Christy Moore is a singer who cares passionately about his material. When writing his autobiography, he described his life in terms of his favourite songs. Moore is famous for re-working songs by other writers, but his latest album is a re-recorded triple set of his own wildly varied compositions, that are angry, thoughtful or comic. He managed to switch between all those moods in this two-hour set, the first of two sold-out shows at the Royal Festival Hall, in London.
Coming on stage like a burly boxer in a black T-shirt, he limbered up between songs as if to make sure he was ready for each of them. He sat on a stool playing acoustic guitar and was backed on acoustic and electric guitars by Declan Sinnott, his colleague in Moving Hearts in the 80s and now his regular sparring partner, with Jimmy Higgins adding delicate percussion. On songs such as the thoughtful and political North and South of the River they sounded like a folk-rock band.
The delight of a Christy Moore show is that one can never be sure which songs he will revive. Despite the new album, he started out with other peoples' work, with songs about South Africa, non-communication and homesick migrants, before switching to a new song of his own, the half-whispered and emotional Where I Come From. He was in fine, considered and soulful voice, giving each song equal attention as he switched from his stark warning about not standing up to fascism, Yellow Triangle, to a powerful story of the deaths of migrant cockle-pickers, On Morecambe Bay, to a comic study of Irish football fans at Euro 88, Joxer Goes to Stuttgart. Then there were songs by Ewan MacColl and Natalie Merchant, and – best of all – an exquisite treatment of Jimmy MacCarthy's Bright Blue Rose. He is still unique.
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