Billy Bragg

Press, 30 March 1989, Page 6

Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg at the town hall last evening. Reviewed by Tony Green.

“If you’ve got a blacklist, I want to be on it” — the gospel according to Billy Bragg, sage political commentator, and (Tongue-in-cheek) spokesman for a generation, as witnessed bya receptive crowd at the townhall last evening. His skill at reducing thecavernous space of the main auditorium to a virtual one-on-one audience was . amazing, considering the solo performance was only occasionally offset by backing musicians. It was just man and guitar for most of the night, a role obviously relished by Bragg. As with his previous Christchurch gig in 1987,. his between-song patter was most entertaining, especially his merciless drubbing (at least, I think it was drubbing) of The Shadows. Hank Marvin would not have approved of Bragg and his backing guitarist, Wiggy, mimicking intricate Shad’s dance routines! Of course, there was plenty of food for thought in the English perfonner’s songs, ranging from political diatribe to more personal messages, all in the

broad cockney acent his fans are by now able to decipher. Bragg was quick to point out, however, that there were few answers in his music. In dedicating the song “There is Power in a Union” to “The Ideal” of that movement, he implied the obvious — that the practice is often less than perfect. ™ ~ Songs from his "Workers Playtime” LP, the third and latest to be released, stood up well to old favourites such as “New England” and “Levi Stubb’s Tears.”

“Valentines Day Is Over” is Bragg encapsulated, a classic song with lyrics that twist love song cliches into something fresh, while the caustic "Life With The Lions,” "Must I Point You A Picture” and the anthemic 45, “Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards” all went down well with the enthuiastic punters at the stage front. While his albums can become a little samey, Billy Bragg is at his best live, introducing intelligence, earthy wit and poinancy to a rock circuit which is not usually noted forthose Qualities — a very interesting night