October 30, 2001

Starsailor/Matthew Jay : Bristol Rock

This is back to basics at its most mesmerising, where all that matters is the song...

For once, nothing much matters except listening. The haircuts aren't the sharpest, the between-song chat is hardly the most scintillating and there's no smart moves to win
you over. This is back to basics at its most mesmerising, where all that matters is the song.

Nervous looking Parlophone-signed singer, Matthew Jay, is up first, an acoustic guitar strapped on and his new band gathered round him. He's already released one beautifully low-key, Elliott Smith-styled album, 'Draw', and most tracks tonight are from that. But, live, they seem dirtier and more immediate (new song 'Stars On The Floor' is a particular highlight), drowning his tender folk in clashing guitar and organs and proving he's not quite the pushover we first thought. We'll be hearing more from this one, guaranteed.
Starsailor, meanwhile, have already proved they're in for the long haul and tonight, they literally pulse with confidence. With his hair in his eyes and a pained expression, James Walsh is becoming quite the star too. He says little (notably "This one started off as a demo and ended up as a Top 20 single" when introducing 'Fever'), but it's always assured and with a grin, knowing that we're firmly in his world now. His voice is stunning, too, clear, impassioned and surprisingly forceful, even in his solo acoustic rendition of the desperately sad 'Coming Down' and Dion's 'Born To Be With You'. It leaves you in no doubt the claustrophobic emotion of the album is heartfelt, that it's the product of James' turbulent mind. Live, it all makes so much more sense.

'Love Is Here' stands out as mini-epic, slow-burning and contemplative, but it's 'Good Souls' that defines the evening. At the back of the stage, a huge screen silently projects the band's elected good souls - Jeff Buckley, Tim Burgess, The Beatles, Lisa Simpson, Ian Brown, Marvin Gaye and a final, lingering image of Tim Buckley. In anyone else's hands, it would be unbelievably corny. In Starsailor's, it's a joyous, grateful declaration of their heroes. The people they'll soon stand shoulder to shoulder with.

Siobhan Grogan