Review: Ian McNabb at Telford’s Warehouse, Chester

Nov 4 2009 Chester Chronicle

IAN McNABB/Telford’s Warehouse, Chester, 2/11/09

REVIEW/by Grahame Rhodes

VIRTUALLY 12 months on from his last visit, it was a pleasure to welcome back one of Liverpool’s premier singer/songwriters, Ian McNabb, on the eve of his birthday, out doing dates in support of his new “Great Things” cd release – currently only available at his gigs.

However, before his two sets the crowd had an extra treat in the shape of a set from his great friend, Amsterdam front man Ian Prowse – who Mr. McNabb informed us had been lured to Telford’s to play “a couple of Wings tunes together as encores.”

Ian Prowse’s big emotional tunes were well received, with the standouts being the band’s ‘anthem’ “Does This Train Stop On Merseyside?” – much loved by the late, great John Peel, and the gorgeous “Understanding Sadness”. This was a fine start to the evening, and more of Ian Prowse later!

Songs from “Great Things” featured throughout Ian McNabb’s two sets, and he started with a brace together – the lovely “New Light” and “Stormchaser” – a song destined to become a McNabb classic! The remainder of the first set was a mix of tried and much-loved favourites – the tale of his road trip across American, “When It All Comes Down”, and the much underrated “Lady By Degrees”, with a dip way, way back for “Out Of Season”, which Ian said, in a hilarious preamble, the only slow song on the first Icicle Works record.

The title track of “Before All Of This”, and another gem from that album, “Unfinished Business In London Town” – get the “Merseybeast” book to know what this one is about – led into the first audience participation of the evening on “Still Got The Fever”, the first set ending with the timeless “Hollow Horse”.

Whereas the first set started with a brace of new songs, Ian was bold enough to start the second set with no less than three – the fine title cut, “Great Things”, a live debut for “All About A Woman”, and “This Love” – all evidence that he is on the top of his form, both as a writer and also performer – with his acoustic guitar and voice well suited to one of his favourite venues.

Other second set highlights included personal favourite “The Deportee” – a great song, I think only recorded on his live album at Liverpool Philharmonic; “Merseybeast”, with rack harmonica put on halfway through the song, and the epic “Potency”, which was dedicated to his mum, Pat, a regular at local gigs. The regular set ending with the song that put The Icicle Works on “Top Of The Pops” – the still fabulous, after all these years, “Love Is Full Of Wonderful Colours”.

The fun started on the encores with his country version of “Understanding Jane”, before Ian Prowse came on for a couple of duets, armed with birthday cake for Mr. McNabb – Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing In The Dark” and R.E.M. song “The One I Love” – before Ian McNabb ended a truly memorable evening with the modestly titled “I Can’t Help It If I’m Great” . . . . can’t think of many performers who would get away with that, but you know, he does . . . . and he is great!

It was a pleasure to catch him in such a great venue, with a quiet, listening crowd as an acoustic set demands, and Ian was very appreciative of this and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. Definitely one of our ‘national treasures’ and just a great writer and performer, who if there is any justice should be a lot bigger!