Liz Green + Brickwork Lizards

Saturday night’s gig at the Jericho kicked off with a set from Hound Reels, performing as a solo act. He is a bit like lower pitched version of Anthony and the Johnsons, or Johnny Cash without the grizzle. The music definitely suited the mood, with the mellow but intriguing music drawing in the people who had made it out. It was a cold night, and a bloody freezing room. At least there was tasty mulled wine to banish the chill. The combination of factors made for a very good night.

Main support came from Brickwork Lizards, who have been on the Oxford scene for a couple of years, and have really found their niche. They opened up with ‘Sahara’, a song with a really good Arabic vibe, which moved quickly into a cowboy two step. Particular highlights were lead singer Tarik Beshir’s fantastic falsetto wail. The other highlight of the set was ‘Way back when’, when rapper Tomahawk appeared, and the audience were treated to a muted trumpet and a real jazz club vibe. If there is one major problem with the band it is that they keep playing between songs, when the crowd would rather give them their deserved applause. Nevertheless, there was, by now a fantastic atmosphere in the pub.

Liz Green opened her set by moving off the stage and into the floor to say hi to those who had moved to the front. Her a capella opener was some pretty powerful stuff and certainly got the people at the back to shut up. Liz combines an earnest and cutesy banter with some pretty dark lyrics. Exhibit A: Liz smiles sweetly and mumbles ‘yep, death…’ Cue laughs from the crowd. Or perhaps it’s the Toy Story references when she starts talking about ‘The Claw’. Liz was on tour, and justifiably knackered (‘I literally have nothing left to give’). Nonetheless she was really enjoying being onstage, and beamed from ear to ear.

Perhaps the highlight of the night was ‘The ballad of Joe and Oko’, a tragicomedy about a bird-headed man, his wife and the twelve sons they buried after war broke out. Standing next to the sound desk, the slight white noise didn’t detract from the set, sounding like the crackle of an LP. All in all a bit of a weird set, but nonetheless a great night.

Ross Wittenham (DI Reviewer), 12/12/11

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