Mark Lanegan
I arrive in time to catch the tail end of Duke Garwood’s solo support set, and he should be named Son Of Lanegan with a voice like that, and songs that are as dark and feedbacky as his. It's Americana at its most brooding, and the large crowd are into it. Mark Lanegan, late of grunge beauts Screaming Trees, has his current band with him tonight. Following Mark's applauded arrival on stage, dressed all in black with shoulder length locks and thick black rimmed glasses, we're eased in with some stunning tracks like Gravedigger’s Song, a rolling, dark piece. Mark’s voice is as gravelly as always but with a beautiful rich vibrato and tone to it. His band consists of very good musicians as you’d expect with a heritage like his - he’s worked with so many top class musicians in his time after all. Mark belongs in the same camp as Nick Cave and PJ Harvey, a world of gnarled branches, broken love and voodoo. He's cool as fuck and there’s definitely more than a hint of being in the presence of rock royalty in the crowd tonight. There are occasional backing vocals from a tattood lady but the strength of Lanegan’s voice means hers is lost somewhat. Sister is a triumph, a slow, stately, sultry, mystical number which showcases his voice, with the addition of a little sax which lurks amidst the bridge. The set develops as lounge lizard feel to the proceedings - it's a laidback, relaxed and confident affair. The pace picks up for a foot stamping, backroom of the bar number, and then the glasses come off for Nocturne, which comes on lile a steam train pounding through the night, full of energy. Gets me stoned. Bleeding Muddy Water is a dizzying spin, viscous, my favourite of the night. Harborview Hospital is evocative as hell. Duke Garwood is a natural partner for Lanegan, with his makes-it-look-so-easy guitar riffs and lovely harmonies. For an encore we get One Way Street as a quiet, tender, raw duet between the two of them. Following the show, after he has left the stage using a classy looking walking stick, Mark signs merch and meets fans, which is above and beyond the call of duty really, but finishes the night in a generous and respectful manner. An absolute musical genius with the voice of the devil in Norwich? If you weren’t there you missed out, dudes.
