Wednesday 16/01/08 Stephen Fretwell @ Night and Day, Manchester

Night and day has a buzz about it tonight unlike anything Gigwise has witnessed here before, the crowd transported from packed out bar where straws are required to drink into one of those hyperbolic Carlsberg adverts, suddenly it seems to everyone that this city centre bar is probably the best place in the world. This is a return to the roost for Stephen Fretwell in some respects, Night and Day been the place where he showcased his songs to the (much fewer) fans he had back then, before debut Magpie and a firm word of mouth following got tongues wagging and whispers that Manchester (Gigwise chooses to forget he was born in S****horpe) may just have produced another true great songwriter.

Though the word modest seems to crop up in everything you hear about Fretwell, it becomes apparent that it should instead read songwriter. His gracious hello as he walks on stage and short thanks after each song become unimportant as he takes hold of his guitar, looking instantly at home. His voice cracks as he runs through tracks from latest album Man On The Roof, as those not in the know suddenly realize why they’ve heard Fretwell’s name mentioned in the vein of Cohen and, dare we say it, Dylan. It’s clear that Stephen’s songs are his life, images of desolate bed sits and broken hearts become our tribulations as each song fills the room, and Fretwell’s shy demeanor retreats with each flick of his wrist or wry smile as the crowd cheer pretty much anything he does.

Fretwell eventually manages to avoid all the limelight by introducing his band (including members of Elbow), and after introducing some ‘old ones’ from debut Magpie, notably a haunting Run and the anthemic Emily, they finish and depart with a strident Coney, leaving Stephen alone and slightly bemused as someone shouts ‘New York,’ and he just can’t seem to refuse.

As he finishes with an affectionate ‘Bad Bad You, Bad Bad Me’ and a thank you to the audience for being “lovely”, you can’t help feel that we should be the thankful ones.

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