With Lloyd Spiegel’s latest release “Backroads” currently sitting No1 on the Australian Blues & Roots charts, it was no surprise that The Ellington would be a sell-out on a Thursday night. The dimly lit jazz club gives such an up close and personal feel, and it was one that the charismatic Spiegel thrived on. With the majority of the venues on his Australian tour being theatres, his loyal Western Australian audiences are still lucky to be treated to these smaller, special gigs.
Tonight was the 23rd show of a 25-gig Australian Tour and the evening opened with the lively Rock and a Hard Place from the 2010 album Tangled Brew, before Statesboro Blues gave us a taste of what was to come for the evening, as Spiegel worked his fingers frantically up and down the fret board, whilst accompanied by the outstanding Tim Burnham on percussion. Lloyd Spiegel as the amazing ability to converse with the crowd like a couple of guys would chat over a cold beer on a Saturday afternoon – anecdotes and short tales aplenty have the audience in rolls of laughter throughout the evening. Man on Fire was the first of 3 tracks showcased from the new album tonight, as Spiegel delivered a set littered with tracks both old & new, with some covers thrown in for good measure. Not only are you drawn to his outstanding guitar playing but his vocals are just perfect for the music he performs.
As Burnham retreated from the stage, Lloyd slowed things down with Stranger Things followed by Robert Johnson’s Love in Vain, before finishing the acoustic mini-set with New York City from 2004’s Tall Stories. Burnham’s return to the drum kit sparked the gig back to full speed, with Little Richard’s Lucille followed by Dutch Tilders’ Back to the City. Backroads was revisited once more, with my favourite of the album, Bridges to Burn, before the first half of the set finished with If I Killed Ya When I Met Ya. And after a breathtaking first half, we were promised a faster paced second set. Even during the break, Spiegel didn’t stop, as he moved to the rear of the venue to sign albums that were frantically being purchased, from his small merchandise stall.
The second half kicked off with Muddy Water’s classic Louisiana Blues, before we got to hear Lost Like Me for 2017’s This Time Tomorrow and Love & Money. Another cover, Walk On by Brownie McGhee once again had the crowd whooping and cheering throughout, as Lloyd’s craftsmanship was on full show. The final visit to his new release was the opening track of the album The Kick Around and from the reception these new songs received on the night, it’s no surprise the album sits at the top of the charts. Murder for Breakfast could be renamed Murder on Lloyd’s Fingertips, as the 6 minute solo left the crowd cheering in almost disbelief at the speed at which he plays. The set finished with a couple more covers, in the form of John Lee Hooker’s This is Hip and Bo Diddley’s Who Do You Love. Another quick tale about young Canadian stage hand Jacques having to explain to Lloyd during his last visit to Quebec that “encore” meant “more” in French, gave the audience even more laughs before the “encore” was delivered in the form of Tom Waits 2:19.
Even once the show was finished Spiegel wasn’t finished there, with his fans queuing up for a handshake and hug. And this is what made the night special – the personal experience that the artist gave to his listeners was never too much, even when the guys had flown in that morning and by their own admissions were “running on fumes”. As I left The Ellington with the rest of the crowd onto the Beaufort Street pavement I felt I’d just witnessed something special – and eagerly await the return to WA of Lloyd Spiegel.
