Review: Micah P. Hinson, Komedia, Brighton

In recent years he’s been a regular visitor to the town which must feel something of a European hinterland to the intense but talented Texan singer-songwriter.

A good portion of the Komedia crowd, were full of adoration for him and cooed with every strum and syllable, seemingly unperturbed by the absence of the advertised full touring band.

He began in style, with the support of a fair number of effects, and then explained the reasons for the missing band.

Obviously, the pared-down performance made for a different evening than anticipated from Hinson, who was touring his new album Presents the Holy Strangers.

On the night he described the long-player as being full of songs about: ‘birth, suicide, and neglect, and all sorts of good things’.

He’s previously described the 2017 release as a ‘modern folk opera’ and critics have praised its narrative scope and Eno-esque instrumentals.

The lack of a band meant a lack of the latter, which was a pity because in the context of the album the moody scene-setting interludes provide important breathing space between some fairly powerful songs,

That said, Hinson is a hugely charismatic performer with and the bulk of the new material sounded pretty darn good in the hushed surroundings and Stygian gloom of the Komedia basement.

Despite having less fat than celery sandwich, Hinson has a monstrous sonorous voice and is a genuinely engaging performer when he hits his stride.

The highlights of the set included Lovers Lane, a simple little number which will have Johnny Cash humming its tune in Heaven, and the frail but glorious Oh, Spaceman.

During the show (amid more effing and jeffing than your average Texan trucker) he favoured the late-career Costello’s approach to audience chat. Namely - Quite a lot of it.

Some of cuss-flecked anecdotes were a tad rambling, but it was interesting to hear his disappointment over his record company’s decision not to allow the latest album to stretch to his intended size of 28 songs.

“I’m not trying to be famous. I just want to make some art.” He said, with a passion that flared as brightly as his on-stage presence.

Come back soon Micah, and let’s hope you have better luck getting a band together next time.