GIG REVIEW: Tom Baxter
- Posted on June 6, 2008 6:18 PM
- 0 comments
Tom Baxter
Koko, London
3rd June 2008
Review by Laura Yates
Last night I attended the fabulous London venue Koko to see singer/songwriter Tom Baxter. Having heard great things about the artist but not too familiar with his music myself, I was surprised to learn that he has been established since the release of his debut album ‘Feather and Stone’ in 2004. Receiving much positive feedback and a selection of somewhat critical reviews, Baxter has never quite hit the mainstream but is certainly well respected within the industry.
The atmosphere was buzzing and the crowd was a combination of slightly older folk with young; an artist who appeals to a wide audience I always regard as a positive as this is a difficult medium to achieve. We were suitably warmed up by the support band who were great fun and provided Baxter with a fantastic platform on which to continue the evening. When he walked on stage, he appeared younger than his mid-thirty age and received a great applause from the audience whom have likely been dedicated fans since his career began over four years ago.
Despite listening to tracks from his album prior to the gig, I was somewhat expecting a Jack Johnson-esque performance but was surprised to hear and see that Baxter is of a different ilk and we were not going to be entertained by a selection of up-beat, feel-good songs tonight. This man is certainly passionate and not one to hold anything back in terms of feeling and emotion. I immediately wanted to home in upon his lyrics as his performance was remarkably intense from the word go. However, I struggled to hear the words which could be due to his band being slightly too loud. Nevertheless, his performance spoke volumes.
The set consisted of a range of soulful, Latin inspired tracks, some of which sent the audience into almost a state of euphoria. Indeed, Baxter’s song writing is raw which is reflected in his album ‘Skybound’ and as much as I love to see passion and conviction in an artist, it sometimes became almost a little too much and I found myself craving something light hearted. This however came in the form of a cover of the Amy Winehouse track ‘Back to Black’ which Baxter performed incredibly well. To cover a song from an artist of this calibre is a huge risk but he made it is his own without stripping the song down so it was unrecognisable. This was my personal highlight of the gig. Baxter is certainly a talented chap; he almost looked as if his guitar was part of him which he played superbly and also portrayed his further musical skills by playing the harmonica in one track. Baxter’s vocal is soulful, mesmerising and not too controlled which worked well with the guitar and piano. The band were fantastic and possessed a huge energy. I perhaps felt that towards the end of each song too much of a crescendo was built which drowned out Baxter’s vocals. I also think that having slightly less crescendos would have created more dramatic impact. It was slightly self indulgent which is actually not a criticism as I appreciate that this is a sign of passion in an artist.
Overall, I enjoyed the performance but would definitely like to have heard the artist’s lyrics clearer. Baxter is very much respected for his talent as a songwriter and having listened to the tracks once again, the words of his songs are raw and bursting with emotion. He had many loyal fans present at the gig and despite his music perhaps not appealing to the trendy young market; it will certainly attract crowds who appreciate meaningful, raw and thought provoking music.
Related links:
Tom Baxter listings and tickets.
Tom Baxter's official site.
Post a comment
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.seatwaveblogs.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/3106
