More double-act than duo, Wreckless Eric and US singersongwriter, Rigby, performend two-and-a-half hours’ worth of material with awe-inspiring energy. They played the cream of their catalogues with irresistible enthusiasm, first treating the audience to Rigby’s observational, highly personal, bittersweet songs.
Rigby’s skewed take on human relationships are cleverly encompassed within Cynically Yours, All I Want (recently covered by Ronnie Spector and Keith Richards), Invisible and Are We Ever Gonna Have Sex Again? The euphoric Dancing With Joey Ramone dispels any suggestion that she’s maudlin, and the feisty determination displayed when playing Eric’s songs demonstrates her rock credentials.
For all his protestations, Eric has the audience in the palm of his hand. Playing Someone Must Have Nailed Us Together, The Golden Hour Of Harry Secombe, Take The Cash and I’m Gonna Screw Your Head Off, to name a few, it’s clear we’re in the presence of a great performer. After a blistering Whole Wide World, they finished with a splendid version of John Denver’s Leaving On A Jet Plane and a second run through of Paul Simon’s Red Rubber Ball. Marvellous.
