John Otway: Rock 'n' roll in a launderette

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Five decades going to gigs, but never before have I been to one in a launderette.

The Bank Holiday weekend took us to Durham to see the legend that is John Otway playing with his long-time side, Wild Willy Barrett.


The venue was the Old Cinema Launderette which, by day, will clean your clothes, and, by night, serve up some unique gigs. Whispering Bob Harris of Old Grey Whistle Test fame is heading that way soon ...


The packets of Daz and Omo which sit above the machines form the most un rock ‘n’ roll of backdrops, but I defy you to find a better small venue anywhere in the UK. We arrive early - ‘come away in’ they said as the set up work was being finished.


When the online payment machine went down everyone just chipped in with bundles of change. No-one went thirsty.



And on stage, Otway was … well, Otway. You won’t find anyone more engaging or welcoming. Or truly unique.


What sparked our travels to Durham was his movie, Rock ‘N’ Roll’ Greatest Failure, on Netflix which celebrates one of the most genuinely engaging guys in the music industry who dreamed big and actually made many of them come true.


He may not be the household name he set out to be, but he is anything but a failure. In an industry full of factory produced clones and wannabes, he remains very much the real deal.


With the help of a loyal fan base he sets off on adventures - glorious,. wonderful adventures - and takes everyone with him whether it's hiring huge theatres, recording at Abbey Road and making a documentary and getting its premiere at the Odeon in Leicester Square where her climbed on the canopy and changed the Odeon to make it spell ‘Otway’


And his songs are genuinely good - he doesn’t get the credit he deserves.


Barrett is a maestro of the guitar, and certainly the only one with a speaker in a wheelie bin, the lid of which he uses to create his own sound effects.


His wry humour is the perfect foil for Otway’s boundless stories and energy - and props come flying in front the wings just for extra fun.


The sheer joy of playing live has never left Otway after 50 years in the business. I hope it never does.


He’s coming to the Fringe in Edinburgh this August. If you haven’t seen him before, treat yourself.


Everyone should see him at least once.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 9, 2023 at 1:27 PM

    Thank you for the lovely feedback about the gig. I’m putting Bob Harris on in 17Nineteen in Sunderland 🌞

    ReplyDelete

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