Gaz Coombes - Showing us he still has the it factor

****1/2

Smoking Supergrass in the sun in Grenwich

Gaz Coombes ****1/2 is a Singer / Songwriter from Oxford, best known for his huge sideburns and his music with his band Brit-Pop sensations Supergrass. Gaz has had three solo records 'Here comes the Bombs, Matador' and 'World's strongest Man', the latest of them 'World's strongest Man' hitting the highest album chart position he has got at No.12. Today it's nice to hear songs from each of these album, with the title tracks of two of them being two of the highlights of his performance.

If you have been following Gaz Coombes in recent times, then you must have heard his new single 'Salamander' (If you havn't you can see a lyric video at the bottom of this page). This song is slightly more rawkus in places than other songs he has released, and shows off that he has really evolved as a singer vocally. I think it shows he has got a very 60's inspired tone to his vocal patterns, while keeping a hint of the distinctive vocals he had in Supergrass. This song is something a little different, and I think we move him forward to a new audience.

He starts off his set with the title track of the new record 'World's strongest Man', early song 'Hot Fruit'... 'Buffalo' off his second album and the great new single 'Salamander'. Gaz sways back and forth, nodding his head, as he blasts out really strong vocals. He really still has some power in his voice, which makes these songs have new life on the live stage. They sound better than they have ever have done before, and from the start of his set... he is really impressing me.

Like Thom Yorke, Gaz Coombes really is one of the triumphs from the Oxford Indie / Brit-Pop scene, and is a singer I don't think will go away and will just get bigger as he progress in his journey through music. It's a shame that he has left 'White Noise' off 'Matador', out of his set today. I think this is a very good song, and am surprised he has chosen not to include it. But Gaz fans were not left disappointed, he has so many great songs from 'Deep Pockets, Needle's Eye, Walk the Walk' and 'Detriot' which all don't disapoint today.

I really like the song 'Detriot', the storytelling is great and it really brings something to Gaz's set. I have to say his performance really was 'Alright', and he didn't even play any of the Supergrass hits. This shows he really has confidence in his solo material, and by seeing his performance today, I know why... he is a great songwriter and has not lost anything from when he first hit the public eye back in the Brit-Pop era.

Gaz Coombes - Setlist
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World's Strongest Man
Hot Fruit
Buffalo
Salamander
Wounded Egos
The Girl who fell to Earth
Deep Pockets
Walk the Walk
Needle's Eye
The Oaks
Detroit
Matador

Review and Photo's by Luca Viola

Check Out! the lyric Video for 'Salamander' Below...