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Guitarist
and singer songwriter RM Hubbert supported Glasgow
band Mogwai at the Glasgow
concert hall. I had read that Hubbert's 2013 album had won the SAY (Scottish
Album of the Year Award) 2013, so I came with some expectations to this concert.
Even so, some artists take you off guard and as I have followed music over many
years it can be all too easy to become jaded hearing samey songs.
Hubbert
appeared genuine and unassuming musician, whose music was all about his guitar.
He played
mostly instrumental tunes. For his second song he played his own very good
interpretation of I Once Loved a Lass, a favourite
folk song of mine. His next tune had
moody beating drums guitar and a husky voice. He showed a clear understanding
that music is firstly about what moves us and secondly about techniques and
using those skilled to best ability.
He played his tunes with unexpected
subtleties, strong strumming, dancing fingers, slow pauses, hesitant steps
guitar strings plucking and questioning notes. He also managed to hold the
packed concert hall attention throughout with both his informal chat and well
crafted tunes.
On one particularly
emotional tune, entitle For Joe, he
spoke first about his parents death and that he felt able to speak to an
audience - and I guess he gets to speak through his music too. This tune had
talking guitar and expressed the many complex feelings of grief and loss – from
missing you to happy memories and
returned to missing you feelings.
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The singer
Aiden Moffat joined Hubbert on stage of Car Song which was another highlight.
I was truly
impress and even bought the CD - this doesn't happen a lot!
