Live Review :: Conner Youngblood :: Green Door Store, Brighton - Sep 27 2018

Live 

Conner Youngblood + Good Guy Clarence

Green Door Store, Brighton

September 27 2018

Words/Pictures: Steve Willcox

With the autumn officially arriving with a nip in the air, I head for some some feel-good sounds and a music warmer at Brighton's Green Door Store. There's already a small crowd gathering early on, including Joe Walker, drummer with Kent's very own band Lady Bird, watching the support, so it is looking like a hot talent night.

Brighton-based Good Guy Clarence have been playing for about two years, putting out their brand of dreamy indie guitar songs. They’re a band that lets their instruments do the talking in the main, with the vocals of Theo Byrd filtering through the mix with some nice harmonies along with his fellow guitarist. Latest single ‘Yell’ was sublime with soft beats, floaty lyrics and catchy guitar riffs, while final song ‘Pure Ego Death’ was nothing like its name suggests, in fact being quite hypnotic with a gentle melody.

Nashville’s bright young star Conner Youngblood comes to these shores on a whistlestop tour of the UK before departing on a European leg promoting his new album ‘Cheyenne’. This is his third visit to Brighton, following his last playing a stellar set at The Great Escape Festival in May. This evening's bill has drawn in the fans, and no doubt a handful of the curious too to swell out the room. Conner walks on stage to applause and thanks everyone for coming  - which he does more than once during his set.  again and again (about four times), much to the amusement of everyone.

Tonight is a chance for the American to show off the wares of ‘Cheyenne’. The title track shows the depth of this artist's songwriting skills, with emotion being poured out. ‘Los Angeles’ puts some rhythmic percussion from Mike along with Conner’s almost falsetto vocals. During ‘Stockholm’ a voice changer is used to dramatic effect as Ben the smiling bass player dances around whilst pumping those strings into the song.

Just before ‘My Brother's Brother’, Conner tells us a story of six years ago when he had to break up with girl and wrote the song, with lyrics of how he wished he had a brother's support. However, his sisters listened to this at a gig and he described the onslaught which ensued from them afterwards; which shows you just how honest and open he is.

The highlight for me came with ‘Sulphur Springs’ which, with its great percussion, made you instantly tap your toes in its intoxicating rhythm. Along with newer material, there were also a few acoustic tracks, including a cover of Willie Nelson's ‘Hands on the Wheel’, and a beautiful standalone version of ‘Australia' which brought out pure emotion and surrounded the room with love. Just what we needed tonight. A beautiful set from a songwriter welcome back in Brighton any time.