Luka Bloom and Band
AB
4 March 2009

As a quick Google of his name will confirm, Luka Bloom is something of a cult figure in the Irish folk-rock world – no that’s a good thing, honestly. Admittedly something of an LB greenhorn, I was relieved that, despite the uniform black top and combats, Mr Bloom immediately dispelled any notion that this might somehow herald a recession-era gloomfest as he gestured towards a vase of flowers taking pride of place onstage and announced: “We’re here to listen to music and to feel good, for God’s sake” (perhaps with one or two additional expletives thrown in, imaginations may be used at will).

This is a view clearly shared by the well-versed and vocal crowd tonight, who by the second song are lilting along in perfect Irish harmony to the – timely if ever - I am not at war with anyone. Changing styles and cherry-picking tunes from his back catalogue without any audible risk of a “Judas” moment, as he shifts from the Spanish-influenced Primavera to the electric-acoustic on Exploring the Blue, the banter fills any air his voice hasn’t already claimed ownership of. He jokes of doing an “international tour of Brussels” whilst trying out his worst Flemish, and by the sounds of it the natives appreciate his take on their linguistic oddities as much as the expats, so that when it’s time to bring on his “Friends” in the second set he’s already done all his own footwork in warming up the crowd.

 Luka performing Perfect Groove on Belgian TV's De Laatste Show

The band comprises bassist Joe Csibi, and drummer (formerly of The Frames) Dave Hingerty, whose birthday it is and who we’re lucky to have, so Bloom tells us, since he very nearly missed his flight over. He’s therefore fully deserving of a little impromptu Happy Birthday ditty, and from here on in it’s palpably more of a gig, with numbers like Monsoon and Perfect Groove evoking images of a muso-lads’ retreat on a beach in Goa, if such a thing exists, and if it doesn’t then frankly why not?

They round off with some material from his latest album, 11 Songs, and apart from a poignant ode to his late father where you pretty much forget the other band members are even there, the atmosphere is kept credit crunch-lite and on-your-feet folksy, which as I said before is a good thing, and one to be repeated.

So I was new to Mr Bloom (as I like to call him, and I’m sure he’d like it too, don’t worry) 24 hours ago, but I’d tell, ok harangue more likely, anyone who gets the chance to see him live or hear him over ye olde wireless to grab it – he’s that rarity of an uplifting yet not toe-curling so performer, whose lyrics quite simply deliver all the wisdom that such a lived-in voice would seem to promise.   
 
Lisa Ratcliffe

Expatica 2009