Live Performance Review: Iron & Wine (Solo Acoustic), Sunday 16.11.2014 19:30, Adelphi Theatre, London 

When I first heard of these current dates from Iron & Wine (Mr. Sam Beam), I decided not to go as had already seen him touring the latest album at the Barbican in London in May 2013. Then when waiting for my mate Ross at Waverly Train station in Edinburgh on the 2nd of July for traveling to London to see Monty Python at the O2, I saw in an advert in 'Uncut' magazine that it was going to be a Solo Acoustic show, which he has not done for a good number of years. 

When I started to listen to Mr. Beam, it was after the 2nd album, 'Our Endless Numbered Days' (2004) and by the time gigs came around for the 3rd album, 'The Shepherd's Dog' (2007) he had began working with other musicians live and on record. Although he has done brief Solo Acoustic sections in two of the three previous performances I have seen him do, I have always wanted to see him do a Solo Acoustic gig, so once I realised this is what was being proposed, I saw to getting a ticket that day. 

At the gig, there was a support slot, where someone called Jesca Hoop performed. Most of it was not to my tastes, though some of the 'newer' stuff she did was far better. She then joined Sam on stage in his slot to do one of hers and one of his as well as songs they have been working on together, which happily have the quality of usual Sam works. 

Sam's performance was quite remarkable. He started off by performing a slightly adjusted (in terms of tempo) version of Trapeze Swinger, which was the song he did in encore when I first saw him perform in 2007 at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh. Now as then, I find this a very beautiful piece, causing chills and water in the eye. He then went on to do a fantastic variety of pieces from across his back catalog. 

After the first song, Sam started to ask what people wanted to hear, and returned to asking this regularly throughout the set, at the end of the gig he referred to this as having been an Iron & Wine Buffet. It was clear he had some songs in mind that he intended to perform, though it was also clear that he was genuinely taking requests. There were times where he would give his best shot at songs he has clearly not performed for some years and there were occasional gaps in his memory, all adding to the charm of the evening. In terms of attire and manner, this was very much the relaxed Sam, with a great line in banter with the audience, at one point asking the audience to close their eyes and imagine a naked Winston Churchill astride a unicorn that has to face of Margaret Thatcher. 'Naked As We Came' was requested and performed. Before beginning the song Sam said that he knew not all of the guys in the audience would be fans of his. He knew some where there because their girlfriends like him. For those guys he said that this is the one song that tends to get people going. Endearing gentle little chat-nuggets.

It was also very refreshing to hear one of your favorite artistes comment upon how awesome (while also adding he was not exactly sure what he meant by this) it is to travel halfway across the planet to perform in a room where you have literally thousands of people giving the reception that they do, and to have 'significant' numbers of these people passionately shouting out for their various favorites to be performed.  

My mate Ross reminded me at the end of last week to get my request prepared, recalling that at the Barbican last year, it was my request 'Naked As We Came' that he played (Solo Acoustic) as the encore. During the gig, someone shouted out for 'Lion's Mane', which I have heard him do before, he said he would do it, then came my request for 'Jesus, The Mexican Boy', which got performed instead. I could not have been happier. The audience appeared to be as enthusiastic as I was, giving appreciation that bordered on reverence. Utter silence while songs performed and then rapturous applause. To be at this performance was (again) a privilege.

Rating: (Easily) 10/10.