Live

Curtis Harding: Electric Brixton, London 25/3/22

Curtis Harding has long been on the list of artists I was hoping to see live. Last year's "If Words Were Flowers" demonstrated his evolution since 2017's excellent "Face Your Fear" album, and showed he belongs at the top table on the soul scene.

There's a very retro feel to his set at Electric Brixton in South London, with his sunglasses and flares spiriting the crowd right back to one of the genre's golden eras in the early 70s.

The comparisons don't end there, with the set opening with the last album's title track, a sprawling song encapsulating artists like Stevie Wonder, The O'Jays and even Isaac Hayes at the height of their powers.

But it'd be wrong to class the 42-year-old from Michigan as a throwback artist, with his work over the years drawing in elements of hip-hop, R&B and gospel, all with a psychedelic edge. That was all on show during his impressive 90-minute set, the close surrounding perfect for the crowd to immerse themselves in his lengthy catalogue.

"Welcome To My World" drew the audience into the creative melting pot, while "Can't Hide It" had an appealing energy and "Freedom" was delivered with passion and class. The band were on point, with Harding often ditching his guitar to focus on his characteristic from-the-soul vocals with an impressive range.

"Face Your Fear" was among the highlights of a top-quality set, while "Wednesday Morning Atonement" sounded epic in the close quarters of the London venue. With so much energy and versatility, Harding is an artist whose records merit repeated listens, and the complex work translates brilliantly to the stage.

PHOTOS: DAVE BURKE
Words Dave Burke