Rocky Votolato

Tuesday 16th June. The Islington. Rocky Votolato. It’s a balmy Tuesday night in Islington as we venture off to a new venue to see the always excellent Rocky Votolato.

The Islington is a trendy pub selling craft beer with a room to the side for the bands. We catch most of the set by Uncle Luc and he’s really rather good.

After the recent rock outs with Black Mountain, Strand of Oaks, Lee Bains and Drivin and Cryin its back down to earth with Rocky Votolato. We have seen him several times and he has produced some fine albums down the years although it’s been nearly three since we last saw him.

After a hiatus of a year or so Rocky is back with a new album Hospital Handshakes on the fine Glitterhouse label and is produced by Chris Walla formerly of Death Cab for Cutie.

He’s ditched the band in Europe and it’s just him and his acoustic guitar. I’ve written before about the pure beauty of one man and his guitar and he keeps the audience rapt for over an hour. The music just envelopes you like a warm comfort blanket wrapped in a marshmallow overcoat.

The quality of songs shine through and the new stuff holds its own against some old classics. It’s a night full of highlights but the partisan crowd singing along to the whole of Suicide Medicine provides the necessary goose pimple moment.

A class act who deserves more attention.