Jon Gomm

WF One sits unassumingly just down the road from the bullring, and plays host to free acoustic afternoons on a Saturday. Today's turn is taken by Jon Gomm, Leeds guitar virtuoso.

The small, cosy bar has a few people in here who are obviously Gomm's fans, by the way they react to his skilful guitar tapping without having a jaw-dropping moment, and by the number of requests they ask for.



Jon says that he is in a fragile state today, but I bet everyone present wishes they could play this well when running on empty! Starting with the slow 'Temporary' with its detuning / retuning melody (Gomm turns the tuning keys as a main part of the basis of the tune) it's high quality guitar tapping, scratching, bending, all along to Jon's slightly nasally voice and some catchy melodies about love, past memories and the meaning of life as told by a Rasta on a train ('What's Left For You')Â…

'Waterfall' actually sounds like a cascade of water droplets coming through the amp, 'Gloria' is about a past love and brings in a little electric guitar and fuzz (the only time Gomm uses pedals is to change his battered old guitar "Wilma" into an electric goddess and to sample overlapping taps on her body for a layered drum beat on the fantastic 'Hey Child'). 'Afterglow' (about shagging!) is a funky yet calm tune and 'Stupid Blues' is the song that got me into the Gomm, a bluesy incredible mix of tapping, strumming octopus-style guitar!

Gomm has a few stories to tell in his double set, the most memorable being of Thomas Leeb's (phenomenal guitar tapper from Austria) great, great (etcetera) grandfather who was on the first expedition and found Africa, only to find a hungry cannibalistic tribe who would let him live if he could dance to their complicated drum beats... The story is made up but a nice comic relief from Gomm who shows many talents as a solo performer. There's also the tale of Texas Scorn, one of Gomm's past country bands who had song titles like 'He Drinks Tequila While She Talks Dirty In Spanish'!



Non album track 'Everything' includes parts of The Real Thing's 'You To Me Are Everything' and I believe Kate Bush's 'Hounds Of Love', and end the first part of this two hour show. Gomm has to let his fingers have a rest I reckon!

The requests of Gomm's standout version of Bob Marley's 'Wait In Vain' and Radiohead's 'High and Dry' are always a way to win new fans and are a great end to the set but it's Jon's songs that are ways for him to unleash his skills. The addition of Paul Simon's 'Diamonds On The Soles Of His Shoes' is just one of the new songs (many from new album 'Don't Panic') that Jon now includes in his set.

He leaves time to promote free acoustic shows in Wakefield, namely at the WF One bar. He has set the musical bar really high; I will be around to check out more strumming next time with these high standards!

Temporary
Waterfall
Gloria
Afterglow
What's Left For You
Stupid Blues
Everything

Topeka
Hey Child
Rescue Song
Wait In Vain
Diamonds On The Soles Of His Shoes
High And Dry

FUTURE GIGS