Review: Jesse Malin @ Engine Rooms, 8th December
New York rock troubadour Jesse Malin has been making music for over 25 years. After emerging from the 1980s punk scene in New York, he formed a highly successful solo career for himself working with the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Ryan Adams.
Malin is currently at the back end of one of the busiest years of his life, having released two albums and played countless gigs across the world, so you could forgive him if he wasn’t up for playing a seedy little downstairs club on a cold wet Monday in front of 50 people. But as it turns out, he is up for it.
The Gig:
Malin strides onto the stage looking every bit the ex punk-rock star, bottle of wine in one hand and guitar in other. Backed by Christine Smith on keyboards, he rips into a set that showcases his colourful career – from the jaunty “Wendy“ to the heartfelt “Broken Radio”, a song which he recorded with Bruce Springsteen.
The crowd sure is a mixed bunch, you would imagine this is what The Young Ones would look like in 2008, but the ex-punks are lapping it up. Malin’s between-song jesting is on par with the music, and as he talks about losing his mind in LA he is both charming and funny.
The set picks the highlights from his rich back catalogue and it really kicks into gear during “Queen of the Underworld” which he suggests “could be about drag queen”. It’s a set of sad songs about heartbreak and hope and in a strange way it suits the dark and dingy surroundings.
Not ignoring the recent covers album, he slides into a delightful version of Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talking”, and while Christine Smith remains by his side throughout, they are joined on stage by a saxophone player and guitarist that offer a new dynamic to the songs.
The biggest cheer of the night is saved for The Replacements’ cover, “Bastards of Young”, which has the old punks arm-in-arm and swaying (moshing?) awkwardly.
Malin must be aware of his surroundings because he announces near the end that “every job has its Mondays”. But if this is a Jesse Malin Monday then Bob Geldof can do one – because Mondays are ace.
More Info:
Words by James Fuller
www.myspace.com/jessemalin
www.twitter.com/jesse_malin
www.facebook.com/jessemalin
www.instagram.com/jesse_malin
