Last updated 05:17, Friday, 28 November 2008

Carlisle Blues Festival – Ian SiegalIan Siegal showed us two aspects of his huge blues talent. On Saturday evening he was in strident mood for his opening number ‘Revelator’.

He sneered and stropped straight into a blazing electric set. With a voice that can out-gravel Tom Waits and an attitude to scare the most belligerent drunk, he seemed at first a little distracted though his vocal and guitar skills were pristine perfect. Siegal’s heart is in the soulful blues heartland of the USA. For a gut-wrenching acapella number he lowered his grinding voice threateningly at the microphone and the room fell silent, spellbound while he poured bittersweet passion into the large crowd. It sent a shiver up the spine and raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

Strong jokes that sail close to anyone’s idea of tasteful left us in no doubt as to his feelings about several contentious topics. Margaret Thatcher got a bashing for taking away his milk allowance at primary school and thus causing him to adopt a penchant for Jack Daniels.

When he sidled into the key of E it heralded a fearsome-clever amble through some ad-libbing that touched on some well-known guitar riffs. He is a very exciting and powerful performer.

Siegal was back with us to give an emotional acoustic set on Sunday afternoon. This was a mellow performance of depth and passion. He showed that he can not only hit the air hard with slamming guitar and harsh voice, but can also keep an audience in the palm of his hand with quieter, soulful, country-style blues numbers he has written himself which could, should, make him as well-known as any of the big names such as Kris Kristofferson or Guy Clark.

Ian Siegal has his own flavour of singing, playing and writing that is up there with the best bluesmen in the world.

FI EXON