St. Paul and The Broken Bones

Like the sorely missed Civil Wars, St. Paul and the Broken Bones is in that glorious category of acts which explode into life when you see them live. Sometimes, gigs feel like little more than a recreation of an album, but here dancing, and acting is key. I was absolutely entranced when I saw this seven piece soul band from Birmingham, Alabama at the Dot to Dot Festival in May, despite their short set. Yet this time was even more absorbing thanks to the fuller venue. Last night, as drinkers joined cerebral types like me, there was no lack of enthusiasm or dancing. In the US, their album Half the City reached number three in the iTunes chart, and they've had significant television exposure. Happily, it appears that recognition on this side of the Atlantic is starting to catch up. Comparisons with Alabama Shakes are obvious: Half the City was produced by the keyboard player from that band, Ben Tanner, and recorded in Muscle Shoals. Both bands are absolutely scintillating live, whilst a charismatic female front person in Brittany Howard is exchanged for a male star. Paul Janeway is evidence of the folly of judging people by appearance. Wearing a formal lounge suit, he refrains from alcohol, and claims to prefer an evening in watching Netflix to going out. But far from being reserved, his voice has immense range, being stretched as he croons. The real surprise is his dancing: Paul's a charismatic figure, constantly coming to the edge of the stage, and physically engaging with the audience. The show was incredibly energising, and with increased experience performing in larger venues in America, the band has become louder and tighter, opening with an exciting instrumental number to ratchet up the tension before Paul came onto stage. In the unlikely case you're not mesmerised by his antics, there's plenty of other action to watch with a band consisting of trombone and trumpet players, organ, guitars and Andrew Lee's powerful drumming. With only one album, the hour long main set was expanded with covers, notably their inspiration Otis Redding's I've Been Loving You Too Much. These Alabama natives play retro soul: like Israel Nash, they look to the past for inspiration, yet these sounds are deeply ingrained in their Southern culture. and flow from the heart. The world is exceptionally fortunate that Paul Janeway didn't pursue his calling to become a Pentecostal preacher. Yet, watching him whip the audience into a frenzy suggests that he's channelling this passion to a different and wider audience. Indeed, in an interview he admitted: 'Singing or preaching, it's the same kind of thing... It's very much like church to me', Of course, music can be spiritual, whether or not it references religious subjects. Paul learnt to sing in the church, and the band is so steeped in the deep south's evangelical tradition that it's impossible not to absorb the frenzied enthusiasm. I can relate to the friend who drove for seven hours to see St. Paul and the Broken Bones in New Mexico recently; and feel so fortunate to been at the front, amidst the joyful atmosphere created by these rising stars.

(Relates to the Friday, 3rd February 2017 show at London's O2 Forum)

I've seen St. Paul and The Broken Bones at every single public appearance they've ever made in London. Including a show I caught them at in Atlanta in 2014, I've seen them 8 times in 33 months.

The band is one of the best live bands I've ever heard play in over 20 years of going to live gigs. Their rhythm section is one of the tightest, most dynamic in the world and their keyboard player is nothing short of a magician. Anyone interested in this band will have heard of frontman Paul Janeway's powerful singing and on-stange antics which is a large of the band's trademark live performance brand - the flopping on the floor, the climbing on the speakers, the crawling under the drum stand, the spinning and twirling all while delivering his trademark, Stax/Fame-style howl. All of these were present and on full display at this latest London performance...

What was missing, however, was the spontaneity and the urgency of those early shows. Paul's dancing, ad-libs and swagger had a rehearsed, cocky feel about them. The thank-yous and the call for more cheers felt perfunctory rather than genuine or born of the moment.

Having toured heavily off of the back of just one 12-track album, I don't blame them for playing very little material off of it so as to showcase songs from their new album released in November, "Sea of Noise". The irony of this is that, in my opinion, the songs from their debut album sounded better and translated better to a live performance whereas the new material has a much slicker recorded sound and *is* catchy but felt staid to me performed live. The band were as tight and energetic as ever but the live performance leant no greater power or depth to their new songs whereas whole new dimensions are opened - still to this day - when they play the songs from their first record.

It's been a pleasure and a joy to watch the venues and the crowds grow every time I've seen this band and to watch their popularity grow as well. Don't we all want bands we love - particularly bands we've loved "from the beginning" to do well?

At every previous St. Paul and The Broken Bones show I've been to, I've always thought to myself "I could watch these guys play every night" but this time I was genuinely bored. I'd seen all the tricks and gimmicks and heard all of the lines. I don't expect artists to reinvent themselves for every tour or album but I expect a bit more than following a very limited script which is what this show felt like for me.

In summary, if you've never seen St. Paul and The Broken Bones before and you are a fan new or old, then I highly recommend going to see them. They are a treat and a treasure. But if you've seen them before, give this tour a miss; based on my most recent experience, you won't see anything exciting or new.

September 3rd 2014. St Paul and the Broken Bones, Electric Ballroom. It’s an eagerly anticipated gig tonight and five of us who saw them support Jason Isbell in May are back. I would guess that not many others in the audience tonight were here for their support slot as their star has risen rapidly in the past few months without overtaking them and then suffering from the usual massive over hype. As a result of our rave reviews in May it’s a big group tonight with Anne, Mr Head, Big Al, Gav’s boss joining me, John, Graham, the Burgess brothers and Birds Eye Andy. It’s the Electric Ballroom tonight in Camden and I have yet to see a bad gig there. It’s a good size room and the sound is always spot on. Like last night they are a new band promoting their one album that is filled with classic 60s soul tunes that you felt you have known all of your life. The band enter to huge cheers and led by the excellent Browan Lollar on guitar (Eds note. check out his excellent 2012 solo album ‘For givers and takers’) the six piece boys from Alabama launch into a four minute instrumental jam Chicken Pox before the star of the show enters the stage. Paul Janeway has one of those indescribable voices. Its 20% Otis, 20% James Carr, 20% Sam Cooke, 20% every other male soul star of the sixties and 20% himself. But who cares when you have an instrument like his. Its pure honey, with added cream on top. The band has been touring this set solidly for a while now and they are tighter than Graham on the day before pay day. They complement each other perfectly and my only criticism is that occasionally on the up tempo numbers the singers voice is a little low in the mix. A small qualm but I’m being picky. It’s a great show and big man is shaking his stuff and throwing some shapes all over the stage. They chuck in a couple of Otis songs for good measure and it’s a testament to them that their own compositions hold their own against some soul classics. Call Me is my highlight of the night but mainly because it’s my favourite track from the album and I spend the rest of the evening on the way home humming the chorus. A great night out, spread the word people as this band are the real deal and if the band are reading this, to quote them, I need, I need, I need, I need, I need you baby.

Monday 30th July, Jazz Cafe, London, St Paul and the Broken Bones. Thankfully after my last visit here for Anderson East where the temperature was somewhere between Saharan and the surface of the sun, the aircon has been fixed, sort of. Its couples tonight with me and the missus where we are joined by the recently renamed ‘Monster Energy Drink’ Andy and his good lady, Helen.

I have reviewed the ‘bones’ many times on this site since we first saw them supporting Isbell in 2014 and this will be my sixth show in those four years. They are always great, it’s as simple as yet and their shows and them as a band have matured over those years into a slick soulful attack on the senses.

We were not going to pass up an opportunity to see them in a small venue like the Jazz Café as they are more used now to playing larger venues such as the Roundhouse later this year. On to the show. After requests for Paul Janeway’s vocals to be turned up the sound man got his act together after a couple of songs and from then on in it’s a tour de force of superior musicianship and Janeway’s remarkable voice. It’s not just the voice, he is the complete showman strutting round the stage, getting down and dirty for a boogie, chucking his sequinned shoes all over the shop and generally playing to the crowd reminiscent of Freddie Mercury in his pomp.

With a new album out soon the band showcased a couple of new songs which fitted in perfectly to the set. There’s obviously room for old favourites like ‘Call Me’ and ‘Broken bones and pocket change’ plus new to me ‘Convex’ which I loved.

Another great show from this band who continue to grow musically. If you get the change its live where you have to appreciate them best. Can’t wait for the next time.

Keep on southern soul rockin y’all

Paul Janeway's movements and walking back and forth accross stage with very awkward movements added in here and there, were very distracting to overall show, the songs and preformance of the band. Paul Janeway's getting on floor and going under drum set was rediculious.

I was so looking forward to this show, but so disappointed. I find the full band sound with horns and keyboard, wonderful. Paul 's unique voice and expression of meaningful lyrics, is why I listen to the group almost daily. The band is great!

Paul should tone it down a little, He just looked like he was walking back and forth accross stage, his steps and body movements were awkward and didn't flow with music a lot of the time. Occasionally, he would get on a good roll. He was great on NPR tiny desk concerts, where he had to stay in one small area and preform his feeling body expressions of the songs.

The last three songs, when came back, were the best. Paul also, got out of that pacing mode and really worked with songs.

My son said I should have shut my eyes, like he did and I would have enjoyed the show, much better.

I will continue to listen to this group, but don't think, I will attend another of their concerts!

Have loved there music since day one. After seeing them on CBS Saturday I was hooked. The music is amazing. Janeway's voice will make you roll your eyes in disbelief. The concert was amazing! The horn section made the hair on my arms stand up straight, the guitar players were perfect, keyboards as well, and the drummer....after the concert I realized I had paid little attention to but in retrospect...did exactly what Janeway said when he introduced the band members....kept them all in time. When the crowd brought them back for an encore they played four more songs!! I've never seen anyone other than Bruce Springsteen do that! Wow! The only disappointment for me was that they didn't play "Like a Mighty River". I'm over that though, I would tell everyone I know to jump at the chance to see them!!

Another great show by St. Paul & The Broken Bones, this time at Lawn on D in Boston's Seaport District. Lawn on D is a open air park with an ad hoc stage that was lit up by St. Paul & The Broken Bones. I have seen this band five times in the past 3 years starting with a monumental show at the Paradise in 2014. This show had all the passion of past shows with a great set list of both old and great new material. The highlights were a burning rendition of "All Torn Up" early in the set, a great take on Van Morrison's "Workin" with the Broken Bones sounding smokin' hot. The crowd was delirious during "Call Me" and the finale of "Burning Rome" was near epic. Everyone should see this band perform.

St. Paul & The Broken Bones was a fantastic show. They are a very "musical" band and they really do seem connected with the crowd in a way that's rarely found. If you have any opportunity to see them no matter what music you like, you will be impressed. The lead singer is an amazing vocalist with an Alabama boy's charm and down-to-earth attitude. Their record, in my opinion, doesn't do them any justice. Listening to some of the songs on the way home, I couldn't help but feel like so much of the power they gave off live was muffled on the record. They've tapped into the soul rock movement that is taking its place in the industry with no signs of slowing down.

First time seeing St Paul and the Broken Bones and they were what I expected. They played their whole album and a couple of covers but did not do anything overly surprising. They alternated between slow songs and fast songs throughout the show. There was not as much audience interaction as I expected and their set was relatively short for the venue they were at. There were few opportunities for the band members to show off too much due to the lead singer stealing the show a little. Dude has some pipes though. Paul could sing anything and make sound like a beautiful soul song. Overall great experience and am excited to see what their new material sounds like

Wow! What a show! This band had the audience in the palm of it's hand from the get go. Singer Paul Janeway brought all the tricks of a seasoned frontman to bear engaging the audience, climbing the walls and swinging the microphone. But that voice is a thing of wonder! Anyone with even a passing interest in the classic Atlantic soul roster will find something to love here. The rest of the band are super tight and deliver a sound which had us dancing & hollering from the first song to the last. Highlight of the show was a cover of The Beatles' 'I want you/She's so heavy' where I left my vocal chords on the dance floor. See this band while you can!