Ghostpoet stopped in Newcastle on his tour for the new album Dark Days + Canapés, playing at Riverside last Thursday.
The whole night was an incredible performance showcasing why he is such a revered musician and songwriter with two Mercury prize nominated albums to his name. Dark Days + Canapés, released in August, is a moving, thought provoking listen and, in my opinion, one of the albums of the year. It touches on issues such as immigration, loneliness and is a stark reflection of the dark times many in society find themselves living in.
the crowd was immediately moved and captivated by the atmospheric fusion of trip hop, alternative rock and spoken word that have made Ghostpoet stand out as a truly unique musician.
Opening the night with ‘Many Moods At Midnight’, the first full track from the new album, the crowd was immediately moved and captivated by the atmospheric fusion of trip hop, alternative rock and spoken word that have made Ghostpoet stand out as a truly unique musician. This was followed by ‘X Marks The Spot’ from 2015’s Shedding Skin, a brilliant song that ended with a punchy breakdown emphasising how powerful his songs can be. ‘Dopamine If I Do’, with vocals from support artist EERA, and ‘Woe Is Me’, a collaboration with Daddy G from Massive Attack, were two songs that stood out on the night. During ‘End Times’ Ghostpoet questions, ‘is it my end times?’, laying bare his anxieties and making the album and the gig a very personal affair.
After he emerged for the encore to rapturous applause, Ghostpoet closed the night with the up-tempo, groovy ‘Off Peak Dreams’ as well as two songs from his first album Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam’ in ‘Cash and Carry Me Home’ and ‘Liiines’.
The song ‘Immigrant Boogie’ was a potent reminder about the refugee crisis and how it is one of the biggest challenges we face as humankind. Ghostpoet says on this song how it is to, ‘ask those who have questioned the arrival of refugees in recent times what they would do in the same situation.’ His ability to articulate the struggles like this that we face as a society and deliver it live in such a skilled and mesmerising way make him one of the most talented musicians around and definitely worth seeing if you get the chance!
