Edgar Broughton The Duchess York 18 Aug 2011
Edgar Broughton has been a hero of mine since I grew up with rock music in the late 60s and early 70s. I caught the Edgar Broughton Band live several times at festivals (Reading, Buxton) and locally (Sunderland Mecca, Newcastle City Hall). Edgar was always outspoken, passionate and totally committed to the alternative cause, and to be honest I found him somewhat scary onstage those days. Willy and I went to see the Broughton Band at Sheffield Boardwalk when they reunited a few years ago, and they hadn’t lost any of their power. Sadly I didn’t manage to make it over to the Spirit of 71 stage at Glastonbury (there was too much mud, and it was too far from our campsite), but I promised myself there and then that I would make up for it by going along to this show in York.
On Thursday night I saw a very different side to Edgar Broughton. The show had been billed as a special one-off performance entitled “Castaway”. Edgar had promised us, through his blog, that “it will be very different from what you might normally expect from me though it will include a lot of vintage material”.
This was my first visit to the Duchess, which is a great little venue right in the heart of the lovely city of York. I managed to find my way through the small windy streets and, after driving around a little to find a parking spot, took a seat towards the back of the venue. The crowd was small but attentive, comprising those of a similar advanced age, and with several Broughton Band t-shirts on show.
The stage was set with a single chair and two acoustic guitars. Edgar came onstage around 8.30pm and launched into some beautiful acoustic picking, which developed into a wailing chant-like song, setting the tone for the evening. Edgar explained to us that “many of my songs are dark, and I make no excuse for that”. The set was a mix of new songs, old Broughton band favourites, and a few poems. It was a great evening; something different; special and to be remembered. For Almost dancing Edgar used his Blackberry to provide the “tick tock” which accompanied the poem, and the droning backing for “a small psalm” was also provided by the same technology (which let him down and switched itself off a couple of times!). Red Star is a relatively new song written about the Brixton riots; Edgar explained how he had been singing it in a house in London as part of one of his Fair days pay for a fair days work shows, and as he left London was in flames and the riots had started. Green Lights sounded great with a simple arrangement and acoustic guitar. Soldiers of the Light was, explained Edgar, written for his brother Steve. Poppy, always a favourite of mine since I saw the Band play it in the early ’70s, closed the first set.
In the second half we all chanted a drone note while Edgar chanted on top. He explained that the Christmas song had been debuted at the Micky Jones (Man) benefit in Wales. Old favourites Evening over the Rooftops and Hotel Room were given the Edgar solo treatment; both sounding as fresh as they ever did. The show closed with a reprise of the dark chanting wail that had opened the show.
Everyone seemed to genuinely enjoy the evening, including our host, who thanked us for coming along to share the experience with him. He had planned to record the event; but had forgotten to give the recording gear to the sound guy!. I really enjoyed it, and was glad that I made the trip. I’d seen a different, gentler side of Edgar, somewhat removed from the fiery wild hairy guy in a karate suit of the early 70s. And no Out Demons Out; but that was fine because it wasn’t that sort of night. The angry challenging guy is still there and he is still (as he says on his site) “Hoping to do what I can – I lean to the left – aiming to do what is right”. The drive home was pretty uneventful, although it was teaming down with rain. I left the Duchess around 10.50pm and was back home around 12.30pm.
Setlist:
arabesque the re-mix > all fall down > speak down wires > almost dancing tick tock > a small psalm > red star > green lights > the god light pop (a reading from the instantanium) > soldiers of the light > there’s a hole in it > poppy
Intermission
i want to lie (in a cool dark room) revisited > we chant > say you love me > christmas song > ice on fire > evening over the rooftops > my salvation > hotel room > six white horses > Arabesque and yoik
Edgar Broughton website
Edgar’s blog, including a poem which he performed on the evening
Link to the programme for the evening
programme and ticket
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