Sandi Thom LIVE

There is definitely something about Chiquito restaurants that disagrees with me. Are two “ill” spells following my only ever visits there coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. Still at least this occasion wasn’t as downright evil as the previous one. Of course going there also meant that we missed sharing a pizza with Sandi Thom at Pizza Express, but you can’t have everything.

We got to the venue early enough to see the support act but didn’t actually go into watch him, mainly out of general apathy (and major boredom – sorry couldn’t resist there) and the fact that I was drinking non-alcoholic Holsten Pills. Don’t worry ladies and gentlemen; it was a mere clerical error that led me to drinking that.

Anyway we settled down into our FRONT ROW seats for the concert. It was a bit sad really that there were empty seats on the front row next to me but on the whole the venue was almost full. And yes, I know I gave her album a bit of slating when it was released but if there’s one thing that a Sandi Thom concert can do it is show that she’s not really as shit as you might think. Yes, I still think Punk Rocker is an abomination but she does have some great tunes in the locker. What If I’m Right is a nice harmonica driven rocker, Lonely Girl is a sweet ballad and these were far from the only highlights.

The most intriguing things however were the fact that Sandi has added an electric guitar to her repertoire and the airing of new tracks slated for her next album (due in September according to the good lady herself). The electric guitar gave the more upbeat songs from the first album a harder edge and the new songs were quite delightful.

Days Of Summer was rocking, as was the rather catchy Devil’s Beat. They Don’t Make Mirrors Like They Used to belied its rather, well, crap title (come on, when she said the title half the audience laughed) and was actually a rather sweet and memorable lament on life’s lost dreams. Laugh if you have to, but having been to numerous concerts where the airing of new songs has left me cold it’s a triumph indeed that on one listen to these new songs I am actually greatly looking forward to the album later in the year.

So all in all this was a minor triumph. The songs were good, Sandi showed she has a rather sweet charisma and its difficult to imagine that anyone left disappointed. No spanking this time though ;-D.

And the final word must go to whomever typed up her set list though; next time use the spellchecker mate…