Ginger Pixie Jams: An Evening with Dick Valentine (Electric Six)

I'm back this month with more Ginger Pixie Jams coming your way starting with Dick Valentine!

Last Bank Holiday Monday I headed to Global Cafe in Reading to see a gig promoted by a friend, Alec, that Dick Valentine of Electric Six was performing at and lets just say, I was impressed.

After support acts from Sam Hazel and Massive Horse the Electric Six frontman from Detroit, Michigan performed an acoustic set of Electric Six hits and songs from his own solo albums. I'm going to hold my hands up and say going into the gig I didn't know what to expect having only ever heard some of E6's big hits such as Gay Bar and Danger! High Voltage but the minute Dick Valentine started playing I knew that this was going to be something special.

First of all I think it's great that someone of his prestige and time spent within the music industry is still willing to come and play relatively small gigs such as this was but still give a performance with the same passion and to the same standard as bigger gigs. What also struck me is that Dick Valentine is a man of incredible charisma and his passion for performing definitely comes through in the way that he plays and sings. He's an awesome guitarist, far better than I could ever wish to be after 6 years of playing guitar myself and what I find most intriguing about him is his unique vocal ability that was obviously more pronounced and powerful in this acoustic gig. The way he delivers a song in his powerful, gravelly tone is something that I really enjoy and almost harks back to the Dylan era that you don't hear so often these days in the mainstream male artists of today. It also became evident in his performances of songs such as Destroy the Children and I Don't Speak French that lyrically he is a very educated man and can drive a particular message home but also be very witty at the same time. Dick Valentine also did a cover of Toto's Africa that I personally would stress was better than the original and had many of the audience singing along. All round the gig was faultless and I've come away with a new musician to love and albums to buy!

Finally I would just like to wrap up by saying what I think made the night so special was simply, the man himself. The fact that the gig was so intimate was great to take in the music but what made an impact on me most importantly was that Dick Valentine was just so humble and happy to be there. His interaction with the audience during the gig made it enjoyable but it's very rare with celebrity culture these days that a musician will take the time to speak to everyone personally before and after the gig, whilst drinking with the audience at the bar and thanking everyone for being there but he did that. As well as being talented he was just extremely down to earth and I think that resonated with everyone. Without a doubt I definitely hope that isn't the last time I see him.