Prism final night

Paul Glock

Paul has run Prism at the sanctuary for 6 years now and last night saw the curtain come down on what was apparently a fantastic monthly event.  I wish I could compare last night to other prism events, but this was my first, and unfortunately last one.  To be honest I feel cheated, and given the quality of the music and musicians on show here, pretty pissed off.

Paul obviously loves what he does, and he writes beautiful songs.  If you can imagine Del Amitri and the Beautiful South in a love triangle with the Echo and the bunneymen (circa Evergreen – this may not have been light-hearted but it wasn’t that dark) you get an idea of how Paul sounds.  But his lyrics are something else.  Wonderfully scripted, his voice may not have the most amazing range but he does amazing credit to his work.  Paul is perfect in the small confines of the Sanctuary, I don’t believe he has the vocal strengths to do justice to his music in a larger venue, but here he was just spot on and entertaining.

I can’t wait for him to do a new night, wherever he finds himself.

Thom Gilbert

Thom reminded of James Blunt.  But a version of that overblown, arrogant twat with self doubt, talent, song writing skills, dextrous fingers on the guitar and a crystal voice.  This is a guy who has spent too long in a room by himself though, learning his mastery of the guitar and now needs to be released to the world.  With all but one exception, this was introspective music, yet he also showed, on the other song, wonderful dark humour.  I think the last time I saw a guitarist with the skills Thom has I was watching the Red Hot Chilli’s, and funnily enough I wasn’t sat two feet away.

This may sound a bit negative but it doesn’t mean to be, this guy is amazing.  If you can see him somewhere as small as Sanctuary do so.  Please.  You’ll thank me for the tip. 

Ben

The most accomplished of the 3, and yet the one I enjoyed the least.  Although to be fair that’s like saying that Cristal is my least favourite champagne.  I would still drink the stuff every moment of every day if I could afford it.  Ben writes excellent songs and has a better vocal range than the other two and is more effortless on stage, but I always felt he was doing an “unplugged” set, i.e. this is a bloke who would work wonders with an equally talented band behind him.  Indeed one song in the middle of the set (I can’t remember the name, it was the bluegrass, “Guilfest” one if anyone else was there) could have been pulled straight from Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York album.  Ben was the only person to get the crowd singing, which is something I’ve not previously experienced in the sanctuary.