members included Michael and Chris Marra, Stuart Ivins and Louis O’Neil.
Tickets £5 from Clarks, Grouchos and Assai.
● Glasgow alt noiseniks Megalomatic play Conroy’s tomorrow, supported by Howlett, Sky Giant and Ark Royal. Tickets £6 via dmcevents.bigcartel.com.
● Perth’s Twa Tams has covers outfit Damage Limitation tonight, with Dundee rockers The Wolves at Scott Street tomorrow.
● Number 57 has Itchycoo Park tomorrow and Junkyard Dogs on Sunday.
● Cherry Bombz play Powrie Bar tonight then Montrose’s Neptune Bar, Sunday 3pm.