Beans on Toast Jay McAllister, The Crescent, York: review

Photos by Christopher David

Beans on Toast: The Crescent, York, Tuesday, November 19, 2024

IN celebration of the imminent release of his 17th album, Wild Goose Chasers, Essex-born cult folk figure Jay McAllister takes to the stage under his pseudonym Beans On Toast to a near-capacity audience at The Crescent, York as part of his current UK tour. Touring and performing is what Beans on Toast does best, plying his trade in intimate, community-led venues and singing of positivity and hope. As an artist, Beans on Toast has released a new album every year since 2009, testament to the tenacity and popularity of this beloved hippie-uncle character.

Opening this evening’s set with new release Faith in the Moon, this quirky artist instantly generates a raucous, feel-good energy which prevails throughout the evening. His style and persona and musical offering are well-known to his committed fan base and tonight he performs songs from his new album, mixing these with his more popular work which had everyone singing and swaying. This artist’s signature textured, and honest vocals draws the audience in as he shares endearing views on the lighter side of life as well as presenting some sharp political insight.

The music of Beans on Toast could be described as classic uplifting folk, and tonight he declares that he is going to ‘play some hymns’ from his new album. He shares his joy of performing live and announces York and The Crescent as among his favourite cities and venues in the land. Beans on Toast invites a spontaneous rousing chorus of ‘Yorkshire, Yorkshire’ and then explains that the new album was recorded at night while remaining unclear as to whether this was a cost-cutting exercise or a romantic approach to his craft. He further shared his love of the region with a moving story about the community surrounding The Golden Lion at Todmorden, a place so special to him that he names a song after it.

Beans on Toast at The Crescent

This evening Beans on Toast plays the challenging yet timeless The War on War, the poignant folk ballad Send Me a Bird with its focus on death and grief and the wonderful and poetic Boring Dystopia. Bearing his vulnerabilities, he sensitively introduces The Dragicorn as inspired by his five-year old daughter and her childhood imagination with its lyrics about playtime, the challenges of fatherhood and simply playing dragons and unicorns together.

The simplicity of these hippie protest songs by Beans on Toast are impactful. He sings ‘Life won’t be wasted on me’ and ‘I believe in a world worth saving’ as declarations to working hard, taking chances and holding the value of the small things in life. Whilst the songs this evening are full of heart-warming hymn-like melodies, they also contain some challenging narrative. The authenticity and warmth, underpinned by his trademark gritty vocal style, sees Beans on Toast as optimistic with an unwavering belief in the power of humanity, a belief he is determined to share with The Crescent this evening.

A wonderful evening of music and a message of what a collective agenda of kindness can bring.