Robyn H at The Portland Arms
I sometimes feel that all I do is write about Robyn Hitchcock, though a quick look through my back pages shows that I have in fact been displaying admirable restraint and that he hasn't actually darkened the doors of this here blog since the Spring of 2023. Time for a catch-up then.
Last Wednesday I did a 136 mile round trip to The Portland Arms in Cambridge to see Robyn and his superb pick-up band tear through a swathe of songs from his catalogue (plus a few covers), many of which were written within walking distance of the venue in the 1970s & 80s. He took a moment before opening the show, '...I first played at the Portland Arms 52 years ago...and looking round the audience, I see some familiar faces...' I got home a little after midnight, managing around 3½ hours sleep before my 4am alarm roused me for work.
The following evening's jaunt was a mere 80 mile round trip to see Robyn again in Ipswich, this time without a full band. He kicked things off with a magnificent 'Ghost Ship', a long time favourite of your humble author, and was ten songs into the set before we got a repeat from the Cambridge show. The gig ran a little late and I arrived home around midnight once again, zonking out until rudely awakened by that pesky 4am alarm. Needless to say, Friday at work was a bit of a struggle, but completely worth it. Emma Swift opened for Robyn on both nights and was absolutely stunning.
4 years ago, I was among the audience in Norwich for the debut public performance of 'I Am This Thing', the song that opens Robyn's latest LP 'The Confuser'. It's become a staple in his sets these days, whatever the onstage configuration, and contains the particularly lovely lines - '...I grew out of somebody else, she wore a wedding ring, and when I decompose I will be part of everything...'
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