Chris Wood

It was worth the challenge of overcoming a series of delayed and cancelled trains to get to Shoreham for an evening with Chris Wood. The curmudgeonly singer and guitarist has a witty way with words and he came out with some memorable observations, including his description of writing songs – they apparently just pop out as if from a badly zipped fly or a bikini top – to rappers: “They just shave their chests and think nothing of it. Not for charity or anything.” Wood’s repertoire is somewhat bleak – “’Ere, I’ll sing this song and then we can all slit our wrists,” he said at one point – but conversely the overall effect was calming and strangely cheering.

Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham, 5 December 2013

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