It’s the Electric Ballroom tonight in Camden and I have yet to see a bad gig there. It’s a good size room and the sound is always spot on. Like last night they are a new band promoting their one album that is filled with classic 60s soul tunes that you felt you have known all of your life. The band enter to huge cheers and led by the excellent Browan Lollar on guitar (Eds note. check out his excellent 2012 solo album ‘For givers and takers’) the six piece boys from Alabama launch into a four minute instrumental jam Chicken Pox before the star of the show enters the stage. Paul Janeway has one of those indescribable voices. Its 20% Otis, 20% James Carr, 20% Sam Cooke, 20% every other male soul star of the sixties and 20% himself. Physically, he easy to describe, a fat Alan Carr. But who cares when you have an instrument like his. Its pure honey, with added cream on top.
The band has been touring this set solidly for a while now and they are tighter than Graham on the day before pay day. They complement each other perfectly and my only criticism is that occasionally on the up tempo numbers the singers voice is a little low in the mix. A small qualm but I’m being picky.
It’s a great show and big man is shaking his stuff and throwing some shapes all over the stage. They chuck in a couple of Otis songs for good measure and it’s a testament to them that their own compositions hold their own against some soul classics.
Call Me is my highlight of the night but mainly because it’s my favourite track from the album and I spend the rest of the evening on the way home humming the chorus.
A great night out, spread the word people as this band are the real deal and if the band are reading this, to quote them, I need, I need, I need, I need, I need you baby.