Live review: Jon Gomm @ LEAF 26/3/15

Live review: Jon Gomm

Date: Thursday 26th March 2015

Venue: LEAF on Bold St

Reviewer: Alicia Rose – Nerve Magazine

Jon Gomm

Upon talking with Jon Gomm, (if you were ever to get the opportunity) you would have an instantaneous realisation of having a very real connection with this fellow, in a common appreciation of the fact that the man clearly grows in character and strength from a vast past of what could (allegedly) be described as pain and angst – as have we all perhaps?

However, we have not all progressed through a birth right skill such as this man. Definitively blessed with the ability, dexterity and talent to play a guitar as if it were a full band of musicians, with a voice to match the sheer heart of this collective, you cannot help but be interested in what he has to, not only say, but sing about too.

His recent live performance at Leaf on Bold Street was nothing less than a superior evening spent in great company, on a comfortably humane level of humbleness and honesty, with the icing on the proverbial cake being that Gomm is actually a true genius of musical note.

After picking up a ukulele at the very tender age of two, to transitioning onto guitar, to then following his musical appreciative father to all the ‘blues’ clubs and venues in and around Blackpool from the age of 10, to turning down a place at Oxford University, to go study at the Guitar Institute in London, to tirelessly touring all the best ‘small independent’ venues from the UK to Brazil to Europe, to anywhere that pops up on the Gommometer Musical Adventures, to affectedly being tweeted about by no other than bigwig social media fanatic Stephen Fry, to landing on Liverpool’s very own Leaf Tea Shop stage (under the umbrella of Liverpool Acoustic key organiser/booking guru Graham Holland), to absolutely ‘wowing’ everyone.

Nothing less than a whopping roller coaster ride, it really was a delight to hear not only his original creations but also his scintillating takes on Kate Bush, Chaka Khan and Bob Marley, with the latter ‘Waiting in Vain’ being his ‘audience participation’ party piece to close the show.’

There possibly now is no more waiting in vain for Gomm, as his future career looks set to continue to glitter.

His third studio album, ‘Secrets Nobody Keeps’, helping drive him forward with the world now at his bare feet (a noted view of his naked toes on stage as he plays without socks or shoes), and the fact that he also quite happily involves everyone in his skill by giving an unpretentious ‘lesson in guitar playing’ during his captivating set. This is an artist that should be on everyone’s ‘to see live’ list.

Turn off the TV and the radio, and go venture to see the whiz kid brilliance that is Jon Gomm.

You can find out everything you want to know about him via his website jongomm.com and follow his journey on twitter @jongomm

Review © 2015 Alicia Rose – Nerve Magazine

Originally published at catalystmedia.org.uk and republished with kind permission

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Live review: Jon Gomm @ LEAF 26/3/15