But who can blame him for saying and thinking such things? Even with the ever versatile and dapper troubadour having been performing whenever and wherever he can during the pandemic, tonight’s environment is still a touch bizarre. In an ornate Guildhall illuminated by the inhospitably hot summer sun, Lenman stands alone facing a crowd of seated participants. There’s no support and for many in attendance, it appears tonight is the first gig since the beginning of the global quarantine efforts last year. No real pressure then.
But as Lenman flies through a stripped yet still confrontational rendition of the aptly titled ‘The Summer Of Discontent’ prior to a disarmingly sombre acoustic version of Devolver’s ‘Body Popping’, it’s clear that he’s in his element within such a room. Equipped with a just a six string, his comedic wit and a setlist composed of material from throughout his decades long career, it almost feels like the past 19 months never occurred with the way the Lenman skirts through material from last year’s mini-album King Of Clubs. It may have been from him getting back into the swing of things from his recent appearance at last month’s Download Pilot, but there’s no flat stage banter, no awkward interludes – and at least on the surface – no nerves at all from alt-rock icon. Just smiles, laughter and a plethora of classics from his history as an entertainer and songcrafter.
Of course, with this being a solo and fully acoustic set, it’s likely some in attendance will have never heard some of Lenman’s more confrontational material in a stripped back fashion. However, such tracks retain their core identity when performed acoustically. ‘I Don’t Want To Be Your Friend’ – potentially one of Lenman’s most aggressive and unrelenting solo offerings – sounds even more menacing and discordant when stripped of it’s post-hardcore bombast. The venom at the track’s heart is laid bare and is spat out in a performance that can only be described as directive. An acoustic rendition of the Reuben classic ‘Tonight My Wife Is Your Wife’ also benefits from this naked approach and is the subject of wild applause from the more older scene veterans in Gloucester this evening.
Understandably however, it’s the originally acoustic tracks that take prominence this evening. Tracks from the ‘softer’ side of his sporadic solo debut Muscle Memory get the soulful and playful performance they demand, with Lenman performing ‘I Ain’t Your Boy’ with all the drive and charm of the original recording. In relation, his cover of Hannah Lou Clark’s ‘A Handsome Stranger Called Death’ is also a highlight of the evening. Yet it’s the inclusion of Jamie’s wife Kathryn Lenman that truly animates such material. Joining her partner on stage for backing vocal duties on a handful of tracks midway through the set, her inclusion only adds additional harmony, humanity and heart to the likes of ‘Little Lives’, ‘It’s Hard To Be A Gentleman’ and the live rarity that is ‘Bad Friend’. There’s a real tangible artistic connection between the two this evening, one that really brings out the hopelessly romantic themes on such material, and if it wasn’t for the static seating arrangements of tonight, there’s no doubt everyone would be dancing along to the rustic folk licks of ‘If You Have To Ask You’ll Never Know’.
Regardless of this, one the most prominent elements of this evening is the showcase of Jamie Lenman’s skill in versatility. This may be an acoustic session, but this evening just demonstrates how many styles and genres Lenman has visited over this 20 years of activity and how he can play on them with a smile and finesse. Playing a country jingle that came to him in a dream the night prior called ‘Steve The Cowboy And The Salisbury Snake’ before diving into Reuben’s ‘Moving To Blackwater’ and Annie Lennox’s ‘Love Song For A Vampire’, – which stands as an evening highlight even if Lenman admits it’s more for him than anyone else – tonight serves a winding deep dive into his career albeit in a sweet and delicate fashion. Closing with an unexpected yet apt cover of ‘It Must Be Love’ before jumping straight into ‘Mississippi’, whilst there might no encore despite the demand, it’s clear many tonight will go away counting down the days until their next evening with Jamie Lenman.
Score: 8/10