Paul Casey is among the finest singer/songwriters in Ireland today. Needed to get that out of the way. Tonight, however, we see him in a different light. Paul has made no secret of his debt to Chris Rea, and his deep love for the man’s music, going as far as saying,- ‘The only reason I am playing guitar today is Chris Rea’.
The Middlesbrough maestro’s influence on Paul’s work, particularly his effortless slide guitar playing, is plain to see. Tonight’s gig is less a covers gig, more of a loving homage and testimony to the longevity and sheer charm of Rea’s music. The Concert has been meticulously curated, as evidenced by the stage set-up, which uses guitar-shaped stage props from Chris’s last tour and his actual amps on stage. Paul’s Stratocaster was handed over to Derry artist Gerry Moran, who worked on getting the guitar as close to resembling Chris’s famous ‘Pinky’ Strat as possible.
To the gig itself, from the first drumbeat of ‘Nothing’s Happening by the Sea’, to the last reverb of ‘Looking for a Rainbow’, the crowd were rapt, enthralled, and totally immersed in Paul and his wonderful eight piece band’s performance. Leaning heavily on songs from Rea’s 70s and 80s albums, the energy emanating from the stage was palpable.
The greatest hits from that era are played with great gusto and a sense of joy, which is evident from the rapport among the band members. ‘Stainsby Girls’, ‘Steel River’, ‘On the Beach’, and ‘Auberge’ are all delivered immaculately by the band. Paul gives space to the two other guitarists on stage, Dan Millar and John T. Docherty. The seemingly ubiquitous John McCullough is many local artists go to keyboard player, and tonight, as ever, he does not disappoint, with some great solos as well. Lauren Doherty, fresh from her support stint, also adds a wonderful extra level of texture to the sound, on backing vocals (Paul obviously trying to keep the wage bill down!)
It would be remiss of me not to mention Lauren’s rather wonderful support slot. Lauren, as well as being a fine singer/songwriter in her own right, is also one-half of ‘Amberlight’, a side project with Paul. Her set also includes some more traditional numbers, including a beguiling version of ‘The Parting Glass’. An artist to keep an eye on for sure!
But it is Paul Casey, people have come to see, and his fretboard skills and slide playing are a thing of great joy. There is both an exuberance, and an ease in the playing, which is made to look so effortless, but the sweet, vibrant sounds he makes!
‘Ace of Hearts’ is perhaps a surprise on the set list, but a wonderful one. It is dealt with great sensitivity and emotion. The fun on stage continues with a great version of ‘Bombollini’, from Rea’s 1984 opus, ‘Wired to the Moon’, as the intensity in the Forum continues to build. ‘I can hear your Heartbeat’ is phenomenal, and ’Let’s Dance’ has people, well, dancing in the aisles.
A resounding encore of ‘Looking for a Rainbow’ has the crowd baying for more.
A truly wonderful night that I would have driven all night to see. As I drove home to Belfast, listening to Paul’s aptly titled ‘Long Road Home’ album, I reflected on two things. – The quality of Chris Rea’s catalogue and the wonder of tonight’s gig.
Paul Casey is indeed the Rea’l deal!