12 September 2014 (gig)
14 September 2014
Danny Bryant is one of those guys that feel as though they have been around for ever. The first time I came across him was as a chubby lead man in the Red Eye band supporting Walter Trout at a sweaty and smoky dive in Rayners Lane London. He wasn’t as big as his guitar but he was playing with real passion and no little skill. I marked him as one to watch and I’ve been tracking his progress for a while.
Unfortunately, he never quite seemed to make the breakthrough that his playing deserved and while he was big all over Europe he just couldn’t quite make the grade in the UK.
But 15 years of hard work and mentoring from the likes of Walter Trout and Hubert Sumlin have had an effect and at London’s Borderline on Friday night he absolutely killed it with a set full of his trademark soloing and powerful vocals and a packed crowd had a great time. I say a packed crowd – this was one of those night where you all had to breathe in rhythm because there wasn’t any room otherwise. I heard voices from all over the UK in the crowd and it certainly felt as though the breakthrough has finally been made.
He played at Walter Trout’s benefit at Shepherd’s Bush earlier in the year and is just back from a tour subbing for Walter in the US (to great acclaim) and the difference in his demeanour from the last time I saw him live is amazing. He is confident, happy and totally owned the stage as well as the crowd – at one point he even managed to silence the Borderline crowd, a feat I’ve never heard managed before.
He played numbers from the new album as well as a few from the ‘Hurricane’ album and a great version of Dylan’s ‘One More Cup Of Coffee’ that almost seemed to sneak out of the set. He also played ‘Girl From The North Country’ as a tribute to Walter and a great ‘Greenwood 31’ from the ‘Hurricane’ album as a tribute to Hubert Sumlin along with a story about drinking Guinness with the great man. The cut of 'Guntown' from the new album was sublime as was his playing all night.
There are a million Blues guitarists around and most of them have all the originality and talent of Willie Widdledick from Widdiecombe. Bryant has been mentored and taught by the best but he also has the talent and chops to make it work and sound original. A brilliant night.
Picture © Jim Templeton Cross (TX63)
