Dickie Felton 13 Nov 2021
Callum Easter looks like something the cat’s dragged in.
His beat-up leather jacket has a life of its own. He doesn’t actually wear it, it wears him.
Easter resembles dishevelled Brookside character Ron Dixon who has just abandoned his mobile convenience store – the Moby – after another day of poor sales.
As he bumbles into sight Easter looks the least likely person to be holding court on a concert stage.
It’s not immediately clear who – or what – is in front of us.
A member of the crowd asks for the singer’s name.
“I’m Callum Easter pal.
“Easter…
“As in Christmas…”
Playing a 1960s Wurlitzer style organ, the Edinburgh-based musician proceeds to transfix the audience.
His sound echoes a seaside sadness of empty tower ballrooms, faded kiss-me-quick hats and candy floss dropped in puddles.
Easter’s voice merges Richard Ashcroft, Jim Morrison and old-school cabaret crooners. And, frankly, the result is stunning.
‘Feelings Gone’ is the most beautiful song of his set.
Easter is pure rock n roll and I don’t think he even realises this himself.
He has a new record out next week. Check him out: Callum Easter
Albertine Sarges
I’ve been playing Sarges’ excellent debut ‘The Sticky Fingers’ for the past month.
It’s an other-worldly record that has remained rooted on my turntable at the expense of all challengers.
I’ve rarely seen a songwriter so at home on a stage.
You sense if the Berliner was suddenly given the choice of playing the Royal Albert Hall or Lancaster Library she’d snub Kensington at the drop of a hat.
It helps that Sarges is surrounded by four outstanding musicians – a dream team all pulling in the same direction and intent on having an amazing time.
Her sound is hard to place.
It’s a bit Talking Heads meets B-52s with some expansive B-movie-soundtrack stuff in there too.
‘The Girls’ is a pop song with a simple yet sensational bass line which feels like it could’ve been released in 1985.
As well as having an array of fun tracks, there is an epic beauty to just about everything Sarges and her band play.
‘Beat Again’ and ‘Oh My Love’ are breathtakingly epic. The audience lap it up and don’t what the night to end.
I thought Jürgen Klopp was my favourite person from Germany.
Sarges has just changed all that.
Great review Dickie…lovely to see you there. Top gig.