Glastonbury act heading to York gig at Bluebird Bakery

Preview by Gareth John

Photos by Gareth John and Idris Ahmed

A CAPACITY FortyFive Vinyl Café hosted Derbyshire singer-songwriter Tom Bright last October in support of his latest album, Young Old Bloke.

The show was described as an excellent, authentic and intimate performance from a classic urban folk artist who will appeal to fans of Paolo Nutini and Frank Turner.

The October show was a real treat as Bright shared tales of how he had honed his craft over a decade of personal and professional challenges.

He’s navigated his pub landlord duties, performed several hundred gigs, experienced record label wranglings, global pandemic setbacks and a life-threatening illness.

Tom Bright heading for gig in York this summer. Photos supplied

Despite this, Bright has performed alongside the likes of Tom Grennan, Ed Harcourt and The Libertines and has recently played at Glastonbury, Shepherds Bush Empire and The London Palladium.

He will be returning to York in June for a gig at Rise @ Bluebird Bakery, Acomb. I caught up with him recently in anticipation of the show.

GJ: What brings you back to York so soon?

TB: I love the city of York and, you know, I love the county of Yorkshire. My life entails going up and down the country, so York is always a city that kind of needs calling in on, really, on the gig circuit.

GJ: In terms of people that don’t know your music or not being exposed to it before influences, what are they, where did they come from?

TB: I’ve got very eclectic taste in music. I was first listening to the likes of Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, but in terms of my own writing there’s elements of Jarvis Cocker, Simon Aldred of Cherry Ghost and people like Ray Davies, you know, that kind of quirky wordiness and writing and, you know, I’m very, very much an observational kind of fellow, really, I think.

GJ: What are your early memories of introductions to music, who shared their influences with you and who has really shaped your tastes?

Tom Bright heading for gig in York this summer. Photos supplied

TB: I was late into music myself. I didn’t pick up a guitar until I was 22. But then I just became obsessed. It was like I’d found the tool I hadn’t previously had to share my stories and so after a year in Australia I reinvented myself as Tom Bright, public landlord turned Tom Bright, troubadour. I then moved to London and the first people I was working with really were Mick Jones from The Clash and Glenn Matlock from the Sex Pistols which was pretty wild. I have so many great memories and stories of those days. Getting on the Central Line with Mick after our sessions, and you know, just kind of realise everyone would be looking at him, and I mean, Mick Jones!

GJ: You’ve had a few recent media appearances. Tell me about this.

TB: Yeah, there’s been a few interesting TV appearances. My first introduction to TV stuff was on the One Show. It was a feature on me going back to Great Ormond Street Hospital where I spent a large chunk of my young life. I went back and met Professor Spitz who saved my life following a serious health issue and ended up playing one of my songs. And then I was on Sky News as there was a piqued interest in me as a lad who’d come from what I’d come from and was living this kind of lifestyle now. It built from there and last year I played on Sunday Morning Live on BBC One. It was a live TV feature at 10.30am. It was pretty daunting, but I managed not to swear or mess up.

Tom Bright heading for gig in York this summer. Photos supplied

GJ: There are numerous reports on how tough the music industry is and how hard it is to make a living. What does your world look like in terms of making a living and making music work?

TB: It’s tough. I mean, I literally work flat out. Every hour that I’m not sleeping, I’m working. I’m spinning many plates, the endless admin, booking gigs, constant communications, carving out those opportunities and building those connections. I curate events in London and run a concert series called Bright Nights with several events every month. These are showcase nights for people who are starting out and they’ve built up a really big following over the past six years. I also do some band management and consultancy work for other artists. It’s endless work but it is also a brilliant journey and one that I wouldn’t change anything for.

Tom Bright will play at Rise @ Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, York, on Saturday, June 14

For tickets – www.bluebirdbakery.co.uk/rise and www.seetickets.com/event/tom-bright/rise-bluebird/3573171