AUGUSTINES guitarist Billy McCarthy has gone solo and performed at Night & Day Café in Manchester on Wednesday night. Quays entertainment reporter Emily Ingram went along…
When a reputable frontman takes the plunge into solo stardom, there’s always that lingering pang of doubt as to whether they fit the band-sized bill. In the case of William ‘Billy’ McCarthy, his body of work with turbulent trio Augustines bears proof of his voluptuous vocal abilities, with anthems like the broodingly emotive ‘Nothing to lose but your head’ reigning in fans from across the land.
His status of ‘firm fan favourite’ certainly shows: a wave of anticipation swept throughout the venue of the sold-out showcase before even a hint of stage presence could be felt. Notably, the audience was a gloriously varied one, with people of all ages gathering in Manchester’s infamously hip Northern Quarter to clap eyes and ears upon the renegade Augustine.
Top quality gig at @nightanddaycafe as @WeAreAugustines frontman Billy McCarthy sung from his heart & soul and told us the story of his life
— Glenn Wallworth (@Glenntravel) February 11, 2016
After ascending the stage with a quiet confidence most likely brought on by crowd-wide hoots, McCarthy launched into a raw rendition of fresh Augustines material, bouncing his brash vocal tones across the room with little amplification needed. The stem of his unique vocal – situated somewhere between the grit of Tom Waits and John Martyn’s sultry sweetness – was quickly unearthed through a number of hardy tales centred around the singer’s busking years. With that, he was able to temporarily transform the bar from a rough-and-tumble rock venue to an intimate hub of song, poetry and deeply personal musings, revealing himself through vivid anecdotes of comic prison cross-dressing and gut-wrenching loss.
With elements of song and storytelling intertwined, the performance also proved to be one of a traditionally American nature. The presence of McCarthy’s own rustic journals and raucous, floor-stomping drinking songs confirmed an overwhelming loyalty to his American ‘trailer park’ roots, as well as the familiar spirit of bold adventure and dreams of musical stardom: yet, a tearfully stirring rendition of ‘Chapel Song’ showed an equally as prominent sense of soft, emotional vulnerability.
Billy McCarthy of @WeAreAugustines played one of the best gigs I've seen tonight at @nightanddaycafe #augustines pic.twitter.com/BCT7iHdWXy
— Glenn Wallworth (@Glenntravel) February 11, 2016
As the night progressed, it quickly became apparent that his lyrical intimacy had struck a profound chord with each member of the audience. Peppered generously across the mass of onlookers were those who were able to recite every lyric, with all others grinning and sighing alongside the twists and turns in vocalist’s the darkly weathered legacy. Naturally, this made the performance seem all the more enticing: from his makeshift pillar amongst the crowd, McCarthy had effectively seized gentle command of every iota of emotion in the room, armed with little more than a guitar and harmonica.
It’s important to note that this particular performance was much more than an audible regurgitation of popular hits. With the Augustines’ subtle notoriety, McCarthy could have easily played a two-hour ‘greatest hits’ set to indulge the common vocalist’s dream of self-sufficiency. But, luckily for the inhabitants of the Night & Day café, the often tragic occurrences within his life mean that any wish of this nature has already been more than fulfilled. Instead, he was able to present an incredibly raw and empowering expose of true artistic depth- revealing himself, as musicians very rarely do, as much more than just a collective of songs.
For that room full of dedicated fans, it’s certainly not a night they’ll be forgetting in a hurry.
By: Emily Ingram
@Scaremongerings
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