Richard Thompson

Thompson strides onto the stage with one guitar, no band, and fills Brighton’s Dome concert hall with music, teasing, tickling, thrashing the sound from his guitar in a brilliant display of musicianship that thrills a packed venue of what one assumes are devoted fans, and I am with them. There’s little doubting his prowess as a guitarist, his playing is complex, richly textured and wide ranging, from delicate folk through blues to rock – and all from one acoustic instrument. But for me it is the writing that impresses most, his deft lyricism, from silly but well honed comedy to the delicate and poetic, nostalgic and even sorrowful, Thompson is a craftsman with words and equally with melody. And between the songs there is wit, self-deprecating humour and charm, he looks much the same as he ever did but if anything he is sounding better, the voice stronger and more controlled and tinged with a worldliness that only adds to his beautiful songs. In an evening of works old and new he delighted the audience and ended with a group of encores that culminated in Beeswing, perhaps his prettiest song, and a perfect end to a delightful evening.

11 October

Dome Concert Hall

Andrew Kay

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