Review by Steve McGowan from Zub RecordsRobyn opened tonight's show saying there would not be as much chat, as he was playing requests, and he launched into ‘Mystic Trip’ from Black Snake Diamond Role, from 1981. I’ve never heard him play this live and it was a short, pleasant, surreal tune. He went right into ‘The Devil's Radio’ from Moss Elixir, mentioning Rush Limbaugh and radio spreading intolerance and hate, as prescient today as in 1996.
He called for Emma Swift to help him on the next song, and she brought their cat Ringo for a cameo. They did the rewritten version of 'The President’ that Reg sent out to the ongoing Republican Convention. A beautiful and sad song. Em explained her Blood On The Tracks record was doing great without being on Spotify, and Reg explained “We are socialists.” The duo did a slow, superb version of the Soft Boys ‘I Want To Destroy You,’ Em’s high vocal transforming the song, and Reg adding the verse about Rupert Murdoch.
Emma asked for a romantic song, and they talked about The Soft Boys doing ‘Funkytown.’ Emma headed off and Robyn said “this is a song I wrote last week.” It was a meditative song (I think) called ‘The Man Who Loves The Rain.’ He then did ‘Give Me A Spanner Ralph’ which had a cool bluesy feel. ‘Strawberries Dress’ from 2013’s Love In London was very folkie and had a bit of a John Lennon flavor (think a faster ‘Julia’) and was outstanding.
Robyn, still solo, did ‘Dismal City’ from Tromso, Kaptien, a surprisingly bouncy, upbeat song for the supposed dismal lyric. Emma showed up with Jermaine the stuffed female koala, while they talked about their cat Tubby. The duo did a fabulous version of ‘Time Coast’ from the recent Robyn Hitchcock LP. This one has a great sort of Revolver-era Beatles feel, and Emma was superb on the harmonies.
Em went off picture again and Robyn said “I’d like to imagine Frank Sinatra singing this one.” He then did ‘My Wife And My Dead Wife,’ a classic from Fegmania!. This is a signature Hitchcock song and he delivered it with energy and enthusiasm. Reg said he had another new song “I’ve written for the Republican Convention,” (again, I think) it was called ‘The Cross, The Dollar, and The Gun.’ This one was Reg in full-on Dylan mode. Emma returned for a closer, and the duo did ‘One Long Pair Of Eyes,’ a staple of the live set, a fantastic song, and sung with authority by Em and Reg. I always love to hear this one. They made it all the way through before the StageIt host closed.
I never get tired of Robyn and Emma, these Wednesday shows are so uplifting and wonderful. Keep groovin!
----Steve McGowan