Concert Review: David Gray at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta
After a nasty bout with laryngitis sidelined David Gray back in December, he was forced to ax the final leg of his American tour, heading home to rest and recuperate. He didn’t leave his core faithful hanging though, as he hopped the Atlantic and properly finished out his array of dates. Wednesday night brought him to Atlanta’s Fox Theatre for a stirring performance that only a proper Welshman could give. Touring on his recent effort, Life in Slow Motion, Gray mounted the stage like a seasoned veteran, passionate in his execution and comfortable with his place in the music universe. This ease channeled through his songs that spanned his earliest days (“Shine”) all the way to a new gem (“Alive”) still working a place for itself in Gray’s robust catalog of salient tunes.
There wasn’t anyone in the theatre with a better vantage point to assess this performance. I have to take a moment to sufficiently brag about my choice third row center pit seats. Given fifty other chances to make that ticket pull, I probably couldn’t make that happen again, but tonight was my night. We were so close to the action, it was surreal. It was like seeing David Gray while being nestled in the second row of tables at a coffeehouse bar parked around the corner. His immediacy seemed larger than life and strangely intimate for such a sprawling venue. If you ever have the means, I highly recommend it.
Aqualung opened the evening with their particular British charm, fused with their Coldplay lite sound. They’ve made a small dent for themselves of late with decent radio play of their latest single “Brighter Than Sunshine” as well as “Strange and Beautiful” that cropped up in year’s past on savvy indie compilations like the Wicker Park soundtrack. They were a soft-spoken lot that, while very talented, seemed to still be filling into their sound. They showed strong potential, and it will be interesting to see them continue to grow and mature with the passage of years.
After a short shuffling of instruments on stage, David Gray came out in his natty charcoal suit that seemed to be a common uniform amongst the band. All save the eclectic drummer in his Hawaiian explosion shirt. He certainly beat to his own drummer, and his manic bursts proved the most entertaining thing to watch onstage aside from David himself. Gray settled into his place behind the piano and coaxed “Alibi” to life. Quiet and contemplative, the notes rolled off the keys as the words danced from his tongue. It was a nice opener that eased us into this strong set. The set list obviously favored the current material drawn from the ranks of Life in Slow Motion, but it also extended its reach to grab favorites from modern classics of White Ladder and A New Day at Midnight. He managed to miss some essential plays; “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” and “The Other Side” being the first that spring to mind. For the most part it was a strong mix to satisfy his core fans that jumped on the bandwagon in the days of “Babylon.”
He wove the songs together in a tight fabric until the stitching formed a composition all its own. New favorites like “Lately” sat perfectly beside older classics like “This Year’s Love.” Though I’d be hard pressed to say that he’ll ever hit us with anything as passionate and groundbreaking as White Ladder, it shows that his newer material really isn’t that far removed from his best. His consistency is what defines him as a great songwriter who will endure in this fickle music business. Think Van Morrison.
The highlight of the evening had to be “Please Forgive Me.” An immortal David Gray piece by any standard, he lit into this number with wild abandon. We could feel the “lightning running through [his] veins” as he unfolded this love song, smoothing out the creases embedded in these new feelings. This was one of the numbers he stretched out, but this time it worked. He jolted the audience into it, clapping to sustain the rhythm, and the energy coursing through the Fox was otherworldly.
This was a great performance by a magical musician. Although some of the more sprawling songs could have used a friendly snip here and there and the set list could have stood a shade more pre-White Ladder material, there weren’t many flaws to point out in this one. He put on a fabulous show as always. Gray is a unique talent who has a very timeless quality about his music. “Babylon” may be the song that put his star on the map, but his maturing talent is the thing that ensures that his core audience will never drop him for the flavor of the month and new fans are always a listen away.
Set List
Alibi * Sail Away * Hospital Food * Long Distance Call * Nos Da Cariad * Lately * Please Forgive Me * Ain’t No Love * Nightblindness * My Oh My * The One I Love * Now and Always * Silver Lining * Freedom [Encore] Shine * This Year’s Love * Alive * Babylon