Michael Kiwanuka at the Troubadour London

Just got back from the Michael Kiwanuka gig at the Troubadour.  I love this guy and you know I was excited to see him because I went out on a Monday night, to a standing room only venue, with what I'm quite certain is a broken toe (but that is another post.)

I doubt if all the Troubadours are owned by the same people, but pretty much everyone I have ever been to from London to LA has been the same, dive bar (or faux dive bar) with amazing sound.  The London Troubadour feels a bit more authentic than most.  The kind of place where you expect to see up and coming artists, so it's something special when you get to see some like MK when they're already established.  There were probably no more than 100 people there this evening.

He tried out some new songs, some old ones from his debut album, Home Again, and a really old one which he said was the first song he ever wrote that was good enough to have someone else hear.  As always the music came with some conversation and a few anecdotes about the songs.  One thing was pretty obvious - he is not one of those over produced musicians whom sound completely different live than they do recorded. Totally worth it, although I am not looking forward to the 6:55am wake up call to get ready for school.  Nor, sadly, what is likely to be a 4:00am "feed me" from the small one.