Thomas Ford and Head of Programmes-16/04/12 Jack Chams, Plymouth.
It's the first night of the tour. A tour that, if tonight is anything to go on will be a resounding success. Beginning their short stint on the road, Thomas ford (AKA Simon Langsford) And Head of Programmes (AKA Jim MacGregor) grace their hometown with a short but sweet evening of soulful folksy music that leaves the small bar in what seems like stunned silence. Talking to Jim after the show, I ask him if he found that that impossibly quiet room made him feel awkward- surprisingly but correctly he seemed to take it as a compliment and tells me that he felt more comfortable playing to a room that was focused on the music, an understandable but unusual reaction from a musician. I'm sure we've all heard; "[Insert venue name here] MAKE SOME NOISE FOR ME!!!!" Countless times.
Thomas Ford's performance is, as it always is, captivating and intriguing. For anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of hearing this chaps singing voice, you may be surprised, in a Joss Stone, “Who’s voice did you steal” way. It’s not often in the depths of Devon that you hear a broad Delta blues accent, with melodies to match too. There is far more to Ford’s music than his voice; with just a few guitars, a harmonica, a voice muffler and a stompbox; he is a one man band but with more sincerity and style than most of his genre.
Jim MacGregor of Head of Programmes also astonishes with his voice. The band sometimes comprises of as many as 6 members, but the transition from full band to soloist with guitar fits a lot better into the night and venue and nothing is lost with the cut down.
These two acts are must-sees for real music fans, regardless of genre preferences, the show they put on is above all that. Just another example of the amazing music coming out of Devon these days.
Imogen Bird