I... I Still Love You

It's been a long ten years (ish) since I first saw Tom McRae live.

Of all the concerts I've seen over the years, from The Nolans to U2, Gin Blossoms to Michael Jackson, there is only one where I came away liking the support act more than the actual act I had bought the ticket for. That concert was Dido at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in 2000 and the support act was a singer/songwriter called Tom McRae.

This shy looking fellow crept on to the stage and, with just a guitar and a microphone, captivated the whole audience. Haunting lyrics and a soft melodic voice left me wanting more and hoping Dido would be suddenly taken ill or called away on urgent business so he could fill in for the rest of the night.

The next day I went out and hunted down his self-titled debut album and it has remained a firm favourite ever since. I admit I have not been the most loyal or dedicated fan. For a few years I lost track of what he was up to and although I kept up with the album releases, it wasn't until this year I actually got to see him live again. I managed to catch him earlier this year on his Alphabets of Hurricanes tour at the Scala, Kings Cross and again tonight back at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.

Tom's style has changed over the years. His earlier material was more dark and haunting and his later creations have a definite Americana influence but I love it all. Each song is a poem set to music and although I don't claim to be anywhere near intellectual enough to understand all his lyrics, I appreciate them for the little piece of art each one is.

His singles and albums may not have achieved the level of success in Britain which he would have hoped for but I have a deep respect for this artist who refuses to compromise his ideals by commercialising his songs to make them more radio friendly. When I listen to his albums I can understand why he doesn't receive much, if any, airplay in the UK. This is a hard artist to pigeon-hole into a genre. Although he is most often listed as a folk artist, I don't agree with this label at all. Recorded, most of his work is slow and moody but live is another story. As well as being an incredible songwriter, he is also a talented performer. With a live band his music is transformed. It is rockier, more energetic and more entertaining. He has a unique relationship with his fans and often cracks a lot of self-deprecating jokes while on stage. The humour and personality that we are lucky enough to witness at his live performance is not captured on his recordings and this is a shame. This is an artist who deserves all the fame and fortune the music industry has to offer. Unfortunately, it seems our music industry is more concerned with image and styling than actual talent.

You can find more information of Tom McRae at http://www.tommcrae.com/