大象传媒

When I first saw this gig listed as being in Spring & Airbrake I thought it would have to relocate to somewhere bigger due to ticket sales. Sadly there was the complete opposite effect, the venue was only half-filled to see Kanye West protege Mr. Hudson.

The first support act was Cara Cowan, accompanied by her band and a few eccentric instruments. Cowan got the assembling crowd foot-tapping, with a solid set of tunes. At one point there was a technical hitch, where Cowan could only stand and stare quizzically at the sound man. A fine job nonetheless.

Next up were Rams' Pocket Radio. The band caught everyone off guard with an absolutely brilliant set. I got the impression that like me most audience members were going to search them out as soon as they got home. A very exciting, creative band - definitely on my list to catch again at some point in the near future.

Now onto the main act. At this point I should point out, I'm a huge Hudson fan! The fact that I could see one of my favorite acts in such an intimate venue was a great prospect. I must also point out that my support Mr. Hudson started when he released the 2007 album with Mr. Hudson & The Library, entitled A Tale Of Two Cities. The acoustic/ piano sound is a far cry from Mr. Hudson's "solo" album Straight No Chaser. The new album has a far more hip hop sound, and is clearly influenced by Kanye West. It features a host of names from the rap world (including Jay-Z and Kid Cudi). Whilst songs such as Supernova have had extensive radio and club play, the album has failed to set the world alight.

The poor turnout didn't seem to bother Mr. Hudson, who came on to title track of the new album. The crowd sang along to a deafening pitch, making up for the empty spaces in the venue. I was looking forward to a range of songs from the Tale Of Two Cities album. Such songs as Ask The DJ and Covergirl were shoe-ins, I presumed. New track Anyone But Him went down well with the Belfast audience, the high energy feel kept everyone on their toes throughout. The man looked flawless, and was vocally superb throughout. Slower songs got just as positive a reaction, with Stiff Upper Lip going down a treat.

At this stage however, it was clear that songs from the Tale Of Two Cities album wouldn't feature. Still, as a devout fan there was enough here to ensure satisfaction. At one point Mr. Hudson got that close that it would have been rude not to touch him, I managed to get a bit of thigh - much to the dismay of a jealous woman beside me.

The band accompanying Hudson were top notch, using an array of contemporary instruments and showing boundless energy and creativity. Indeed at the end of the gig they got as big a cheer as Mr. Hudson. Anyone at the gig because they'd heard his songs on radio were in for a treat as the show was closed with Supernova and Young Forever. Mass sing-a-longs ensued and the small crowd sounded their appreciation as the peroxide haired Brummie and his band left the stage. As a fan I enjoyed the gig immensely, and also as a fan I hope the next time I see Mr H it's not so intimate (i.e. I mean hopefully there's not more people - this wasn't a reference to my thigh touching)...

Words: Shane Todd
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