Gig Review: David Kitt
Overview
Year: 2012Pros:
Faithful run through of the oldies and some very promising newbiesCons:
Confusion over starting timeFollowing on from last year’s special Big Romance performance, David Kitt attempts to do the same with his previous, debut album Small Moments. Does it work this time round?
In December of last year David Kitt gave his seminal Big Romance record a full airing, swooning a sold out Vicar Street crowd in the process. From that night, the interest people placed in hearing Small Moments – his previous, debut album – in a similar scenario prompted the man known as Kittser to do just that, albeit in a series of smaller arts venues.
Confusion over the opening time results in a meagre initial attendance, with stragglers filtering in thereafter. It’s not an ideal start and it makes for an uncomfortably silent atmosphere, with Kittser himself noting the unusual feel in what is essentially a glorified record playback. Track by track things begin to knit together, however. Younger brother Robbie was only a nipper when Small Moments was released in 2000 but here he backs his older sibling on synths and keys just as he does on the pair’s Spilly Walker project. Though less sure-footed than its follow-up, Small Moments nonetheless boasts a ramshackle, threadbare charm; the sounds of a man making tentative steps in new directions with a voice, a guitar and some primitive backing percussion. ‘Step Outside In The Morning Light’ is the nadir for any romantic auld soul and there’s no doubting the magic in the air as it morphs beautifully into ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’. ‘Another Love Song’ proves it’s anything but that while the closing version of ‘Headphones’ is beefed up, with Kittser clearly keen on rocking out after 6 tracks of acoustic introspection.
After a brief interlude the gig becomes a ‘Night with David Kitt…’ as he lashes through some covers (Womack & Womack, Van Morrisson and even a touch of Joy Division), as well as choice cuts from his extensive back catalogue. Most rewarding however, was the emergence of new material, the first since 2009′s excellent and criminally underrated The Nightsaver. One spoke strange words of ‘rivers over the equator’ and ‘congolese alligators’, one featured plenty of whistling and glided along superbly, while ‘The Taste Of Without’ was a mesmeric, silky smooth serenade. All promising and all quintessential Kitt numbers, bearing simple but effective refrains which worm their way into your head by the third verse. The initially muted audience were clearly won over and after the finalé the appreciative calls for ‘one more tune’ are heeded with a funked-out version of ‘You Know What I Want To Know’ finishing things off in style. Hands up who wants to see a Square 1 tour?
