Christy Moore 24/5/10

I have seen Christy Moore a few times and on the surface the gigs are very similar. It is just him and his accompianist Declan Sinnott and a set of thoughtful acoustic songs interspersed with some rowdier Irish 'drinking songs' and it is always low key and friendly and of course he sings with a georgeous and deep Irish brogue.

There are a number of old favourite songs that reappear each time and that is welcome because they are very fine songs but there is also variety between each gig and a nice touch is that he responds to requests, mostly prior to the show rather than directly from the audience. It is clear that Declan doesn't seem to know what is coming next but I think that is down to the whim of Christy Moore rather than Declan's inability to remember or read a setlist.

Tonight's gig was a particularly good selection of tracks - any gig that starts with Jackson Browne's 'Before the Deluge' is off to a flying start. When the third track is 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' "in honour of Dylan's birthday today" then it is definitely a good evening.

Familar favourites such as 'Motherland', 'The Magdalene Laundries, 'Beeswing', 'Ride On', 'North and South of the River' were peppered throughout the gig. Not so familiar to me but also memorable were tracks such as 'Cry Like a Man', 'Hiroshima Nagasaki Russian Roulette' and 'Butterfly (So Much Wine)'.

The thing he does really well is to strip songs bare and present the essence of the song with some feeling. This was exemplified in spades in the first song of the encore which he claimed he was singing as a dare but for me was the highlight of the show. To hear his version of 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond' was a revelation and a privilege. Gone was the swelling soundstage that is the Pink Floyd version and the pathos of the song was laid out for all to hear. He followed that with the 'La Quinta Brigada' and then played a Planxty track for a guy in the audience who had been at a Planxty gig in the early seventies.

We left with a good feeling and for me some excitement as 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond' continued to rattle around my brain.