All photos by Omar Kasrawi
On a cold Tuesday night, most of New York was bracing for the winter storm that never really materialized. You know the drill – firing up the heater, salting the sidewalk, stocking up on essentials – the usual. But a packed Mercury Lounge found warmth from the whipping winds in two beautiful solo sets by Gaz Coombes (of Supergrass fame) and Ayron Jones.
First up was Jones, hailing from Seattle, and armed with just his acoustic guitar and soulful vocals. Jones is that rare musician who can fill the room with just those two tools. His sound is steeped in blues and classic rock with plenty of funk and boogie sparkled in. It was truly one of the most beautiful sets I’ve come across in recent memory.
One man making you never lament the absence of any other musicians to build him up, because he’s already fully constructed as a musician. At times when he began strumming like a madman, I had to remind myself I wasn’t watching a sped-up video. Yes, the man’s fingers can move that fast. Â But it’s his voice where Jones truly shines. I can see him fronting a plethora of different styles and never missing a beat, but on this night I was glad to hear his Zeppelin (fitting considering he played the Led Zeppelin tribute at Carnegie Hall the following night) meets delta blues sound come out. Â I don’t what it is about Seattle at the moment but it’s putting out some of the best new music out there – from bands like Thunderpussy, the Fame Riot, and more. And now I can gladly add Ayron Jones’ name to that list.
Then it was Gaz Coombes’ turn. The former frontman of Supergrass is known for his iconic mutton chops and the amazing Brit-pop rocks tunes of that now-defunct quarter. Coombes was performing a solo set, just him and his plethora of guitars and keyboard, in advance of the release of his upcoming album ‘World’s Strongest Man’, which is due out in May of this year.
Right off the bat, you notice his voice – the kind that needs no studio production or effects. I’m not sure I’ve heard Coombes’ sound more potent or confident in his vocal talents that I did on this night. You could’ve stripped away the instrumentation and his voice would’ve permeated every molecule of the Mercury Lounge.
Coombes was also feeling the love from a tightly packed crowd. A crowd that was running a comical commentary on the show in between songs and constantly wishing him a happy upcoming birthday. Coombes’ interplay with his fans was brief but witty as he never let a call-out go unanswered. He played from his portfolio of stripped-down solo tracks, much to the crowd’s delight, and ended the night on Supergrass favorite ‘Moving’. When he bust that one out, he could’ve stopped singing and let the audience take over.
Find photos from both sets posted below, as well as live videos and Coombes’ setlist.
Ayron Jones:
Gaz Coombes:
Gaz Coombes Setlist:
1. Oscillate
2. Hot Fruit
3. White Noise
4. Buffalo
5. Shit (I’ve Done It Again)
6. These Days
7. Deep Pockets
8. Oxygen Mask
9. Seven Walls
10. The Girl Who Feel To Earth
11. 20/20
12. Detroit
13. The Oaks
14. Matador
15. Moving (Supergrass song)
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