After three cancelled shows in Bristol, the South African singer-songwriter and guitarist DAN PATLANSKY finally brought the Southwestern public his wide-breed of energetic pop-rock, intricate soul and jim-dandy blues this weekend to the fab “Tunnels” venue situated near Temple Meads railway station.
The place, which consists of two rooms with curved-arch roofs, was packed to bursting point with excited punters — many of whom had waited a year to see their favorite blues musician. He has just been chosen as one of the best blues guitarists of 2018 by the readers of Total Guitar and Music Radar.
So, after an exhilarating Southern-style sludge-show from the up-and-coming Mancunian 5-piece band “Gorilla Riot” Dan took the stage in a shower of musical sparks, a phenomenal drum storm, some gleaming and exotic guitar-interplay and an oozy organ.
On the stage with Dan was the dexterous Tom Coetzee on keyboards and Dan’s British band (borrowed from Mollie Marriott). He told the delighted crowd that he’d play from the 2018 album “Perfection Kills”, a suite of beautifully expressed and perfectly assembled numbers, as well as offering pet sounds from his extraordinary back-catalogue including a gem from “Move My Soul.”
Songs such as “Too Far Gone” — fizzy and instructive, energetic and husky — were featured alongside the Howlin’ Wolf sounding “Heartbeat” [Introvertigo] and other wonders, including some magical interpretations of oldies such as the swinging “Judge a Man” that had electric neon blasts right from the start and slips of organs that helped turn the thing into star-shining wonder and brought the blue devils from a state of depression to a state of euphoria, in minutes.
Although, quite evidently, he’s very humble — nevertheless, Dan the Man brought gutsy-attitude, gritty vocalization and comet-bright guitar-play to drizzly Bristol City. His output was comparable — in texture and class — to the great Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Dan’s new “Live 2018” EP was recorded live at the Rockwood Theatre in Pretoria and features four tracks taken from the latest studio album “Perfection Kills”. It’s bursting with blues guitar magnificence and is highly recommended.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/danpatlanskymusic/
Main Photo Credit: © Allan Jones
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