Rory Graham, more commonly known as Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, is brilliantly contradictory.
By melding modern UK hip-hop with his soulful, bluesy voice, he has created a sound that’s unique and capable of being forward-thinking and nostalgic at the same time.
Originally from Scotland he has lived in Brighton for years, and many of the audience members knew him personally, either as casual acquaintances or as collaborators.
As he took to the stage and recounted how long he had wanted to play a solo show at the Concorde, name-dropping local hip-hop crew Rum Committee, a heartfelt roar of appreciation emerged from the packed crowd.
He has been releasing prolifically in the last couple of years, and it was his recent songs that dominated the evening’s set list. Lay Me Down got the audience crooning along.
Confident and with a full band, Rag ‘N’ Bone Man put on a beautiful show.
He looked comfortable on stage and his between-song patter felt natural, leading into more familiar tunes.
His voice was remarkable live; warm and deep.
It was clear his influences were unusually varied, with dalliances into metal, jazz and pop alongside his hip-hop beats and blues melodies.
This was an accomplished performance by an exceptional singer.
Four stars
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