12 February 2015 (gig)
15 February 2015
Backed by the bit of exposure received from the session he did on BBC Radio 2 with Terry Wogan back in January, last Thursday Miles Graham comfortably sat down in a small room of the KPH for his first London gig. Cutting short of all introductions, the musician began to play – acoustic guitar in hand – accompanied by his band.
The cosy location, whose walls are distinctively adorned with ripped wallpaper, made for a laid-back atmosphere which suited the Irishman’s music. Get Your Body Down and The Only One slipped away quietly and Graham could have kept this pace but made a first false step during Kissing My Love trying to convince the audience to sing along to the chorus and, quoting the lyrics, “put your foot on the rug, don’t stop”. The crowd unfortunately didn’t seem to be too keen on getting involved and the musician only got a tepid response.
However, he really wished he could prompt more enthusiasm so he insisted on trying to engage everyone while performing a personal rendition of the classic I Heard It Through the Grapevine, only to realise he was still not going to get anywhere.
This doesn’t mean the crowd wasn’t enjoying the show though – put simply, people were less participating than they were appreciative. After a final attempt with a second take of Air in My Lungs, also feebly successful, it was clear that expecting more from that night’s audience would have been pointless. From the stage presence and interaction point of view, the whole act felt like a struggling relationship: Graham was pushing too hard too soon and the love he poured out ended up being a little unrequited.
The musician, however, shouldn’t be too worried – it’s probably only a matter of time. Graham has penned some nice tracks like the delicate single I Can’t Love You Again which could have easily belonged to Ed Sheeran, and the live version of She Knows had very good vibes and melodies reminiscent of those usually heard in a spaghetti western movie. You Made It Good has a happy feel and I’ll Never Let You Down is a typical radio-friendly song.
Love requires commitment and Miles Graham, who is just emerging on the scene, has already proved to be determined to nurture this passion so it won’t be long until achievements come.
