John O Connoll in Port Sunlight. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. November 28th 2010.

John O’ Connell is a rare talent, even on the coldest of nights to hit the Merseyside area in years, he managed to pack out the Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight and perform to a crowd that was craving intelligent and thought provoking music.

In a career that has spanned the best part of the last thirty years John is steeped in the musical history of the city of Liverpool, notably through the legendary band Groundpig and for his weekly tenure in O’Neil’s where he can be seen plying his trade to great admiration.

Ably assisted in the first half by James Meall on bass, the wonderful Emma Brown on flute and Joe Kenny, the opening part of the night were taken up with songs such What a Day I’ve Had, Classical Gas and the incredible sight of Emma taking on the challenge of playing the legendary Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull composition Living in the Past.

After a short break John proceeded with the evening and gently led the audience through a couple of his songs, including I’m Just like Him and Poor Miss Jones and the Beatles hit Lady Madonna

Within the two sets there were musical interludes by some of John’s friends including a simply exquisite version of Nussun Dorma, made culturally popular by Pavarotti during the Italian World Cup of 1990, and performed on the by the magnificent Nick Hardy.

Other guests included Billy Deary on the song Moon Dance and violinist extraordinaire Jo Pue for songs such as the seasonally fitting Fairytale of New York and the June Carter/ Johnny Cash classic Jackson.

John and his special guests finished a riveting night of covers and some of John’s own personal favourites from a long career with the charismatic Peter Gabriel debut solo single Solsbury Hill and Bob Dylan’s Like a Rollin’ Stone. He has proved once again that his musical knowledge of songs and his interpretation of them are unique; his style of voice fitting even some of the more difficult songs superbly and it is with little wonder that he and his guests received a deserved accolade of applause at the end of the show.

Ian D. Hall