Adelaide International Guitar Festival

Adelaide International Guitar Festival: Guthrie Govan

“I’ve never heard such unbridled enthusiasm for such a lack-lustre key”. So said Guthrie Govan last night, after threatening to do several songs in G minor!

This cheeky humour is all part of Govan’s charm, which he wove seamlessly into an amazing set of guitar virtuosity, in front of a sold-out house of admirers.

images-1“I’ve never heard such unbridled enthusiasm for such a lack-lustre key”. So said Guthrie Govan last night, after threatening to do several songs in G minor!

This cheeky humour is all part of Govan’s charm, which he wove seamlessly into an amazing set of guitar virtuosity, in front of a sold-out house of admirers.

Like many people, I hadn’t heard of Govan before this year. He is well-known amongst the guitaring community, having won Guitarist magazine’s “Guitarist of the Year” in 1993. He plays with various outfits, such as The Aristocrats, Asia and GPS. He is also a highly respected teacher, working at several colleges and regularly running clinics. Part of his trip to this festival was a master-class,

Govan opened his set with “Sevens”, moving on through “Bad Asteroid” “Fives” and the song which won him Guitarist of the Year, “Wonderful, Slippery Thing”. Many of his pieces began with precise, melodic, jazz-like licks and then suddenly moved into shredding rock. They are almost symphonic in structure, refusing to be held in one genre or mood. His technique is mind-blowing, and this, combined with his obvious passion and the aforementioned humour, made for a platinu- grade gig.

I particularly enjoyed “Rhode Island Shred”, which was his fond homage to the “red-neck guitarists” of the country music scene. He followed this with “Hangover”, a song which he says was written to make the audience feel as sick as he does after a “night of Bacchanalian excess”, although for last night’s gig, he renamed it “Jet Lag”! His set finished with “Waves” and “Erotic Cakes”, which is also the name under which he often plays.

Govan is no light-weight, pub muso. He is not for the faint-hearted or those who want to dance. He is a musician’s musician. As a lover of fine guitar work, I was captivated and converted. I must also give a thumbs-up to the excellent drummer and bassist who supported Govan, but whose names I missed. Sorry guys!

Check out his YouTube clips, and keep an eye out for his return to Adelaide, which I predict will be soon.

There were certainly no lack-lustre keys last night!

Reviewed by Tracey Korsten

Saturday 19 July

Dunstan Playhouse

https://www.facebook.com/GuthrieGovanOfficial

http://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/guitar-festival/

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