LIVE REVIEW: Jamie Lenman @ Thekla, Bristol
British music has always been in good hands. There has never been a time when you could even consider this island to be void of creativity, as even the most underground of underground thrives in the cities of this country. One of the best names to come out of British music over the past decade or so is Jamie Lenman, thanks to his time in REUBEN, and also his subsequent solo musings. With the drop of Shuffle proving him to be as creatively charged as ever, we were able to catch him and HAGGARD CAT bring some of their best material to Bristol.
HAGGARD CAT are easily the hardest working duo in British music at the moment. Entirely self made and now on the road to dropping their second record, the former HECK lads are still running at 100mph, and the best thing is that they seem to be getting better.
With new songs that sound thick and angry as a 70s punk, HAGGARD CAT continue to make headbanging riffs their calling card. Boneshaker bounces with overwhelming energy, and American Graffiti is still a foot stomping rager of a song. A swift and punchy cover of Territorial Pissing shows the duo to still have a bit of silliness about them and also gives the group another chance to show just how dense, and deep, their sound can become, which is still astonishing given the fact they are just a guitarist and a drummer. There are multiple reasons to be excited by HAGGARD CAT, and despite the sometimes messy performance tonight, the duo continue to be a genuinely exciting prospect for 2020, as their new album will give them ample reason to continue working their fingers to the bone. If you haven’t already, you really ought to get behind HAGGARD CAT.
Rating: 8/10
With a career as worshipped as Jamie Lenman‘s is within the British alternative scene is, it’s no wonder why the room feels immediately more packed out than it was for HAGGARD CAT. And the room is as eager for the guitar playing gentleman as it is full. Subsequently, there is a tremendous atmosphere within the Thekla from the moment Lenman starts to play all the way through to the end.
With a diverse back catalogue, the selection of songs on the menu tonight really reflect just how much of a true musician Jamie Lenman is, as he bounces from heavy alt rock, to bass driven funk, folky acoustic, and right back to the guitar driven sound that first made him a household name within the scene. Yes, this constant chop and change of pace makes this set feel bumpy and disjointed, but the entertainment that derives from the set is totally worth it. Jamie Lenman is a true show man, bantering with the crowd and bringing his unique personality right to the forefront of the performance.
Whilst the first set might well have been more exciting, this is a performance that gives everyone present their money’s worth, and even with all the nit pickery, tonight was a smorgasbord of quality homegrown songwriting from two exceptional acts within British music.
Rating: 7/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Bristol from Normandy Photography here:
