Tuesday 15th July 08 - Chris Helme at Hull Lamp By Steve Rudd (1/2)

(1/2), (2/2),

Alighting in Hull as part of a glorious string of intimate UK tour dates in support of his recently released solo offering Ashes, York troubadour Chris Helme had the sizeable Hull crowd in fits of ecstasy due to the strength of his voice and the intensity of the emotions conveyed both through his music and lyrics. Only a few days previously he had wowed the gathered masses at a private mini-festival in the tiny village of Kelk, and even amongst family and friends there is no stopping Chris from pouring out his heart and soul as soon as he gets up on stage.

In front of hardcore Seahorses fans he is no different, with a clutch of guys in the Hull crowd randomly pitching in requests for old 'Horses numbers between every song. While Chris openly admits that he enjoys playing such classics, he prefers to focus on the material he's written most recently. However, the way tonight's gig had been billed had been partially to blame for some fans' insistence that he play Seahorses songs: the fliers and posters promoting the night had cruelly led some people to believe that the band had actually reformed. But no. Chris was playing a solo acoustic set, and - the Seahorses fanatics aside - the crowd wouldn't have had it any other way.

Looking as smart as ever in suit and bowler hat, Chris confidently strode onto stage and plunged into the bewitching Last High without preamble, his extraordinary voice rising and falling in line with the joy and heartbreak contained within the classy cut. The range of his voice is staggering, and since his days in The Seahorses it has become increasingly more Bluesy and haunting. Indeed, the ghost of Jeff Buckley sounds to be gasping for breath every time Chris opens his mouth. A perfectly moving song to begin his set with, shivers were hurtling down my spine at breakneck speed. 'Fear for the future; fear for the country,' he wails come the climax, allowing for subtle political connotations to spice up his thoughts and feelings.

Intriguingly, a couple of tracks from Ashes are phenomenal cover songs. Fortunately, he played them both, first urging the crowd to check out the music of Marissa Nadler. His version of her Yellow Lights threatened to reduce the crowd to floods of tears, such was the beauty oozing within.

Marissa's original version is a masterpiece in itself, yet Chris has miraculously managed to make the song his own, just like he has The Soledad Brothers' equally-as-engaging Lorali.

Continued .... Next Page (2/2)

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