JACK SAVORETTI | LIVE REVIEW
The Globe, Cardiff, Wed 11 Feb
The Globe was a United Nations of sound with musicians representing Britain, Denmark, France, Italy and Spain for Jack Savoretti’s enthusiastically received return to Cardiff. The 31-year-old has worked in the biz for almost a decade, and after seeing him, I can’t understand why he’s not at the top. Judging by the sold-out audience, 2015 is breakout time.
Former transplanted resident Guillermo ‘Gizmo’ Varillas opened and brought refreshing Latin-spiced pop with good intentions. Unfortunately, the house soundman was asleep at the wheel (good thing Savoretti brought his own technician). Choice songs were Set Me Free, Sunrise, Rosalia and his new single One And Only (adore this sad melody pining for a lost love), but had problems with clarity because of the muddiness. Varillas deserved better because he does have a lovely vibe. Expect other promising things with his debut EP in March.
Savoretti began with the title track off his fourth album, Written In Scars. Displaying an impressive flamenco guitar intro, he went into the song that urges revolution (personal and worldwide) with gusto. Home and the hard-driving Fight Till The End were similarly, powerfully anthem-like. Changing gears, Back To Me was a moving song full of yearning with hypnotic layers of guitar. Bellissimo! Crowd-pleaser Breaking The Rules told of doing things his way, on his own terms.
The raspy-voiced, Anglo-Italian singer/songwriter went solo, playing a quartet of tunes (always adroitly). Among them, Once Upon A Street, in the third person, was a stand-out. The lovely, lyrical tune (with a nod to Leonard Cohen) told love could be found, even on the wrong-side of the street. And if he brought little new to the table covering Johnny Cash’s Ring Of Fire, Savoretti showed off more of his writing skills through the wistful Soldier’s Eyes.
His solid band – bassist Jean Berthon, keyboardist Henry Broadbent, drummer Jesper Lind and rhythm guitarist Pedro Vito – joined him again onstage, launching into a catchy song with a serious subject. The sorrowful The Other Side Of Love (with dramatic keyboards and guitar pedal effects) highlighted the problem of physical abuse no matter your orientation. A trio of country and western-styled songs finished up the end of the set. Telling of hard living and a bad boy persona, they included the rockabilly-ish Knock Knock.
Charismatic Savoretti flew solo again during the encore, doing a version of a bootleg that he first heard while recording at Jackson Browne’s studio. His marvellous delivery of the Bob Dylan-penned Nobody ‘Cept You showed why his vocal fanbase is increasing day-by-day. For a total change of pace, they rounded things out with the gently erotic, Euro-funky Jack In A Box.
The vocalist almost caused a near-riot as he remarked his shirt was coming undone, teasing his female admirers. Yes, Savoretti is a babe-magnet, and doesn’t he know it. Not just eye-candy, he has the talent to go with it, so Ed Sheeran, George Ezra and Paolo Nutini better watch out. Do Italians do it better? Si, certo, definitely tonight. Bravo, Savoretti!
words RHONDA LEE REALI