The unmissable Gary Thomas returns to his hometown.
- Described as ‘a psychedelic one-man anti-folk jamming machine” is singular singer-songwriter-
guitarist Gary Thomas, the Durban-born Capetonian troubadour who returns to his hometown on for a gig this week as part of his nationwide tour showcasing new material from his upcoming EP recorded at the Red Bull Studios in Cape Town. Thomas effortlessly explodes the solo singer/songwriter mould so devalued by sentimental slop-merchants such as Jack Johnson by bringing an electrifying edge to his craft that makes the word instantly ‘mellow” evaporate from the pages of the dictionary. Drawing inspiration from a broad and eclectic range of influences, Thomas produces a unique genre of acoustic guitar music that embraces everything from percussive finger-tapping to virtuoso picking and violent strumming. Vocally, Thomas snaps from soft
whisper to violent snarl in a nanosecond while subtle use of effects pedals create an uncanny
tone and timbre which is enhanced by his foot-operated custom- made stomp box which emits a full bass boom and drives the music towards higher and more grandiose soundscapes.
St. Clements, 191 Musgrave Road, Friday January 14. 8pm, tickets R40 at the door or in advance. Previous Thomas albums Contraption Distoria; Wooden Boxes and Thought Hunting are on sale for R120. Tel: 031 202 2511 Email [email protected]