Ever since hearing that King Creosote & Jon Hopkins’ gig at the Grand Ole Opry last year was "the best gig ever", I've been inquisitively intrigued by the act ever since. How can music that's ambient and slow-paced be so entertaining to watch?
Well I got to find out when King Creosote & Jon Hopkins played at a sell-out gig at the O2 ABC, Glasgow, as part of Celtic Connections 2012. King Creosote (alias Fife singer-songwriter Kenny Anderson) and electronic composer John Hopkins, were also joined by fellow Fifer KT Tunstall, who sang backing vocals throughout most of the night.
The night started with their album ‘Diamond Mine’, a collaboration they made last year and which nearly won them a Mercury Prize for their efforts. Hopkins starts the ball rolling with ‘First Watch’, a piano instrumental, and instantly the crowd is hooked. “Why?” you might ask? Well, in those first couple of minutes, love for this album was solidified. ‘First Watch’ is like a heart rendering lament, it stirs your inner core and takes you back to a time in your life where you remember those you've loved and lost. Don't ask why, it just does. It's poignant and thought-provoking. Suck it and see.
Before the audience can get out of their trance, King Creosote enters the stage and starts singing ‘John Taylor's Month Away’, which tells the story of a man who's going back to work “on a boat one ten miles east of Aberdeen.” There’s such an edge to his voice, it's powerfully romantic, endearing and effortless. His charming demeanour and humbling stage presence makes the crowd hold onto every note; the words of this song drag them into the story of someone who has to deal with the trials and tribulations of working away from friends and family.
Melancholy isn’t the best way to describe this music. It's so tranquil, it's like time has stopped. The O2 ABC's bar profits must be taking one hell of a beating as the crowd is fixated, no, hypnotised by the 'King'. Nobody's moving. King Creosote also interacts with the audience during the gig, he's down to earth with a brilliant sense of humour. What's not to like about this night?
‘Bats In The Attic’ is a favourite of the night, King Creosote and KT Tunstall make a formidable double act, singing in unison together. The drums from this song are soothing, they making the crowd feel like they’re a million miles away, not standing at a gig with thousands of strangers.
King Creosote plays other songs from this album, including ‘Running On Fumes’, ‘Bubbles’, ‘Your Own Spell’ and ‘Your Young Voice’, before playing some of his other well-known tracks. They also offer a rendition of Simon and Garfunkel's ‘The Only Living Boy In New York’, and make reference to Paul Simon's massive earlobes. He's one hell of a funny guy.
King Creosote ends with his favourite song: My Favourite Girl’. A loving, heartfelt song, and a perfect one to end the night on.
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins make you realise what's important about life; their music puts things into perspective and makes you want to throw away all the bullshit of everyday life. All that unwanted baggage and nonsense is gone and forgotten about.
Bottles of Prozac are abandoned, strewn across Sauchiehall Street after the gig, King Creosote is the ultimate stress reliever.
Words by Morven MacNeil
Photos by Euan Robertson
Click here for a photo gallery of the performance.
