I’m not sure what the selection criteria for HMV’s Next Big Thing festival is but I’m not quite sure if Johnny Flynn qualifies. I wouldn’t class him as either new or upcoming, I would however class him as class.
The 24 year old, son of an actor and stepbrother to half of Robson and Jerome has been doing what he does best on the London circuit for a number of years. This was to be the first time I’d seen him without his backing band the Sussex Wit and I was intrigued to see if he could pull it off.
Flynn was supported by Mechanical Bride. Fronted by Lauren Doss, the Brighton based three-piece act played haunting progressive folk and were thoroughly enjoyable. Some excellent use of vocal harmony and intentionally frail delivery would have seen them outshine many of their contemporaries.
Johnny however is on another level. For those of you who doubted his ability to perform alone, rest assured, when the spotlight is shining solely on him it allows you to appreciate quite how talented he is.
My favourite thing about the gig was the genuine appreciation the crowd seemed to have for the performer; one doesn’t need any more than a guitar and a voice when the songs are this good. Flynn played a mixture of lesser known tracks, his 2009 EP Sweet William and a few of his more popular numbers including 'The Box', 'Tickle Me Pink' and 'The Wrote and The Writ,' in which on the latter he forgot his words. There’s something so refreshing about half of the crowd instantly shouting the next line back at an artist when they forget their lyrics. In response Flynn quipped, “oh yeah, it’s a good line,” and carried on professionally as if nothing had happened… shades of Dylan in 'I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)' on The Bootleg Series Vol. 6.
His mechanical guitar style with flittering hammer-ons around traditional chord patterns contrast perfectly with his enunciated vocal on lyrics founded in gospel and folk. For me the song of the night was 'Brown Trout Blues'; a beautifully simple song and honest vocal, “sometimes I find it hard to be a man,” and as with the majority of Flynn’s catalogue it carries the feel of a song that has been passed down through the generations. Johnny I salute you.
Posted In Live Reviews, Feb 14 2010.
Words - Lewis Dalgliesh