The Argus: Brighton Festival Thumb“Almost every band you see is rehearsed,” drawled Howe Gelb. “You don’t need to see another one.”

The Giant Sand frontman was doing himself a disservice. He and his four-piece are probably as tight as any musicians around.

Yet Thursday’s show by the Arizona alt-country legend was bemusing and frustrating.

It had nothing to do with the music. Gelb’s droll, skewed blend of blues, country and garage rock was in parts stunning. Imagine Merle Haggard singing Lou Reed with Tom Waits thrown in.

Yet the concert – far from sold out – was often derailed by Gelb’s shambolic and unfocused stage presence.

That was shown early on as he mumbled into one of the three mics set up in front of him, his face hidden under a stetson.

After moans from the audience, it was sorted with Gelb saying to the soundman “We’re not in Spain or Italy – they want to hear the lyrics.”

True enough – particularly on the fine songs from new album Blurry Blue Mountain.

Gelb switched from guitar on great rockers Field Of Green and Brand New Swamp to piano on weary ballads Chunk Of Coal, Lucky Star Love and Time Flies. And there was a nice duet with Aussie singer Sarah Blasko on Love A Loser.

It has taken Gelb 30 years just to become a minor cult figure, so there should have been a sense of occasion at being asked to be a Festival headliner.

But Gelb didn’t seize the moment. Howe very odd.