I’d bet that if you asked a bunch of random people to name a David Gray song, pretty much all of them will say, “Babylon”.
Perhaps many will struggle to name any more. But those in the know, will surely say, “There is a lot more to David Gray than that one big hit”. They’d be correct.
But…that big hit, “Babylon” is a finely crafted song that will live on forever – a magnificent piece of song writing and a real show-stopping vocal performance.
Currently on a UK tour, David and his ace five-piece band called in to the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton last night (Thursday 8th May) for a faultless concert of David’s work.
Including songs from his smash hit album “White Ladder” and a dive into much of his 13-strong back catalogue of album releases, including his excellent current LP, “Dear Life” which dropped in January this year.
He released his debut album in 1993, “A Century Ends”, but his career sky rocketed with the re-release of his 1998 album “White Ladder” – which was initially put out on his own label – and the boost of smash hit single “Babylon”, the timeless track taken from it.
“White Ladder” was the first of three # 1 albums in six years in the UK, where it was the fifth best-selling album of the 2000s. It was the 10th best-selling album of the 21st century in the UK. He reached the top 20 in the US chart with five consecutive albums.
The 56-year-old born in Cheshire and brought up in Wales, eventually going to Liverpool school of art, has had four BRIT award nominations.
In Wolverhampton the all-seated venue was full, as is the case pretty much of the whole tour, which closes with two nights at London’s iconic Palladium tonight (9th May) and Saturday (10th).
The tour was down the road at Symphony Hall, Birmingham back in April, another sold out show and feedback suggests it was a great night of quality music, as is the case for the show here.
His tour kicked off in March in Portsmouth for 17 UK and Ireland dates including the Royal Albert Hall on 3rd April, and dates were added due to demand, including this show and the Palladium. After a stint in Europe it kicked back off in Ireland on 1st May for seven more dates.
He is back for four shows in August; in Edinburgh, Killarney (2 shows) and Belfast. Then jets off to Dubai and Australia.
The set list offers up circa 25 songs, with “Babylon” held back to almost the end of the set. He does deliver lovely versions of his other best known songs, “This Year’s Love”, “Please Forgive Me” and “Sail Away”, which are all well received.
There is a good chunk of his new material from the latest album. It is of equal quality to what has gone before.
“Dear Life” was years in the making says David, and it is an album of “emotional crisis and resolution, mortality and faith, reality and illusion, love and heartbreak, magic, science, loss and acceptance.” Featuring 13 new songs [with an additional two tracks included on the CD and LP formats.]
By his own admission, it is his “most lyrical record”, made in close collaboration with producer Ben de Vries. It features vocals from David’s musician daughter Florence Gray on several songs, and a punchy duet with rising star Talia Rae – the classy support act on this tour – on the first single, taken from the alum, “Plus & Minus.”
It is easy to see why huge stars from Adele to Hozier to Ed Sheeran have acknowledged Gray’s profound impact and influence. David said about “Dear Life: “I’m feeling very joyful about the act of making and sharing this music – and privileged to be doing so. I don’t know what people will make of it.
“But I have the same hopes and dreams whenever I release a record – that if you try and do something special, then maybe something magical will happen in return.”
Ask his loyal fans, including those in Wolverhampton at the Civic Hall gig, and they’d probably agree that something magical happens every night when David Peter Gray steps onto the stage, the lights go up and he sings his heart and soul out.
- There was a real magical moment in the encore: a marriage proposal with a young couple on stage…Ahhhh.
East London-based Essex born singer and songwriter Talia Rae is one to watch…A former Sylvia Young Theatre School student, Talia’s soulful voice and quality self-penned songs are turning heads at just 21-years-old. Her name mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Olivia Dean and Adele.
This magazine caught her live at Latitude festival last summer and also tipped her for success in our annual end of year round-up feature.
The young artist included a 2024 single, “Rocket Woman” in her set, which was produced by Mike Spencer who has worked with Ed Sheeran, Labrinth and Kylie Minogue.
The track was Talia’s second release, follow up to “Not A heartbreak”.
Keep an eye on this talented young lady…
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