No pictures, but gushing praise for Mayer Hawthorne, live at University of London Union; channeling the spirit of James Brown and the voice of Marvin Gaye through the body of Keith Haring; creating the most beautifully uplifting 21st century soul and bringing it all the way from Ann Arbor, Michigan to London, Europe.
From bar one I am in love with the sound. I am watching the Jam at the Rainbow in ‘78; it’s the Style Council’s endlesss Long Hot Summer; at times it’s pure holiday camp cabaret but I believe every word of Maybe So, Maybe No. At one point they break into ELO’s Mr Blue Sky and even that feels perfect, right now, right here, this man and his band can do no wrong.
I am plotting and scheming in my head like I do at all great gigs; need a piss but can’t miss this; thinking how good they would be at a festival, at my wedding, at my funeral; bouncing and shouting, jumping and screaming; this is life with meaning. This is live, so fragile, this is live, so shallow, so repetetive, yet each moment so special, so wonderful, so real; this is living with the colour turned up full, the amp on 11; plastic cup of warm beer and a bag of crisps for tea, who cares; this is living, loving, hugging, beautiful, beautiful music and right now that’s all that matters.