Live Review: Barry Adamson, Maurice Flavel & The Intensive Care

Fly By Night was pretty much deserted as the doors opened for business on Sunday night. A surprising feature upon arrival was that the spacious venue had been set up with tables and chairs, which seemed a bit misplaced considering the genre of talents programmed for the night. As people wandered in, with the start of a fairly decent crowd now beginning to form, local support act Maurice Flavel & The Intensive Care took to the stage to deliver a highly energetic set. The band performed some excellent numbers with a hard-edged rock'n'roll swagger; complete with grating riffs and some fantastic percussion.

With a brief interval between sets, the headlining act Barry Adamson – with band in tow – took to the stage with an air of coolness and self-assurance, with the crowd looking on appreciatively. Performing (vocals and bass guitar) an assortment of numbers from his new album, I Will Set You Free, his performance and highly animated stage presence was a winning combination. Numbers like Black Holes In My Brain, a grinding and intense number depicting mental illness, and Destination, a fast-paced rock romp, were testament to his eclectic musical talent and diverse background in many musical genres – from classic rock'n'roll to  soul – which were delivered with exceptional eloquence.

Again, the 'white elephant' in the room was the tables and chairs set-up, which left very little room for the audience to stand close to the stage. However, surprisingly it seemed that the audience, for the majority, didn't want to. Perhaps it was just a slow Sunday, but there was certainly a stark contrast between Adamson's high energy set and the modest, low-key audience and it was not hard to believe that the gig may have been better suited to a different venue. Never the less, Adamson's delivery was flawless and engaging; proving that he is very deserving of his worldwide reputation as a prolific musician. It was just a shame that there were only a few who emphatically revelled in his greatness.