I expected that Saturday night's Richard Thompson Electric Trio concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre would be good, and I wasn't disappointed. It was spectacularly good. Thompson and his trio (augmented on some songs by a second guitarist) were tight and powerful. Throughout Thompson showed once again that he is an absolute master of the guitar, both electric and acoustic.
The setlist featured several songs from his new album, 13 Rivers, several of his classic tunes (1952 Vincent Black Lightning, Wall of Death, Dimming of the Day, Beeswing) and a few more obscure numbers, including a couple going back to the days of Fairport Convention. It's hard to pick highlights, but 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, a song I've never much cared for on record, was a master class in acoustic guitar playing, and on the electric side, Guitar Heros and Put It There Pal were standouts.
If you want a taste of what it was like, check out this pro-shot YouTube video of his set at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival in August. The setlist is almost identical to last night's show (unlike some bands I could name, he doesn't vary his setlists much on a tour).
I honestly don't know why Thompson has never achieved more than cult popularity. Looking back on his career, which now spans more than 50 years, I can only think of one other performer who has been around for as long and maintained a similar level of quality in his recordings and live performances and that's Neil Young. If I had to choose between going to one of their concerts, I would pick Thompson.
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