Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The Baltic Triangle’s Camp and Furnace and live music are a match made in, if not Heaven, then certainly in a hotel in a short walkable distance and with a cold welcome drink provided and poured by St. Peter when you get there. Every weekend there is music to be had in the city but one of the venues that has become a vital part of the music community has that great feel of the outdoors about it and as Paul Straws’ beautiful hauntingly calm music flows throughout the building, even a wedding party guest or two from the other side of Camp and Furnace’s building could be seen enjoying the music.
Watching Paul Straws and his entourage of musicians perform is akin to being asked to sit in the sun all day and just let the mood take you over, serene but with the hint of honour that just takes you away from it all. As Mr. Straws opened up his time on the stage with the song Flawless, it wasn’t long before the audience that had made their way up to the Baltic Triangle were being treated to that delightful sense of longing.
After Mr. Straws’ solo spot on stage in which he made the mandolin sound as if a passing angel had found it and given it a bash just for the sheer hell of it, he was joined on stage by the Mono L.Ps commander of the cello bow Vicky Mutch, who throughout just radiated excellence throughout and the delicate precision of fellow mandolin player Rishi Gupta for the next couple of tracks, Cold Shoulder and Angel Face.
The slight breeze that had found a crevice in which to take the heat off the day only seemed to rack up the heat on stage as the full band kicked of the main part of the gig to full effect. With the cool Andy Kettle on keys, Ryan Forrest playing like a demon on drums and Michael Bradshaw’s bass complimenting the whole sound, the tracks took on extra depth and verve. With The Crooked Branches Fall, a surprise but very welcome number one in Qatar recently, the smashing Little Girl, A Use For Me and One Track Mind all making their mark, this was the perfect way to enjoy a Saturday evening in the city of Liverpool.
Whether in the snug and laid back atmosphere of Leaf on Bold Street or in the fine imposing building that encapsulates Camp and Furnace, it seems as if Paul Straws’ music is seemingly perfect for any occasion. A summer’s delight!
Ian D. Hall