Last minute shows can always be a bit mental, but when they work, they work spectacularly. Cormac Neeson (vocalist of The Answer) was in one of those situations, finding himself opening the evening at The Black Heart in Camden supporting his solo release, White Feather. A short 25-minute acoustic set opening for young up and coming rockers Keylock and Mason Hill.
The North Irishman was in good steed and being shortlisted for album on the year in his home Country, excitement was definitely in the air. Despite the low-key, late announcement, the rarely seen queue to get up the stairs is leading halfway down the bar to get in which is always fantastic to see, and the battle to get through the crowd to the front to try and get our images was a surprising challenge, but good none the less for the artist.
Cormac tells the story behind a few songs in the set, some share laughter, others much more sombre. The emotion he invokes through song is not lost on anyone, and the performance is as enthralling as it is on the big stage with his main band, even if only just accompanied by a single guitarist. The set highlight is something special, ‘Broken Wing’, as Cormac opens up on the fight in which his son has been winning all his life. With the battles he has gone through, and the smile he still has each day, it really is the perfect summation of the man, the album, the set, and evening all in its one line “beautifully perfect, perfectly beautiful”. You can’t really get better than that.
