[originally appeared in Shindig! issue #139]

ROBYN HITCHCOCK, KELLEY STOLTZ

Neptune Theatre, Seattle

Friday 16^th March

Robyn Hitchcock’s career has outlasted many other acts from the North American “college radio” indie music scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s. This longevity is attributable not only to his brilliant songwriting, mixing whimsical wordplay with moments of genuine poignancy and a keen psych-pop sensibility, but also to his frequent collaborations with other artists.

The value that Hitchcock places on collaboration was demonstrated by his choice of bandmates for this 2023 US tour. Bart Davenport, Kelley Stoltz and Kurt Bloch all have extensive resumés of their own impressive work, but their willingness to be in Hitchcock’s band demonstrates the reverence that fellow musicians hold for him.

The tour kicked off on a balmy early spring evening in Seattle: a city that Hitchcock loves and that loves him back, as shown by the amiable and welcoming audience that filled the venerable Neptune Theatre. Stoltz opened the evening with a solo turn, aided by Davenport on guitar. Stoltz characterized his songs as akin to Bob Ross painting “fluffy little clouds” in comparison to Hitchcock’s being “fuckin’ Van Gogh”, but he was being too modest. From the gentle musings of ‘Your Name Escapes Me’ (from his 2022 album The Stylist) and ‘Are You My Love’ to the trippy ‘Pyramid Of Time’, Stoltz displayed his gift for crafting straightforward yet powerful lyrics and appealingly catchy melodies.

After a brief intermission, Hitchcock performed three solo acoustic numbers, with Emma Swift adding pristine harmony vocals on ‘Glass Hotel’. Then the full band joined in, with Stoltz on drums, Davenport on bass, and Bloch on guitar. They rocked through a decades-spanning set ranging from The Soft Boys’ ‘Queen of Eyes’ and ‘I Wanna Destroy You’ to the title track from 2022’s Shufflemania! Any first-night nerves were likely counteracted by the enthusiastic reception from the audience, especially for highlights such as the Seattle-centric ‘Viva! SeaTac’ (Bloch played on the original recording), the guitar shredding on ‘Madonna of the Wasps’, and the uber-funky extended jams on the encore closer, ‘Grooving On A Inner Plane’. The prolific Hitchcock has yet another album, the all-instrumental Life After Infinity, coming out this spring; clearly, we can look forward to his taking us on many more musical adventures.