1000 Tiny Birds

Philip Selway (+Dilettante, The Outlines)

Thekla, 2023-05-19

I’ve been to see some form of Radiohead related live concert pretty much every non-Covid year since 2012 (2015 being the one exception, a real drought), so it’s wonderful to add another year onto that with Philip Selway playing in Bristol, making it the most convenient gig so far. Backed by Chris Vatalaro on drums and Adrian Utley on everything else, Selway is here supporting his latest album Strange Dance - both the record and this live performance demonstrate the growth he’s had as a solo artist in the last decade. On stage, he’s a warm, affable, quietly humble performer, exuding genuine gratitude for the audience’s presence and support. He plays most of the album along with a few older cuts, the dense arrangements of the album surviving quite well the transition to the live space. It feels quite special, intimate, in a way. Dilettante are the proper support act, all 6 Day Riot/Tuneyards inspired, but winning enough to convince me to buy the record and to have two songs stuck in my head the next morning. The Outlines are a… well, I suppose bonus support act, but - and I take no pleasure in this - also quite possibly the worst band I’ve ever seen live. A real shame.