The last song of the gig had just finished, but I knew what was about to happen. I rushed to my car and changed cameras. This was a job for my video set-up. As soon as I was ready, a tall man in a white overcoat appeared, and like the Pied Piper, people followed him. This is the usual end of a gig by Reverend and the Makers. An open-air sing-song.
Jon McClure wanted a platform to sing from. He found it by sitting on the railings outside Santander Bank, opposite the Horse and Jockey pub. For 15 minutes he sang classic songs, beginning with a tribute to Dolly Parton by singing Jolene and finishing with Elvis’ Caught in a Trap. This topped off a great night. One of those nights you’ll remember, one of those gigs where songs will be stuck in your head for days.
Strange thing was, I wasn’t supposed to be at this gig. I was at the Llangollen Fringe capturing all the artists there, but I got there too early and was running out of steam. Got some great photos, especially Wearewired, The Afterparty, The Welcome Party amongst others. I was supposed to be there all evening, but a quick message to Kev at the Rockin Chair changed that. I was homeward bound to recharge my batteries, human and camera, and made it for the doors at 7pm.
It was at this point I noticed the lack of equipment. Oh, it’s acoustic. Had I made a mistake? Should I have stayed in Llangollen?
Now one thing I know about Reverend and the Makers is they have a loyal fan base. And it seems a lot of them come from Wrexham. The whole front row seemed to know the words to every song, even the new ones. Debuting some songs from the new album “Is This How Happiness Feels?” was a no-brainer. This was an album launch night brought to Wrexham by Jacaranda Records.
They opened with Heatwave in the Cold North, followed by Haircut, before Heavyweight Champion of the World and it immediately lifted the room to a new level.
What followed was a really good mix of Reverend and the Makers across the years. Some old, some new, some slow, and plenty that had people singing along from the first line.
Songs like Long Long Time, Shine the Light, A Letter to My 21 Year Old Self, Late Night Phone Call, Twenty Seven Past Midnight and Open Your Window all showed different sides of the band, while Fucked Up and Sex With the Ex brought that familiar Reverend and the Makers edge.
The thing that really stood out, though, was the atmosphere.
For what was essentially an acoustic set, it had more energy than plenty of full-band gigs I’ve been to. Jon McClure knows exactly how to work a room. He talks to the crowd, gets people involved, tells funny stories and makes the whole thing feel like everyone is part of it rather than just watching from a distance.
There were quieter moments, there were big singalongs, and there was that constant feeling that the crowd were right there with him.
Then came Silence Is Talking to finish.
And that was the moment the whole place really went for it.
Everyone was bouncing, singing, and suddenly this acoustic gig felt anything but acoustic. It was a brilliant way to end the night. But as we know, it wasn’t the end. We then had Jon’s traditional open-air busk.
I was expecting a stripped-back Reverend and the Makers set.
What I got was one of the liveliest acoustic gigs I’ve been to.