Where am I tonight? Stereo, that's where. After a while, dingy uncomfortable basements get to look the same. Tonight it is Threads of Sound 5 featuring Ned Collette, If You Lived Here You'd Be Home By Now, RM Hubbert and The Moth and the Mirror.
Actually, I had seen Ned Collette the previous night in another dingy, uncomfortable basement across town but it proved to be no hardship to see him again. Brevity is not a feature of his song writing and he squeezes only two songs into his short fifteen minute set. Perhaps due to repeated exposure, I enjoyed his mournful, downbeat voice and ornate guitar style rather more tonight.
Perhaps If You Lived Here You'd Be Home By Now would be more upbeat? No, but that is not really a criticism as they proved to be quite stylish. They are missing a drummer tonight and seem to have acquired an additional vocalist (who looked a lot like Michelle from The Miss's) to fill the gap. Clare Whyte played a real Fender Rhodes electric piano and sang the songs in an oddly appealing Clare Grogan meets Marlene Dietrich kind of way. The simple yet theatrical "Eva Row" stood out as did Ruth Campbell's elegant cello playing. It's cabaret but not as we know it, Jim!
Next on was RM Hubbert. He's one man with a guitar - how often has that phrase driven a Bluesbunny to drink? - but this time there were no angst ridden tales of lost love to interfere with the acoustic excellence. Yes, he did in fact only do instrumentals and had to be reminded by his wife to introduce the songs but this was a performance notable for both passion and precision. RM Hubbert made me glad to hear the acoustic guitar again.
Headlining tonight were The Moth and the Mirror. Now, it took until the end of their set before I figured out what was wrong here. Stacey Sievwright has an appealing voice and the rest of the band have both energy and musical ability - especially drummer Pete Murch - but, unfortunately, they simply lack memorable songs. As I headed out into the rain, I was humming "I Have Nothing But A Uterus" (by If You Lived Here You'd Be Home By Now, in case you had not guessed) and wondering if I could ever play the guitar as well as RM Hubbert but I simply could not remember any of the Moth and the Mirror's songs.
Finally, a few words about the sound. Stereo has never had a good reputation for sound but on the last few visits, there has been a notable and most welcome improvement. Maybe a couple of drinks promos would bring people from the crowded upstairs bar down into the basement to enjoy the music?