Lost In Music - Mark Lanegan Band, Institute, Birmingham

You're album's riding the crest of a critical wave that already suggests 'Blues Funeral' will be recognised as one of the best of the year and demand for tickets for tonight's show has been strong enough to see the gig upgraded to the main room at the HMV Institute and yet as Mark Lanegan follows his band onstage he seems to wince in embarrassment at the roar that greets him.

Curious behaviour from a seasoned performer.  No acknowledgment to the crowd by word or deed, not even a pause to bask in the moment.  Yet this is a man with seven solo albums to his name stretching back to 1990.  And that's not even considering the plethora of collaborations, side projects and guest vocalist recordings and gigs to his name.

As has been well documented, until fairly recently, Lanegan operated in something of an 'altered state'.  James Dean Bradfield has claimed that despite having done an entire US tour together, Lanegan did not speak to him once during the course of their weeks in close proximity!

Now despite the bedraggled appearance Lanegan is clean and yet still his onstage persona is that of a man who would rather be someplace, anyplace else.

Hanging off the mike stand staring intently at a spot on the stage about a yard to his right - his default setting between songs - you almost wonder if he can go through with this.  By a cruel irony we have come to see a man seemingly crippled by nerves.

Then the magic starts.  As the band kick into 'Can't Come Down' Lanegan opens his mouth and out comes THAT voice.  That husky, death rattle barritone that seems to at once, envelope and threaten the listener.  And we know why we are here.

After a warmly received 'Gravedigger's Song' and the pleasant surprise that was 'Sleep With Me' from Here Comes That Weird Chill, by the time Lanegan's band kick into 'Hit The City' it's clear they have found their stride. In particular Guitarist Steven Janssens, who does a passable impression of Richard Hawley trying out for the Bad Seeds. Quiff, cowboy boots and a suit so sharp it's a wonder he didn't cut himself putting it on.

Good as Janssens looks - and he is the one band member prepared to throw a few shapes and provide a counterpoint to their bandleader - it's unfair to dwell on that.  Like the rest of the band he's obviously an accomplished player, who for the most part nails it, although on a couple of occasions perhaps over-playing the solo's.

Such is the strength of the new material that putting new songs 'Gray Goes Black' and 'St Louis Elegy' back to back mid-set seems perfect.  The latter featuring the great couplet 'If tears were liquor, I'd have drunk myself sick'.

Uber Lanegan watchers would no doubt have been pleased to get 'Crawlspace' a track from the final Screaming Trees recordings, but the highlight of the main set for me was 'Creeping Coastline of Lights' reprised from Lanegan's rather overlooked 'I'll Take Care Of You' covers album.

Despite the occasional back catalogue treat, the band finish off with a remarkable take on 'Ode To Sad Disco'.  Just when you thought you knew the old gravedigger, he goes all krautrock on us.  Well OK, not quite, but a breath of fresh air and an almost defiant knocking down of expectations.

The Mark Lanegan you can dance to!

Postscript.  Amazingly, after barely getting through introductions to the band and a mumbled 'thanks for coming' as he walked off stage, we are told that in 5 minutes time Mark will be at the merchandising desk to meet fans.  Apparently it's a regular thing from a man full of surprises.