I wasn't planning to go to a gig on Saturday night, and until around 5pm, the name of Serious Sam Barrett had never crossed into my plane of existence.
But you know how it is. 'Come and meet these really interesting people in Islington'. So I did. And it turned into a good old-fashioned pub crawl. Four pubs later we arrived in The Wenlock Arms, a pub five minutes off the City Road. And apparently an authentic older-style proper London pub. Loads of Real Ales - though as I didn't try any of them I can't comment (and this isn't a food and drink blog) but not a hint of gastropub or theme. The place could haver been as it was for forty years. A local pub for local people, though don't get me wrong - entirely welcoming.
And 'tonight' according to the blackboard we were promised Serious Sam Barrett. OK, I'd lost the desire to move by then. I wondered if Serious might by a Jack Dee-style comedian or similar, but guessed that was probably wrong when a guy started making with amps etc. And it's not like I was having to pay to find out more, so I sat and waited.
And the pub began to change. The locals shuffled off and it took on an almost hipster quality. Too many hats and too much facial hair.
And on came Serious Sam.
I struggle a little bit to fit him into a musical genre. Some of the reviews I've seen of him since say he's a skiffle musician, but I don't think that's quite right. I would have said bluegrass with a Woodie Guthrie style to it. The first couple of songs seemed vaguely familiar (but I was only vaguely listening) but then I started to take notice.
This guy was playing some cool finger-picking and slide 12 string guitar. Joined for a few numbers by a local mouth-organ player by the name of Tony Rowlett. Sam has a good voice - bit of a Northern Twang I thought. Didn't know any of the songs, though I later found out that this is for the very good reason that they are his own. But really positive life-affirming stories, proper rock/country stuff - folk but in the American sense. Two sets - maybe 45 minutes each and note a duff note anywhere. And the hipsters loved it.
I spoke a little to Serious Sam at the end. And he was quite serious actually. A Leeds guy who gigs a lot, but clearly loved that pub, and playing with Tony was a special thing for him. Just a genuinely nice bloke making his kind of music. I bought his latest CD, which is called 'Any Road' and have played it a few times since - it's a type of music I didn't own that much of, and am pleased to be rectifying that.
When you go out to see a particular artist it comes with all sorts of expectation. And, as I love the live music experience, I am not disappointed very often. But when you stumble across something good and entirely unexpected that is somehow even better - zero expectation so such a positive feeling when it turns out to be good.
If you see him advertised when out and about - I'd say pop in and be thoroughly entertained. You can find some of his stuff on Youtube and he has a Bandcamp page here. He posts his gig schedules on Twitter @serioussam1980
Well worth a listen and (dare I say it) Serious-ly good.
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