With a signature Brit wit as dry as dinosaur bones, Richard Thompson described his “folk-rock power trio” as kind of a cross between the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Peter, Paul & Mary. The quip was good for a laugh, but it became readily apparent that his Tampa Theatre performance on Friday night tilted well toward the Hendrixian.
Thompson is no Hendrix acolyte, but his set featured jaw-dropping feats of guitartistry on Fender Strat, with nary a gentle strum to be heard. And when he did strap on an acoustic for a couple of songs mid-set, he spooled out deft fingerpicking and elaborate jazz chords on the foxtrotting “Al Bowlly’s in Heaven.” In all, the show was way, way more rock than folk.
Guitar fiends could hardly have spent a better hour-and-a-half. With a well-oiled combo comprising a drummer and bassist, Thompson pulled from his extensive catalog of tunes dating back to the 1970s. Curiously situated more than half way back on the stage — he said it had to do with proximity to the monitors — and wearing his trademark beret, Thompson and company barreled out of blocks with rockers “Man in Need,” “Sally B,” “Haul Me Up” and “Hard on Me.” The latter featured an extended closing solo so rife with guitar-hero intensity that most in the crowd leapt out of their seats at song’s end.
But Thompson’s playing was not just about six-string heroics. Performing multiple solos on every song — some short, some long — he proved a master at mixing up stylistic approaches, be it countrified twang, staccato runs, slippery arpeggios or high-register wailing. Thompson is one of the few modern guitar virtuosos to fully explore the instrument’s lower register, which added consistent drama to his improvisations.
With all the wizardry emanating from his hands, it was at times easy to overlook the man’s consummate songcraft and penetrating soul-moan of a voice, the ideal instrument to ruminate on the bleaker side of love. But when he emerged for the first encore, alone with an acoustic, and launched into the exquisite Celt-folk of “1952 Vincent Black Lightning,” it was abundantly clear that Richard Thompson is the whole package.
The Tampa Bay duo of Steve Robinson and Ed Woltil opened the show with a sublimely melodic set of acoustic pop. They were joined by Aaron Kant, who played just a snare drum, mostly with brushes, providing a nuanced rhythmic backdrop. Both veteran artists possess formidable tenor voices — which coalesce in lovely harmonies — and are still writing at a peak level. On stage, they mentioned having recorded a collaborative CD. Looking forward to that one.
This article appears in Feb 2-8, 2012.