Monday 07/07/03 Tommy Stimson, Jesse Malin @ Academy 2, Liverpool

As a founding member of cult American heroes The Replacements, and a subsequent job of bass duties for the "only Axl remains" version of Guns n Roses, Tommy Stimson has been going there and doing that for 20 rock and roll years. Right now he has been thrust centre stage with just a guitar and his songs and the harsh white spotlights that support bands often get treated to. Starting tentatively, it appears that Tommy isn't too sure how his set will go down. As the crowd grows and the applause gets louder he soon shrugs off any doubts and really begins to enjoy himself. He's got a rich voice and a set of songs that come from the rockier end of the folk spectrum. Ultimately, he's got what is often most important in a solo artist - stage presence. When he switches to electric guitar at the end of his set, everything is suddenly in the right place and he leaves the crowd wanting more.

Who do you think about when people mention New York? Scorcese? Gershwin? Woody Allen? The Ramones? Well pretty soon you might be adding Jesse Malin to this list. He's fast becoming the hardest working rock and roller on the block. This is his third gig in Liverpool so far this year; there are many local bands who don't play that often. He's doing it the old fashioned way - building a following. It seems to be working too, as there seemed to be a fair few die-hards in the audience. Fans of Ryan Adams will be familiar with Jesse; both from his support slot on Ryan's last tour, and his Adams produced debut album The Fine Art of Self Destruction. We get the majority of the album tonight, some excellent new songs and a couple of covers for good measure. Jesse's songs cover the usual subjects - growing up, love and loss. Musically he mixes classic rock song writing with a pop-punk sensibility. Imagine Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen getting together with Joe Strummer and Johnny Thunders and your coming somewhere close.

What really make Jesse stand out are his fantastic lyrics. He's got some of the sharpest rhyming couplets that you're likely to hear, and his imagery is second to none. These are expertly crafted songs and if you've only heard his album, wait until you hear the new stuff - Silver Manhattan is a classic in waiting. Songs alone do not make a great gig and Jesse's ease with the audience make this a special gig. Like Tommy Stimson, Jesse served his time in the 90s as singer with the punk inspired D Generation and he breaks up his set with stories both from his time on the road and of his life in general. These stories are becoming popular in their own right and he kept getting requests for The Kiss Story all night. Expect the spoken word album sometime soon. Don't miss Jesse next time he tours - it won't be long if his current schedule is anything to go by.

Photos by Sakura Henderson :: sakura@gigwise.com