NILS LOFGREN GIG REVIEW

GIG REVIEW – NILS LOFGREN

Last month saw the UK reappearance of Nils Lofgren as a “solo” act and our LGA reviewer Paul Wood was on hand to catch his show at the Birmingham Town Hall.

GIG REVIEW – NILS LOFGREN

GIG REVIEW – NILS LOFGREN

Billed as Nils Lofgren with very special guest Greg Varlotta, the multi talented duo provided the Town Hall attendees with a 2 hour trip through the Lofgren back catalogue. Nils playing harp, electric and acoustic guitars and keyboards, Greg providing back up guitar, keyboards, trumpet and tap dancing!

The show starts with Nils wearing a top hat and sat at the harp to play the classy introduction to “Too Many Miles”, switching part way through to bring the song to a conclusion with his electric guitar.

Here’s the official video for “Too Many Miles”

Moving on to an acoustic guitar for the majority of the set, Nils spends time between songs telling stories of his earlier trips to the UK and recording with Neil Young.

Here’s a clip of Nils talking about, and playing, Neil Young’s “Long May You Run”

Mid set sees Nils move on to keyboards for a run of songs including “Goin’ Back” (Carole King/The Byrds/Dusty Springfield), “Irish Angel” (Bruce McCabe) and a piano pumping version of “The Sun Hasn’t Set On This Boy Yet”

LGA attendees could do well to catch Nils live – he provides blistering acoustic solos throughout the night, most notably on “Girl In Motion” and permanent live favourite “Keith Don’t Go”– using a loop pedal effect to provide his own guitar backing while he freewheels over the fret board on the solos.

Here’s a link to an acoustic version of “Keith Don’t Go” uploaded by Nils:

“Mud In Your Eye” allows Greg Varlotta to bring the house down with a mid song tap dancing performance (think “Duelling Banjos” but with Nils on guitar and Greg tap dancing!) and even Nils gets in the act with a little bit of tap dancing of his own on first encore “I Came To Dance”.

Here’s a live clip from the US of “Mud In Your Eye” with Greg and his dancing shoes!

The electric guitar comes back out for encore closer (and Lofgren’s signature song) “Shine Silently” . He can no longer do the trampoline back flips (hip replacement surgery has seen to that) but Nils can (and does) still close the show with his trademark one legged wheelies while playing the guitar

Highly recommended for all LGA students – go catch Nils Lofgen live on his next UK tour. His website www.nilslofgren.com suggests that he could be back over in the UK in November.

Out now is a 10 disc 45 year career retrospective – “Face The Music”

Setlist

Encore: