John Bramwell (I am Kloot,) Biddulph

Am a big fan of I am Kloot and have seen them live lots of times but was lucky to see John Bramwell play a really small intimate solo gig at The Biddulph Arms in Biddulph, Staffordshire. I Am Kloot’s John Bramwell is a master songwriter  and his gig is an evening of beautiful  songs of regret & lament and then hysterical laughter ...have to say his in between song 'chat' is so entertaining & funny, between songs, he entertains with stories and jokes, drinks his pint and raises a toast to the crowd: “Cheers Everybody”......stories and brilliant songs sung from the heart. He sang two sets with beer break in between drawing on I Am Kloot material old and new and  Lots of songs about the sky and the stars.

“It's been different this evening and I will certainly not forget it,” quips John Bramwell during a solo acoustic show beset with technical difficulties....The I Am Kloot frontman returns with a new guitar and a rather ramshackle performance, full of wit and passion. Bramwell, along with Paul Heaton, Neil Hannon and Billy Bragg, is one of our most finest lyricists. The 49-year-old specialises in bruised, ale-stained laments that deal in sorrow, regret and (particularly) the UK climate. His generous set is ideally suited to the tempest outside.

“Is there a storm coming or are we just another shower,” sings John Bramwell, in his deliciously cracked voice, on the apt “Storm Warning”. It's a highlight tonight along with the menacing “Twist” (“There was a time when we were filled with laughter/ Haplessly hoping happy ever after/ Did we string up a heart, let it swing from the rafters/ And bleed”) and the McCartney-esque “Some Better Day” from Kloot's latest world weary album, Let It All In.

At one point Bramwell jokes that we probably miss his band. A little bit, but the singer's drollery, astringent lyrics and exquisite voice pull us through'. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/john-bramwell-gig-review-9126572.html

'A solo John Bramwell gig is more than just a musical experience, it’s pure comedy gold rolled in as well..... and ultimately over two hours of some of the finest songs of a generation'.....

....'The last two I Am Kloot albums and supporting tours have been supplemented musically by strings, brass, keyboards and other additional musicians, but John performing the songs solo strips them right back to their core. His rough edged voice is perfect for tales of drinking and disaster, love and loss, all with that dark foreboding feeling running through them.   Whilst he’s not what you would describe as a classic singer, his vocals are a perfect fit for the stories because it makes you feel like he’s lived through every word of them and in the absence of the adornments of the band format, it casts them into stark reality.' review from http://louderthanwar.com/john-bramwell-hebden-bridge-trades-club-live-review/ but the words apply to the gig at Biddulph.