It’s been just over a year & half since Sandi Thom last toured the UK but that was with a full band. This time around it’s just Thom being a one (wo)man band playing all bar the kitchen sink (maybe she plays this too, we’re not quite sure but wouldn’t be surprised) in a evening of stories and songs performed as they haven’t been heard before.
Before Thom was support act Steve Appleton who was also was his own band, this time though with a little help from a loop pedal. He worked through a set of his own music including Diamonds & Valantina and admitted that he had been trying new material on the Scottish audiences. After a small interval it was time for the main act. 
Opening the set with two tracks from the latest album, Help Me & Stormy Weather, it’s clear that this isn’t what has gone before, with the songs being performed in what can only be described as new arrangements bringing a new feeling to them. Thom welcomes everyone to the show before heading into a tale of heading to London to ‘live the dream’ and about the drunk in the local pub who could belt out anything that was requested and that this was the inspiration was the next track, The Human Jukebox.
It’s a jump to the third album, Merchants & Thieves for the next track, Belly Of The Blues before back tracking to The Pink & The Lily for The Shape I’m In (a song inspired by the events of her first visit to LA where after a bit of a wild night with the Scottish Rugby Team, she spent the night on the street). It’s back to the present album for the next track, Buffy Sainte-Marie’s The Big Ones Get Away a song which, on the album, she performed with the lady herself. 
Runaway Train provides an opportunity for a little audience participation in a call and response (something the Scots audiences usually can’t resist taking part in). A reminisce of her days in the band The Residents, it time for a cover track, one frequently performed as part of this group. It comes in the form of the Fleetwood Mac track, Landslide.
Time to head back to the debut album for the next track in the from of What If I’m Right before we get the title track of the current studio album, Flesh & Blood. Things slow down again for My Ungrateful Heart from The Pink & The Lily before it time for I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair) in which she plays the harmonica, strums the guitar & stamps her feet all at the same time. A short break and she comes back for one more track in the form of When Horsepower Meant What It Said. 
As said at the start, this was not the usual Sandi Thom concert. The stripped back approach seemed to work with tracks from all 4 studio albums being given a new working bringing them a new life. The venue seemed to be perfect for what very quickly felt like a very intimate experience between artist & audience. The mix of tracks showcased that Sandi’s voice could do quite & tender but also big & powerful but also meant that there was most likely something for everyone in the set whilst showing how far she’s come since she was first presented to us. A different night out and one that we would like to see again.
Photos: © Vhari Lannigan
Sandi Thom
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Steve Appleton
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