Live Review : Danny Vaughn + Edd Case @ The Tivoli, Buckley on July 20th 2019

I was a bit meh tonight when the support act came on. I mean when you have come to see an acoustic show by a very famous bloke with a good voice and a guitar it would really make sense to have something different supporting right? Maybe a woman? A skiffle band? A dog act? I mean, KISS had a painter recently on their arena tour and if it’s good enough for Gene and Paul…..

So anyhow, when the support turned out to be a non-famous bloke with a good voice and a guitar I was a bit hesitant. I needn’t have worried though, because Edd Case turned out to be a decent enough act. He started with a slow and jangly version of Iron Maiden’s ‘The Evil That Men Do’ that was surprisingly soothing. His own material was personal and a little melancholy, with songs about the loss of a good friend and his outlook on life following a recent heart attack. It’s pleasant enough though, and after a rendition of The Almighty’s ‘Free N’ Easy’ he finishes with a piece that finally turns into the something different I was hoping for. “Let Us Back Home” is based on the war in Afghanistan and is not so much a song as a poem, set to music to keep the rhythm and with a sung chorus. Now this I really liked, so Edd if you’re out there reading this – more poetry please!

Danny Vaughn is touring at the moment to promote the release of his latest solo acoustic project “Myths, Legends and Lies” The album itself became something of a legend when release was delayed due to the Pledgemusic organisation withholding funds that had been given for it – it was actually a video by Danny (that went viral online) outlining the situation that brought Pledgemusic’s financial difficulties out into the open and eventually resulted in its demise. Not deterred, Danny went back on the road with his various projects and raised the funds to complete the album, fulfiling the pledges because that’s what this man is about, his fans. He loves us, and we love him right back.

Tonight Danny’s set is stripped back to the very basics, just microphone and guitar. A couple of times, he borrows Edd Cases’s guitar to play, much to Edd’s delight, but mostly it’s his own. Apparently the set list will vary at every date on the tour, there are a few songs that will always feature but other than that it’s based on Danny’s mood on a given night and (to a degree) time constraints. Danny is not averse to playing a favourite song if shouted for by a member of the crowd, and did so at least once in this set that I noticed. In between songs, we are treated to a little background about the origin of each song, and a little of Danny’s gentle and rather self-deprecating humour.

The set lasts two hours. Yes, you read that right, two hours. Two hours of new songs, old songs, songs of different genres, songs in different keys but always good songs. Tonight’s offerings from the new album were ‘The Shadow Of King John’, ‘Kelly’s Gone’, ‘Monkeys With Money and Guns’, ‘Black Crow’, ‘Last Ride Of The Sunset Men’ and ‘Seven Bells’, so half of the 14 album tracks. They are laid back and mellow, occasionally a little dark and broody, occasionally a touch folky. In between the new songs, there are of course the old favourites, including the Waysted song ‘Heaven Tonight’, and seminal Tyketto favourite “Stand Up”. There’s also a sublime version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. This haunting song has been covered many times, by many artists, but Danny’s version was one of the best I’ve ever heard. The final song of the main set was, of course, “Forever Young”, probably the song that even people who don’t know who Danny Vaughn or Tyketto are still recognise and sing along to. Being part of the crowd singing it back to him gets you right there, if you know what I mean.

After a brief interlude Danny comes back on to sing ‘Is That All There Is’, which even after 2 full hours I think was what we were all thinking! As I left, Danny was at the merch table happily chatting away and signing things for anyone and everyone because that’s what he does, what he is – a huge talent wrapped up in the nicest of packaging.