David Gray kicked off the most recent leg of his “Mutineers” tour on Boston’s waterfront last Friday. Where past tours began with a bang and some sizzle, Gray quietly strolled to the upright piano and slowly eased into the opener, “Birds of the High Artic.”
The six piece band: cello, background vocalist, guitar, bass, synthesizer, guitar (from left to right) was jammed tightly around the drum riser leaving both sides of the wide stage bare. Gray in blue jeans and a blue button down looked relaxed and his voice sounded well rested. “Birds” which built from a vocal and piano track into a symphony of sound benefited from a spot on mix allowing the audience to enjoy the five-part harmonies over the intricate musical arrangements.
For an artist like Gray who has released six original studio albums since his breakthrough 1998’s White Ladder, the dilemma remains how to promote the new music while keeping the audience’s undivided attention. Friday, Gray addressed the issue straight on with the first five numbers strung from Mutineers.” The ballad-esque, “As the Crow Flies” didn’t quite connect, and the title track eventually found the audience fully engaged after a slow start. Despite the lack of familiarity of the material, Gray’s performance was always enthusiastic. Like a wire Gumby doll with a bobble head, Gray’s limbs jerk independently while his head seemingly swivels 360 degrees. The visual is as mesmerizing as it is entertaining. In the past Gray has adopted the tortured artist persona but Friday night he was all smiles and fist pumps. “Beautiful Agony” began the agony of restless (and inebriated) audience members yelling song requests.
Gray has opened past tours in Boston, possibly picked for its proximity to his home country of Britain, but Massachusetts has also strongly supported Gray and Friday’s sold out performance was no different. The fan’s overall patience with the new material was rewarded when Gray did a low-fi, reworked vocal intro into “My Oh My.” “Kathleen” followed with all of the beautiful piano detail of the original recording. The inclusion of the cello in the band made for a unique dynamic, adding a symphonic quality to the band’s full sound, as evidenced on the crowd pleasing “Alibi”. After the brief interlude of “hits” Gray reverted to four more new tracks with the alt-country “Snow In Vegas” being dedicated to his wife. The syncopated vocal of “Girl Like You” didn’t seem to fit but Gray’s ukulele and the band’s five-part harmony on “Last Summer” had the right seasonal feel but was more of an album track then a highlight.
The fact the audience remained not just attentive but supportive of the new material is a testament to Mutineer’s strength. Nonetheless, both band and audience seemed to be waiting for the moment when the percolating set would boil over. “This Years Love” with Gray nuancing the vocals and the deep cut “Shine” set the stage for lift off. But the obligatory, “Babylon” complete with sing along and “Please Forgive Me” sounded forced, while sandwiched in-between was the re-arranged, deep blues groove, of “Silver Lining” complete with accordion infused, spiritual sounding coda.
Playing ten tracks from Mutineers and the obligatory “hits” necessitated certain Gray standout compositions to by-passed in their entirety. But to Gray’s credit by adding a new twist to some of his old standards he kept both the diehards and the casual fans feeling satisfied.
