The Water Rats – 02/07/19
Here I was at the Water Rats in London, the venue that Bob Dylan some 60 years ago played his first ever UK show. After an excellent support slot by Asta Bria, Michael Armstrong enters the stage. Holding on to the gravitas of where he is, he opens with a Bob Dylan song, ‘A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall’, and after singing the first line a wonderful applause comes from the audience. That first song drew the entire audience in and Michael didn’t let them go all through the show. It was a really great night.
After singing his homage to Dylan, ‘That was for you Bob’, he introduces his band. Antoine Saults on guitar, Greg Saults on the drums and bassist Axel Castets and launches into the ‘greatest hits of Michael Armstrong’.
Kicking things off with ‘Back to Work’ a song from his first album, he started with just him and his acoustic guitar for the first verse. The band joined in after the first verse and Michael moves onto the keyboard for the rest of the song. What a way to kick things off. It was so energetic and everyone on stage was in their element.
I am a real sucker for harmonies, I really think they can make, or indeed break a band! Michael and his backing band had absolutely perfect harmonies. Michael cites his influences as ELO, The Beatles and Billy Joel amongst others and you can really here the ELO like harmonies coming through.
Antoine Saults is a great guitarist, able to play in any style needed and throughout this gig a whole host of styles and genres were called upon. Stretching from the smooth jazzy sound of ‘Gold Dust’, a song penned for the ever patient Mrs. A, to the rockier blues sound of ‘The Cola Paranoia’. Michael explained that on the record Elliot Randall of Steely Dan fame played the solo. Antoine had big shoes to fill and of course, Antoine nailed it. Bringing some classic signature lead guitarist moves and a few of his own too. What an exciting guitarist to watch.
On the subject of Michael’s backing band, it is no surprise that they are their own entity as well. I thought it was really gracious of Michael to let them play two of their own songs. The first song, ‘Darling’ drummer Greg took the lead vocal, but he moved onto the piano. It really had a hint of Stevie Wonder about it. A great song with real soul and then their second song was ‘Stop It’. Antoine and Greg shared lead vocal duties and this song had a definite hint of early Beatles. Two very different sounds but both equally energetic and entertaining; it was a really great moment in the show!
After Saults, Michael returned, fresh faced in a new outfit! Joking that if Kylie can get away with hundreds of costume changes, then why can’t he! He launched into his latest single ‘Periscope’. Yet another great song with definite hints of ELO running through it with just a dash of McCartney. I particularly enjoyed the middle 8, which wouldn’t sound out of place on an album like Sgt Peppers!
The songs kept coming. I was delighted that my favourite song of Michael’s, ‘Gypsy’, was included in the set. Greg again moved onto the piano to play along. Another great song that had a real good energy about it, Michael has spoken about the idea of it being a buskers song, with open busker chords. As in the record, the band gradually joined in throughout!
The song ‘Green And Unpleasant Land’ brought this fantastic set to a close. It had all the energy and vitality of a big stadium rock sing along! The audience were definitely getting into the spirit of it too. But the night didn’t end there, of course, there was an encore. Michael returned to the stage and sat down at his piano and sang his version of Billy Joel’s ‘Allentown’. What a gorgeous rendition of the song. You could really feel the audience holding on to every word. Amazingly, it didn’t feel like a cover either, Michael certainly put his own spin on it, slowing the track right down and it just worked so well. It was stunning. He then closed, rather fittingly on a Paul McCartney song, ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’. Here is a man finishing his show, singing a song by the man who has influenced and inspired him the most. What a fitting tribute to Macca! What a way to finish.
Michael performed for just over an hour and a half. That is pretty standard, every gig I’ve been to lasts about an hour and a half, but the amazing thing is, that every other band I’ve seen has a good 10 plus albums. Michael only has two albums and there wasn’t a bad song in the mix. Every song he played could have been a hit. I’ve read various reviews about Mr. A that have said he’ll be around for a very long time and is here to stay, I will add to that by saying the show I witnessed on Tuesday night worked very well at the Water Rats, but he would be just as at home on a much bigger stage. The O2, Wembley, Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage… Who knows what lies ahead for Michael Armstrong, but what I do know is that he is destined for greatness.
