On a little tour of Yorkshire last weekend Billy Bragg joined folk in Leeds City Centre based independent record store Jumbo Records for an in-store performance between his sets at Deer Shed Festival and Tramlines Festival. With the combination of Uncle Bill’s reputation as the leading figure of the anti-folk movement of the 80’s and free entry, it was a busy one with some of the crowd watching from out of the door.
Alone with his microphone and acoustic guitar, Billy bashed some of his folk rock and punk songs out with just as much passion as when he first started out in the 80’s. As always when you see Billy perform, he’s not just a spectacular singer songwriter, he’s an absolute personality, and every song was accompanied by a little story or anecdote. Billy told the crowd how he once worked in a record shop, before playing ‘Saturday Boy’. Though his story before ‘Handyman Blues’ of how whenever he’s asked to do DIY by his significant other he replies “why don’t you get your brother to do it, he’s got his own ladder” perhaps received the most laughs of the afternoon! Billy sounded brilliant, especially during anti-homophobia track ‘Sexuality’ written by himself and Johnny Marr, which he played after telling the tale of when he once played in New England and heard a voice in the crowd shout “play your hit”.
From joking about seagulls pecking children’s brains (a thought he’d had the night before at 1am regarding swan poachers and how they should target seagulls instead) to his support for British Labour party politician Jeremy Corbyn, Billy’s passion and perspective on life was (and is) admirable. His views on cynicism being the enemy and how it’s down to us all to work together to change things politically in particular had the crowd cheering. Billy’s last track was ‘There’s Power in a Union’, which he performed with an inspiring amount of angst whilst the crowd watched in awe. The atmosphere was sensational; pre-Braggo it was buzzing with excitement, with the post-Braggo atmosphere being un-cynical and uplifting, the place was radiating with positivity as he kindly participated in a signing from behind the Jumbo Records counter to finish the afternoon off.
Billy is playing various festivals between now and September, as well as a selection of tour dates throughout November and December, including two sold out nights at London’s Union Chapel. If you can catch a show then I’d highly recommend it as there’s nothing quite like the Billy Bragg experience!
