Gil Scott Heron – at The Warehouse – Aberdeen, UK – April 27, 2010

Gil Scott Heron calmly walks on stage - but instead of heading straight into singing he starts to tell stories about how a volcano with a name that no-one can pronounce had stopped him playing Aberdeen the week before. He explains that he had managed to hastily re-arrange his flights to the UK to perform some dates for the first time in about 8 years. He’s dressed in a suit and a flat cap, the stories and jokes are about dwarves and he tells us that black history month in the US should be moved from February because it is too hard to pronounce. This has the audience laughing along, then he says that it’s time to do what he came here for - to sing some songs.

The crowd put up a mighty roar as he sits at the piano and hits the first notes of “Blue Collar” and sings in his dusky voice. He plays the first three songs on his own before he is joined by his band. He played old tunes including “Pieces of a Man”, “We Almost Lost Detroit” and “Winter in America” but nothing from the new album.

The percussion section was great too especially the drummer on the bongos, he did a great solo where he played them with one finger, his elbow, one handed and got the crowd to join in too, clapping along. The faster they clapped the faster he played.

He finished the evening with a stirring long rendition of “The Bottle” - he may look frail but this man can perform and still hold a crowd. He’s a true artiste.

 

-Dod M.-
Big Wheel Overseas Correspondent

 

More photos of the event can be seen HERE

 
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