Rocco Deluca - Rocco Deluca And The Burden, Manchester Academy 4 Live Review

Rocco Deluca And The Burden
Manchester Academy 4
01/09/2006
Live Review

With the backing of Keifer Sutherland and a significant amount of media coverage as a result of this, coupled with a bold blues reviving and reinventing base helps Rocco Deluca And The Burden instantly make people glad they shook their tents out after festival season, to scrape together the money for a ticket tonight. A shuddering soul/blues base is projected early on to nudge you into the feel of things. An explorative backing band, inclusive of a bongo player proffers a dual percussion approach and helps to exude a hauntingly hollow feel. Rocco's aching and pronounced voice, a` la Jimmy Page springing off from a Todd Rundgren foundation, sees the combined look of the crowd go from slightly taken aback, but in a good way, to awe-like expression in seemingly little time at all. The sheer focus of the authentic outfit is noticeable, as the song interludes are brief and attention is given to creating a bewildered and twining blues feel. Something that is illuminated in 'Gift', extracted from the explorative and heart-soaked, latest offering 'I Trust You Kill Me'.

Rocco and company's ability to control the mood like a theatrical light engineer ensures that the attention of gatherers never wanders. It's more of a stand still and appreciate the range sort of a gig tonight, probably down to post-festival fatigue, as there is certainly room for gyration, in time to the often vibrant bass-led musical journeys. A jungle beat adds urgency to the 75 minute set and 'Favor' strikes out with its look at love from a pyromania standpoint. With the poetic and stirring, yet thoughtful and almost self-warning lyrics, Rocco demonstrates his most soul-bearing leanings. Time winds on and proceedings start to slow down, with a period of contemplation falling upon us via an acoustic lead and a slightly rambling vocal approach, featured in 'How Many Times?'. This searching ending ensures that the thoughtfulness and musical understanding that is deftly displayed between Rocco & The Burden, sends the crowd off relaxed, satisfied and contemplative.

Rating 8/10

David Adair