Harley came out alone to begin with and played a couple of songs on his Hawaiian lap guitar, showing off his slide mastery. To break us in gently he said, and it was a restful beginning, but with that wailing slide bringing complexity. Then he was joined by the remainder of the band, Harry Harding on drums and backing vocals, and Rex Horan, a man of considerable hair, on electric bass and backing vocals. And what Harley called 'the elephant in the room'. Sitting patiently on it's stand, waiting to play a starring role later in the gig, was Horan's sousaphone, unavoidable in shiny Armitage Shanks white.
Other than one Tom Waites song, which came with one of Martin's funniest intros, all numbers were Harley compositions, which was both good and bad. The good was the personal link he had with his material, and the stories that lay behind the writing. The bad, or maybe less good, was some blandness in the material, with no truly memorable melodies or lyrics.
But that's not to say this wasn't a thoroughly enjoyable 90 minutes. Martin has a a good voice and excellent musical technique. Not quite in the top rank for imagination, and some of the solos lacked any sense of surprise, but he's a solid professional who is also an excellent entertainer, connecting well with his audience. A great drum solo from Harding, tons of personality and fun from Horan, and Harley's punchlines make for a great live act. The perfect warm up for the week and a bit ahead of this year's long awaited festival.
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