Regarded as something of an institution by his considerable, dedicated fanbase (people of refined taste, one and all), the once Mercury Prize-nominated Ed Harcourt is a man of many talents. Of course, the most obvious of these are displayed across his burgeoning back catalogue of records; that soulful yet deeply weary voice, his Waitsian way around the keys of a piano, his mastery of melancholic and life-affirming melody. But that only tells half the story when it comes to his equally impressive live sets. Harcourt, far from the being the character of the downtrodden troubadour that’s so often centre stage in his songs, is both a wild partier and formidable comedian on stage, often taking breaks to indulge in a brief tipple or conversation with individual audience members that can soon have an entire room in stitches. It can be a little unnerving even to one witnessing his shtick for the first time, but it soon becomes part of what makes Harcourt brilliant – he gives you his heart and soul in his music, but to truly witness his whole, rounded personality, you need the wit and danger that comes with watching him run through those songs while in the very same room.
Dam Swindle
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