{"id":891,"date":"2015-07-07T15:49:59","date_gmt":"2015-07-07T15:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eitc.elvisintheclouds.co.uk\/eitc\/?p=891"},"modified":"2015-11-03T13:28:23","modified_gmt":"2015-11-03T13:28:23","slug":"guest-review-hugh-cornwell-toronto-canada-28th-june-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eitc.elvisintheclouds.co.uk\/eitc\/guest-review-hugh-cornwell-toronto-canada-28th-june-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Review – Hugh Cornwell – Horseshoe Tavern – Toronto Canada 28th June 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gig Review – Hugh Cornwell – Horseshoe Tavern – Toronto Canada 28th June 2015<\/h1>\n

Maria Meli brings us this report:-<\/em><\/p>\n

The Return of Hugh Cornwell<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Hugh<\/a><\/p>\n

Hugh Cornwell has dabbled in biochemistry, acting, writing and dated various women, but his main and longest-term love is music. He returned to Toronto on June 28th<\/sup> to share that love. It was the second time in 18 months he was here, this time performing at The Horseshoe Tavern, where he also played when he was in The Stranglers. (The Horseshoe<\/a> is a live music institution. First christened for performances at the end of 1947, the venue has hosted both Canadian and international acts over this time such as, Willie Nelson, Stompin’ Tom Connors, The Tragically Hip, The Blues Brothers, Talking Heads, Ramones, Danko Jones and The Rolling Stones.<\/em>) On both tours, he would start with a song from his 2012 CD Totem and Taboo<\/strong> and move to a Stranglers\u2019 song and alternate T&T with Stranglers tunes.<\/p>\n

\"Hugh<\/a><\/p>\n

He took the stage at 10:00 pm with Steve Fishman, his North American regular touring bassist since 2009, along with Seve Sheldon, the drummer from indie band, The Wild Ones, amidst cheers from the crowd. They kick-started the night with \u201cTotem and Taboo\u201d the title track and first song from his latest CD. It was a good choice as it has an interesting rhythmic arrangement and a punch that gets one\u2019s attention. Cornwell was on fine form and in excellent spirits as he rotated between old and new songs. Among the new, he included, \u201cStuck in Daily Mail Land,\u201d \u201cGod Guns and Gays,\u201d \u201cI Want One of Those,\u201d and \u201cA Street Called Carroll,\u201d the last three songs influenced by his stays in the USA. Carroll Street actually exists in Los Angeles and Americans still worship at the feet of great and powerful Consumerism. The American way of life is rife with religious fundamentalism, the right to bear arms versus the violence caused by guns, and gay rights. Cornwell was in the moment as he closed his eyes and at times enunciated dramatically as he almost forced the words out of his mouth. He also played his ode to the other half of humanity, \u201cGod is a Woman.\u201d Missing from his set was \u201cLove Me Slender,\u201d another pervasive ideal from across the Atlantic about the infatuation with being thin.<\/p>\n

\"Hugh<\/a><\/p>\n

In keeping with his buoyant mood, he delighted the audience with several upbeat Stranglers\u2019 earworms, such as, \u201cSkin Deep,\u201d \u201cGrip,\u201d and \u201cStraighten Out.\u201d He may have been nostalgic, since he included songs about his ex-girlfriends \u2013 \u201cDuchess,\u201d \u201cStrange Little Girl,\u201d and debatably, \u201cGolden Brown,\u201d on which he handled the guitar solo quite well. He did have requests fired at him, and at one point, he asked calmly, \u201cDo you mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cornwell was in a playful mood. Early on, before beginning a Stranglers\u2019 song, he teased the crowd by telling them the next song was \u201cNo More Heroes,\u201d then he and the band launched into \u201cDagenham Dave\u201d instead. He bantered with audience members. After about four songs in, he asked people seated at the back of the club, if they were comfortable and whether he should order any food for them. He shared the tidbit that people in Scotland call him Shug (a diminutive for Hugh). A couple of songs later, he commented on the cold and rain the city was experiencing and how lately, it always seems to rain in Toronto during the Pride celebrations. Kayvon, a British ex-patriot, called out that he had brought the bad weather. Cornwell replied, \u201cI brought it? I just came from Califor-nae-ay. It\u2019s 100 degrees there and sunny.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Hugh<\/a><\/p>\n

He was sporting a new drummer, who he said had come on with short notice (due to the untimely passing of Darius Minwalla). He asked the gathering whether Seve Sheldon reminded them of Animal from the Muppets. (He actually bears more than a passing resemblance to the frenetic drummer from the Muppet band, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.) Sheldon, along with his wiry-haired, enthusiastic head banging and constant smile while keeping time, has talent. He learned a catalogue of songs in a short time, played them well and with gusto, and memorized the order, as there were no set lists taped to the floor.<\/p>\n

Further evidence that the Cornwell of yore has resurged was his trademark lyric altering, which he did with \u201cPeaches.\u201d He asked, \u201cIs she trying to get out of Toronto?\u201d and he could think of worse places to be, like Mississauga, a nod to a boring city, almost a suburb on the western edge of Toronto.<\/p>\n