RAG ‘N’ BONE MAN / SKUNKADELIC | LIVE REVIEW
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Thurs 26 Mar
Bass shakes the floor and positive vibes flood the room as Skunkadelic, aka Cardiff based Tumi Williams, tears up the bottom floor of Clwb, spitting thoughtfully constructed rhymes with impressive verbal dexterity over expertly spliced beats. Rhymes about dates on Plentyoffish and plenty of fist-pumping anthems get the bustling crowd bouncing early on.
The positive vibes continue as Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, joined by an accomplished seven-piece band, takes to the floor. There’s an electric buzz of anticipation as the big man steps to the mic and unleashes a powerfully deep, disarmingly soulful voice. Rory Graham, the Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, was born to sing the blues. A couple of songs into his set, Graham apologises to his audience, explaining that Cardiff is the last date on his tour and the gin and partying has left him hoarse. Nobody would have picked him up on it though; if this is him on a bad day, then he must be a truly formidable vocal presence on a good one.
Songs such as Wolves, the title track from an eight-song release he put out last year, are played with pace, getting the dancefloor moving, as does a faultless Mary J Blige cover. Where his new EP, Disfigured, at times suffers from claustrophobic overproduction, in person Rag ‘N’ Bone Man imbues his new material with raw emotion and that voice is given centre stage. Never more so than during the much roared-for encore, when the band down tools and the eager crowd are treated to an a capella version of a song by Graham’s former band, Rum Committee – a dirge-like, but somehow uplifting, blues number, raggedly delivered and raucously received.
Genuinely talented and – judging by the mix of Sabbath-shirted rockers and hip-hop heads present tonight – an artist with true crossover appeal, it feels like a bright future lies ahead of Rag ‘n’ Bone Man.
words HUGH RUSSELL
