Dexys I

From May 2012

This time last year if someone had told me that Kevin Rowland would, after a gap of 27 years, release a fourth Dexys album I would have considered that they were playing a cruel (& ill-judged) joke. If they had told me that the album would be the best thing that Kevin Rowland had ever recorded I would have assumed that relater of this 'news' had partaken of industrial strength drugs.

And so last night to Glasgow's Cottiers Theatre where, after a gap of 27 years, Kevin Rowland with a 10-piece band presented the fourth Dexys album One Day I'm Going To Soar. I'd need to listen to it one more time but I think that it probably is the best thing that he has ever recorded, superior even to ... gulp ... 1985's Don't Stand Me Down.

Rowland promised theatrical and we got theatrical, indeed theatrical bordering on religious. As ever his lyrics are the very definition of passionate - 'I want to be the man of my dreams', the songs with Madeleine Hyland are an unmitigated  joy and how wonderful to see Big Jim Paterson back on stage tromboning with the gusto of a man half his age. The last three numbers Anywhere Is Home, Free & It's OK John Joe sound like Dexys classics already and not even the 'merry banter' of a Glasgow audience could spoil the occasion.

I could go on but all I'll say is thank you Kevin for all the good times; it continues to be a privilege to be part of your new soul vision.