Thursday 25 March 2010

Review - Jon Allen - The Boileroom, Guildford - Sunday 28th February 2010

Jon Allen - The Boileroom, Guildford - Sunday 28th February 2010

View The Review

6 out of 10

On a cold Sunday it seems the T.O.G's have assembled in Guildford's best live venue for an evening of slow baked, foamy bathed, Sheba-advert soundalike tunes from England's new great white hope Jon Allen. This is Ken Bruce country son...

You're probably familiar with Jon's banker of a song "In Your Light", possibly a true heartfelt ballad from deep inside but is due to be on every TV montage that contains tears for the next 6 months, heed my words. Taking elements of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cat Stevens and Bryan Adams, some of the songs are a bit samey and rehashes of the original but keep those in attendance happy. Highlights between the constant plugging of the album I've been told I "can buy at the back after the gig" being the songs "Dry The River" which is a rolllin' number that gets the crowd going and the belter of a song "Young Man's Blues" which kept me humming until I got home that night.

The rest of the songs plod along at a safe canter, interjected with Jon's cheeky refrains between songs. He manages to embarrass himself with a trip down memory lane, regaling the crowd with tales of him travelling round the country in his Ford Focus with the band in tow..having a few cheeky spliffs along the way. WHAT!? The crowd responding with a halfhearted shrug and "and!?" attitude. Drugs are cool yeah? If the Surrey Advertiser heard about this, you would never get on local radio again!

The biggest let down of the evening was the lack of organ solo on the title track of the album "Dead Man's Suit". The song lost its vibe the instant I couldn't see anyone tickling the ivories.

A nice end to the hectic weekend I had, but I wouldn't choose to see him in any rush. My sister and my Mum might. But that's cool, eh Jon?!

Listen: www.myspace.com/jonallenmusic

Tracklist:

No comments: