To complete a run of acclaimed solo shows throughout Australia, France and Italy, singer songwriter Peter Milton Walsh of The Apartments returned to London to perform songs from The Apartments' new album, “In And Out Of The Light”, as well as from the back catalogue of The Apartments. Friday night saw me heading over to Farringdon Road in London, and to a pub called ‘The Betsey Trotwood’ aka “a real pub for real people” which after being right there in the hub and chatting amongst many who frequented it, that couldn’t be more true. A very real pub indeed with its own unique charm. It is a much-loved Victorian pub in the historic district of Clerkenwell in central London, and as quoted “a combination of the joys of the traditional pub with an eclectic range of cultural shenanigans, freshly prepared food and a first-class drinks selection”. The main bar is at street level and underground you’ll find their famously atmospheric cellar gig venue, which sits only a matter of feet above the world’s first ever underground railway – The Metropolitan Line. On the upper level, is the elegant bar and acoustic room.
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a more intimate gig and I’m having to confess here that I am actually a Walsh and The Apartments fan, who’s music I found over lockdown. I felt very privileged to be part of such a small, perhaps 25 people or so, audience. It had that feeling of being at a private party and Walsh himself being within touching distance made it all feel wonderfully surreal. The last time he played in London was 2018 and as Walsh himself says “before the pandemic that capsized all our lives and changed the world utterly” I find it fitting that Walsh’s music kept me very much afloat during the pandemic and when gigs felt like they were no more. Therefore it was a very special experience to witness for myself Walsh’s thought-provoking and emotional musical talent.
Before Walsh though was the support act, Pete Aves, who I’d had a little chat with downstairs (at the time not totally realising he was in fact the support act) and is humorous beyond belief! Aves has actually released seven critically acclaimed albums since 2002 and his 2021 “Sweet Are The Uses” LP was described as ‘darkly funny’ by Mojo. Besides his solo career, he’s been in the High Llamas and worked with Lee Hazlewood, Neil Innes and Nick Lowe among others. He really had the audience in the palm of his hands and I was interested to find out more about him.
Then it was Walsh - and at a gig he himself described would be a ‘relaxed affair’, well I liked the sound of that very much. Walsh for me has a huge stage presence and I can’t be anything but fully focused on hearing him talk about stories of certain songs he wrote in New York and that led to Rough Trade signing The Apartments, a London move in 1985, and the inspiration behind many of his songs. This is the bit I really love as Walsh has an wonderful ability to really feel differing emotions through his music. Talking of the music, that was what I came for and I was not disappointed. Walsh’s music is deep, emotional, occasionally a little dark, and yes painful at times, but amongst all that, it is layered with so much love, it seeps out of every song. Love can be the root of much pain and indeed pleasure and it really shows in how some of these intimate songs such as “Black Ribbons” “Butterfly Kiss” “I Don’t Give A F**k About You” are sung. With depth and feeling. Walsh gets fully into the zone when singing and as an audience you can’t help but feel you are watching something very private and personal. Perhaps sometimes we feel deeply connected to musicians who are able to sing what we sometimes ourselves cannot communicate. Walsh can sing with great strength and passion, yet I also sensed fragility and softness amongst his powerful lyrics. I was lucky enough to have a chat with him afterwards which now having many of his records on my shelves makes these intimate, relaxed affair gigs even the more special.
As the great Robert Forster says —“I have known Peter Milton Walsh of The Apartments for a long time...we believe in similar things. He is a master songwriter and storyteller, with a voice dipped in top shelf brandy and experience. I would urge anyone interested in modern song to go and see him.”
Reviewer - Mary Fogg
on - 29.4.22
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