Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls
London Putney Half Moon
26th May, 2011

The album launch for Shared 2, an ongoing acoustic project from Wonder Stuff’s Hunt and violinist Erica Nockalls was an enjoyful evening with fans horse-shoed in to see a gig which had an open mic session feel. Joining them were Jim Bob (Carter USM), Ian Prowse (Pele), Dan Donnelly and that Immaculate Fool, Dirty Ray. An intimate feel included individual acoustic numbers and much hearty storytelling, including some spoken-word from Jim Bob. Dirty Ray is a loveable English rogue who, tonight, looked like one of the Kray twins and has a voice to match Terry Reid. Hunt looks not a day older than when I last saw him 17 years ago, and Erica Nockalls is the twilight star who not only is a fine violinist but has a honey voice to die for. The evening ended with all six dedicating to Poly Styrene, X-Ray Specs’ The Day The World Turned Dayglo, before saying goodnight with Leonard Cohen’s So Long Marianne. Wonderful stuff.