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.
