On a cold Newcastle night deep in the midst of winter it seemed as though everyone and their dog were vegetating in front of their TVs as the snorefest that is X-Factor finally reached its climax. Featuring the usual array of Mariah Carey wannabes, cute faced ballad singers who couldn’t hold a tune if it was placed in a rucksack and bolted to their back and yet another identikit bland, warbling boy band. Oh, dear!! If this was all the music industry has to offer then we may as well all pack up now and take up ballroom dancing instead!!
Fortunately, for those with more discerning tastes, there’s an array of real talent playing throughout the country offering an alternative to the trash served up on television and at The Cluny, ex-Waysted/Tyketto frontman Danny Vaughn was making a very welcome return back to the North of England as part of his whistle stop acoustic Christmas tour.
Danny Vaughn is no stranger to acoustic shows having supported Asia with his one man show and also Journey along with his long-time sidekick Tony Marshall. This time however, things were slightly different with a full Unplugged style band performance including the aforementioned Tony Marshall on guitar, former Paradise Lost drummer Lee Morris, Steve McKenna on bass and Mike Corfield on keyboards.
The intimate setting of The Cluny was absolutely packed, with people literally hanging from the railings to the stairs to get a better view and it was easy to see why Vaughn has such a strong following in the North of England.
Over the course of the evening he selected choice cuts from right across his recording history throwing in old Tyketto favourites such as a vibrant “Burning Down Inside” to “Making Waves” from the latest From The Inside project. This however, wasn’t just a predictable “Best Of” style set. Vaughn opted to drop Tyketto’s “Forever Young” in favour of the more obscure numbers such as the Blues tinged “Jenny Doesn’t Live” from Flesh and Blood’s excellent Blues For Daze album. For anyone who has yet to hear this, it’s well worth grabbing a copy if you can.
Vaughn’s vocals throughout were simply faultless. Here is a singer with a range and power and a grasp of melody that few can match. Whether performing electrically or with his acoustic band, he never fails to deliver.
The Cluny, with its cosmopolitan café/club style layout was perfect for Vaughn’s relaxed performance and his jocular banter with the crowd added to the intimacy of the show and this grew further when Tony Marshall decided to share his Christmas toffees with everyone.
In keeping with the Christmas spirit, Vaughn closed the set with a spirited run through Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War is Over)” and the crowd dutifully joined in with the festivities.
With Tyketto preparing for a run of dates in the New Year and Vaughn’s involvement with the Illegal Eagles, this show was a great opportunity for him to relax and have some fun with his fans and both the band and the fans had a great time. As an added bonus the show was being recorded for a live album which will be coming out in early 2009 so for those of you who weren’t lucky enough to have been in the audience, you find out what a great show you missed when you buy the album.
Be the first to comment