Andy Burrows - Bush Hall, London, 21/2/2013

  by Gillian Fish

published: 23 / 2 / 2013

intro

Gillian Fish watches former Razorlight and We Are Scientists drummer and now solo artist Andy Burrows play an impressive set at a gig at the Bush Hall in London to promote his recently released album 'Company'

Touring in support of his recently released album ‘Company’, Andy Burrows has chosen the marvellous and rather cosy Bush Hall for the London date. I head across London on a freezing night excited to see how the album translates during a live show. Making the rare transition from indie band drummer (formerly Razorlight, and more recently with We Are Scientists) to solo artist; Burrows has released records before both under his own name and under his previous alias I Am Arrows but it is really with ‘Company’, his first properly recorded and released album, that he is beginning to shine in his own right. Opening proceedings with recent single ‘Because I Know That I Can’, there is a slightly shaky start with a few sound problems during the second song, but Burrows and his band soon settle into the stunning surroundings of Bush Hall and prove they can create a wonderful atmosphere at their live shows. It is clear Burrows knows how to write a great melody. This is evident on album title track ‘Company’ which sounds excellent tonight and helps to warm the audience up for the rest of the show. Full of praise for the crowd at Bush Hall, Burrows admits it can often be difficult to find such an accepting London crowd where people are not afraid to let go and show they are having a good time. I get the impression he is still humbled by any adulation he receives. Revisiting his I Am Arrows project briefly with the slightly more up-tempo song ‘Picture of You’, he then returns to a melodic, dreamy sound on ‘Maybe You’ which proves to be a particular highlight tonight. Recently Burrows wrote the soundtrack to ‘The Snowman’ follow-up ‘The Snowman and the Snowdog’, which aired at Christmas. Tonight he performs ‘Light the Night’ from the soundtrack, a wistful, dreamy song that will no doubt be heard for many Christmases to come. As Burrows plays current single ‘If I Had Heart’, the emotional sentiment of the song seems to get the better of some people as I spot a man next to me wiping away a few tears, surely a true sign that Burrows can write heartfelt, romantic lyrics. The last song before the mini encore is the excellent ‘Hometown’, a track that has received plenty of radio airplay. Fuelled with emotion, it provides the perfect sing-a-long moment for the audience. Burrows finishes the set tonight with the wonderful ‘Keep On Moving On’, a song reminiscent of 60’s and 70’s artists such as Neil Young, and it bounces along perfectly bringing the evening to a close. Andy Burrows may not necessarily have the most powerful of voices, but he delivers folky rock with gentle vocals and stunning lyricism which will no doubt see his live shows going from strength to strength.