Who: King Charles
Where: The Fleece, Bristol
When: Saturday 13th April
The Fleece is a relatively small venue, but not every gig is a sell out. Tonight's was though, and quite rightly so.
King Charles (otherwise known as Charles Johnston and his band) take the stage to the sound of pounding d&b. He’s not theatrically dressed as you might expect - more low key in a t-shirt and leather jacket combo, but a pearl necklace adds an essence of decadence. A West London boy with an air of Amy Winehouse tramp-chic and the face of Ollie Locke*, he won the International Songwriting Competition by unanimous vote in 2009, and it’s not difficult to see why.
There are the evocative tracks like the footstompingly dramatic Polar Bear and the jingly jangly loveliness of Missisipi Isabel, then Bam Bam, the upbeat crowd pleaser with an easy sing-a-longable chorus. During Polar Bear Charles throws himself around the stage, and it’s hard to know if he’s a) wasted, b) overcome by the music, or c) both. After re-gaining a little compusure an extended version of Coco Chitty showcases some impressive guitar work, which can only really be appreciated in a live setting.
King Charles on stage.
The hopeless romantic tale of Lady Percy is my personal highlight, what I’d call a ‘Mr Brightside moment’, (or, more embarrassingly, a ‘Never Forget by Take That moment’). Lady Percy was my introduction to King Charles and I absolutely fell in love with the song when I first heard it.
The last hurrah is a clever cover of We Didn’t Start The Fire by Billy Joel - instead of JFK, Princess Grace, and trouble in the Suez, it’s Facebook, Afganistan, Kate and Will, and Gaga on the radio.
The gig ends with the support band crashing the stage, jumping around, loving life, and banging drums.
My boyfriend, who’s taste in music could be seen as a lot more credible than mine (if you don’t believe me wait for the next gig review), tweeted “Enjoyed King Charles on Saturday night - wasn't sure what to expect but they were amazing. This is as close as I get to gushing.” I don’t think you could get a better compliment than that!
*Ollie Locke, as in the one with the long hair from Made In Chelsea
If you're intrigued by the Billy Joel cover, here it is on NME.com:
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