Langhorne Slim at the Borderline

I figured seeing as I haven't written on here for ages, a good place to start up again would be with Langhorne Slim at the Borderline.

So, despite an ear-hurtingly loud and uninspiring support act, the crowd managed to remain hopeful and there was a definite air of anticipation in the dark, crowded and soon-to-be-sweaty Borderline on Tottenham Court Road. Jumping on stage in his signature hat and denim jacket, the rise of women's heartbeats in the room was audible. Launching straight into his set, taking a break every so often to flirt with the audience with his eccentric stories, he commanded a joyous, raucous energy from the word go. With his incredibly talented band of War Eagles storming through the songs alongside him, Langhorne Slim enchanted the audience and rapidly won their hearts. His beautifully twisted combination of bluegrass, rock & roll and folk couldn’t fail to please. A highlight of the evening was without doubt David Moore's particularly hardcore banjo strumming, along with a bit of headbanging and facial twitching too. He played with such force that he grimaced everytime his fingers hit the strings, his bandaged fingers a sign that he's happy to make sacrifices if he can make a sound this awesome. 'I Love You But Goodbye' was especially moving, as Langhorne went for a much pared-down and acoustic version; his soulful but rough-edged voice silencing the audience as they listened in awe. In fact, so successful was the night that he had to come back on stage twice, singing countless encores much to the delight of the punters. My only criticism of the night was his choice to leave 'Boots Boy' out of his set...other than that what a performance.

I'm actually headed back to the Borderline on Monday to see Blitzen Trapper supported by Duchess and the Duke so head back here next week for a review of that too...