Tyler Ballgame, Glasgow review: 'glorious melodrama'
Tyler Ballgame wove all over the throwback pop map at this Glasgow show, writes Fiona Shepherd, sometimes in the course of one song
Tyler Ballgame, King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow ★★★★
The sun was finally out and the perfect soundtrack just rolled into town in the ample shape of Tyler Ballgame, a man who looks like a Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie but sings like a grievous angel. Before discovering his lane, somewhere around the intersection of southern soul, cosmic country and 70s MOR, he was plain old LA-based musician Tyler Perry; now he can unveil a new song, Star Power, and attract assenting comments from his audience. “He’s definitely got it,” remarked one satisfied customer.
He warmed up with some mellow soul and light falsetto before demonstrating what he can really do with his voice on Sing How I Feel. This was the song where things fell into place for Ballgame and it remains a glorious, Roy Orbisonesque melodrama. Ballgame wove all over the throwback pop map, sometimes in the course of one song. Down So Bad sounded like a 50s ballad fitted with 70s southern rock backing. Rootsy rocker Matter of Taste recalled The Band, with Ballgame styling out his hoarser moments. That’s going to happen when you put demands on your larynx such as singing entire songs in a sweet high tenor register or reaching for a Robert Plant-like orgasmic gasp.
Ballgame has found a local mutual appreciation connection in Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch with whom he has written the tender, almost hymnal Let You Down. In contrast, his other new song, the aforementioned Star Power, was a ragtime-meets-show tune theatrical scat.
But he really hit his sweet spot as an unlikely and somewhat humble love balladeer, accessing his inner Christine McVie on bare piano ballad Nothing Goes Away, testifying beautifully on I Believe In Love and seducing with the ragged soul of For The First Time, Again before encouraging an encore singalong to the eternally overwrought Badfinger/Nilssen classic Without You, hamming it right up with his band in his happy place.
The Scotsman’s arts newsletter is now sent twice a week - subscribe today
Want the latest Scottish headlines sent directly to your phone? Sign up to our new WhatsApp channel here
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.