Dan Reed & Danny Vaughn –
The Local Authority, Sheffield, Thursday 29th March 2018
Here's a show (entitled Snake Oil And Harmony) that should have taken place a few weeks previous but was postponed due to the blizzardy snowy winter weather on the fateful day in February. Basically, the 2 D's regarded our safety was way more important than their show – nice one guys!
Anyways, they laughed about it tonight and were really pleased that so many folk had turned out to see them. We swapped the snow for the rain this time – good old Sheffield always does us proud wit the greatest of weather – especially on a show night it seems. Danny and Dan were in fine spirit tonight with a warm, positive vibe that flowed over into the audience laughing and joking with us throughout the night, taking it in turns to sing a song of their own, while the other either sung back-ups where appropriate and added some extra acoustic guitar.
It was explained early on what their touring term meant – saying it is an old wild west term for the travelling salesmen who was pushing his so so-called miracle cure medicine that had all sorts of sh*t in it and had no real healing value whatsoever – a guy who soon absconded outta town so he couldn't be tracked down by the locals.
Song-wise, there was no set list of any sort with Mr. Vaughn and Mr. Reed instead opting to perform whatever they felt like doing at the time – improvisation at its best I may add – living off the seat of their pants, performing solo songs, band songs (Tyketto & Dan Reed Network), a cover song from Danny in the form of CCR's 'Bad Moon Rising' not to mention premiering a number that they had penned together – hopefully a studio album will happen soon – let's see what happens there as it will surely be something special to behold for defo.
A marvellous moment when their female friend, Lucy MacDonald of theirs joined them onstage on violin for a song by Bruce Springsteen (Independence Day) which was on hell of an unexpected highlight – adding a bit more brilliance to the already top-dollar quality output. What I also particularly liked about the show is that they omitted the obvious two hits by both their bands because it was more about the show itself than playing those numbers that have been played many in other incarnations either solo or in full band format.
Highlights song-wise included a song about religion and spiritualism from Reed's time spent away from New York and then how it felt to be back in normal life again 'Coming Up For Air' which was the title track of his last album and of course 'Long Way To Go'. Danny Vaughn delivered some marvellous songs too such as the one about being like his Father; Tyketto classics like 'Standing Alone' plus solo numbers like The Voice and Gandi Dancer'. There was so much emotional feeling emanating from their concentrated but at the same time relaxed faces – if that makes any sense!
A lot of matey campy banter took place too such as joking about the size of manhoods plus a funny moment of DV cranking up a bit of duelling banjos. a mass of sing-along from the audience and the most perfect sound and lighting I have ever know in this very room – hats off to the engineers in here tonight as you did a marvellous job. Little wonder that these guys were thanked from the stage. Mr. Vaughn even announced the filming of Tyketto show in Wales much to the delight of the hardcore fans in here.
This was a 2.5 hour show in total that seemed to disappear in the matter of about 25 minutes flat since it was so entertaining in every way – okay no dancing but we'll let them off for that! Hahaha! Okay toe-tapping can count instead. They even had time to come out straight afterwards, chat to fans, sign autographs and pose for photos with them – absolute gentlemen indeed.
10/10
By Glenn Milligan
