JOHN Otway drew a sell-out crowd to the Basement bar when he played last Thursday.

Otway has built a career on the back of the faintly silly Really Free, which found its way into the Top 40 in 1977. Dogged and laughing at himself as “Rock and roll’s greatest failure”, he has slogged away for almost 40 years, gaining a hardcore and loyal following for his peculiar brand of English humour.

His singing is not melodious, his playing isn’t liquid, but Otway’s humour and delivery are charming.

Otway uses several outrageous props to keep his show moving: a two-headed guitar which bends in the middle; a set of small electronic drum pads that he inserts into his pockets and then slaps himself to create a chaotic percussion; and a Theremin that emits ridiculous noises during one song. Problems with the sound were laughed off as being the fault of his mostly silent sidekick and roadie, known as Deadly. Although several songs are delivered straight, Otway’s act relies on humour and silliness, but the audience loves it.

Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive, sung in the style of Bob Dylan, was genuinely funny, and an audience join-in with a daft, question-riddled version of The House Of The Rising Sun was another excellent moment. Some fans see Otway many times, claiming that the show is always different. While this reviewer found the daftness a bit adolescent at times, and won’t be back for multiple gigs, Otway’s rapport with the audience is excellent and he is a genuine musical eccentric. Chances are he’ll be back, still mining that hit for all he’s

Review by Miles Salter