Richard Thompson played to a packed audience at the Lyric Theatre in Salford and showed what a truly stunning guitarist and songwriter he is.
Effortlessly storming through a set stuffed full of little gems, Thompson wowed the crowd with licks from his new album, Still, and many more from his extensive back catalogue.
Drummer Michael Jerome offered support with powerful beats – in fact he hit the skins so hard during The Shame of Doing The Wrong Thing he actually broke a drum, forcing running repairs to take place as he merrily continued on.
Bass duties were admirably performed by Taras Prodaniuk who kept the trio on an even keel with his tight, funky style.
But the evening belonged to Richard Thompson.
Clad in his trademark black threads and black beret, and wielding his trusty Fender, he cut an iconic figure as he produced some quality guitar while making it look so easy: the mark of a true professional.
New tracks like Beatnik Walking showcased his love of Amsterdam, followed by the awesome Patty Don’t You Put Me Down.
A real treat came when the Thompson picked up an accoustic guitar and wowed the audience with Salford Sunday, a homage to the fond memories he has of the city. Thompson did ask the audience how many actually lived in Salford; sadly there was only a slight cheer from one or two in the audience, myself and my brother included.
The Fairport Convention classic Meet Out On The Ledge was dutifully performed to a stunned silence, a classic song after some 30 years.
Sadly there was no time for Beeswing which many, myself included were hoping that he would play.
The band returned to the stage and the music was ratched up a notch higher with 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, a homage to the classic British motorcycle.
My favourite was Guitar Heroes in which he played in the style of his guitar heroes including James Burton, Chuck Berry, Les Paul and even Hank Marvin a true hymn to the power of rock and roll.
No mention of the evening would be complete without mentioning the support band, The Rails, a duo that includes Richard Thompson’s daughter, Kami, and James Walbourne who got to play one song with him, a “nice case of nepotism” as Richard joked.
His last tune was Wall of Death recorded by Richard and his wife Linda which met with raputurous applause and a standing ovation as the crowd yelled for more.
He returned to the stage with a huge grin on his face and gave the audience what they wanted, more classic Thompson guitar playing.
To be honest this has to be seen to be believed and it’s no wonder that Eric Clapton called him the best guitarist in the world.
He finished the storming set with the Otis Blackwell classic Daddy Rolling Stone before leaving to the sound of rapturous applause.
I felt privilleged to have witnessed the show and comparisions with another power trio, Cream, spring easily to mind, yes they are that good, believe me.
