Robyn Hitchcock, Basically Unplugged

by Mark Jenkins
The Washington Post, April 3, 1995

That Robyn Hitchcock has yet to achieve mainstream success is indicated by the fact that he's touring to promote not a new album-he hasn't released one in two years-but reissues of nine discs of '80s material. Still, the English singer-songwriter is much loved in Washington, and at the 9:30 club on Wednesday, the second of two nights there, he was greeted rapturously by an audience that demanded two sets of encores.

Hitchcock is most effective when playing with the Egyptians, his versatile backing duo, but acquitted himself well accompanied only by his own guitar (and, on some songs, Deni Bonet's violin). Though he mostly played acoustic guitar, he didn't restrict himself merely to almost-folkie ballads like "Arms of Love." He also managed to perform such elaborate production numbers as "Driving Aloud (Radio Storm)" and "The Yip Song" - the latter "about death from cancer," he explained - and rockers such as "So You Think You're In Love" and "Only the Stones Remain." The latter, originally recorded by Hitchcock's Soft Boys, was outfitted with an electric guitar intro that could hardly have been less folkie.
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Overall, this was a great show - Robyn's voice sounded really strong and he reminded me that he is a very good guitarist (i tend to forget, concentrating on the lyrics) -- especially on "[I am Not] Me" and "Glass Hotel." The only drawback, to me, was that he didn't seem too enthusiastic -- the stories and extemporized lyrics were a bit flat, but, hey, I don't know why I'm saying anything negative. It was great. If any of you Washington area folks know (or find out) when this is being broadcast on WHFS, please be sure to tell me!
Goodnight I say.....

Ed P
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Agreed. It was excellent. Since there were a number of other list members present, I'll let them tell their own stories and comments, but throw in my obligatory $.02 on sundry
items....

Firstly, _don't_ miss the opening acts. Both Deni Bonet and her band and Jill Sobule are wonderful. Rarely is one privileged to see opening acts of such quality. Both women are wonderful songwriters, and I really enjoyed them alot - all the more surprising considering I had never heard any material by either of them. Deni's material has more of a folk feel to it, and Jill's a more "modern rock" feel. The guys in Deni's band - Andy and Joe, are nice, too. Talked to them for a little after the 3/29 show. Buy them a beer! I think Robyn had something to do with their touring - Joe was excited that he got to use an amp belonging to Billy Bragg!

For the instrument-minded, for the electric portions Robyn was playing a black & white Fender something-caster. For the sartorial-minded, he was wearing the usual print shirts, with the obligatory shirt change between the end of the set and the encore. I liked the shirt with lizards on it.

In general, I'd also have to add that Robyn's arrangements with Deni playing along really add something to some of those songs, with Arms of Love and Never Stop Bleeding come to mind. Her violin playing adds color to the songs, giving them more of an emotional appeal in some parts than they would have otherwise.

and Sharon northers@nwrel.org says re taping Robyn:
>It makes me wonder if I even dare to *audio* tape Robyn's show if he ever comes my way again.
>If it's against management policy, I'd fully expect to be asked nicely to stop it, and perhaps turn over my machine for the duration of the show; I certainly would not want to be thrown out, after paying for a ticket.

Here's a story with a happy ending. After the end of Tuesday night's show, I was just sitting on the edge of the stage, chatting with some fellow fegmaniacs. The soundman suddenly came up to me and said that he'd have to ask me for the tape I had made of that evenings' concert (I'd been surreptitiously taping it with only the tie-tac-type mic visible). So I pulled the tape out of the walkman and handed it to him. He took it and said he would ask Robyn whether it was OK that I had taped the show. He comes back to me about 5 minutes later with the tape, returning it, along with a business card, saying that Robyn had no problems with it, and that if turned out OK I should send a copy of the show to his manager's address on the card.

For the curious, and for those others of you who might be taping upcoming shows, here's his manager's address - perhaps if he got copies of the shows from all us tapers he would be pleased. (Maybe even suggest a "best of" from Mrs. Wafflehead?). Manager = Peter Jenner, Sincere Management, London, England. [Note: this isn't to imply that one definitely does have implicit permission to tape his shows. I'm just relating what happened in my instance. Use your own judgement. Maybe even ask Robyn first, if you happen to see him before the show.]

Also, fwiw, when I was writing a fellow taper's address on the back of Robyn's manager's business card, fellow taper asks me: "Is that _the_ Peter Jenner?" I said, "I guess. Is there a _the_ Peter Jenner?" And he then said something about this Peter Jenner person being Pink Floyd's management. (Another Syd Barrett connection perhaps??)

Anyway, for the patient, copies of tapes for both nights at the 9:30 Club will be available. Analog, audience, recorded from front of the stage, pretty decent quality although not amazing or anything. However, since the second show may have been broadcast (we'll find out soon), for the moment I'll only offer the first for now. Just email me, and we'll work out details.

Looking forward to seeing more setlists from upcoming shows....

Andy R