18th June 2026
John Otway is something of a living legend. Often billing himself as “rock n roll’s greatest failure”, his shows are never anything less than entertaining, energetic, unique, and often brilliantly bizarre. A true British eccentric who, at the age of 73, shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.
Otway is a beloved musical icon, remembered mostly for his notoriously shambolic appearance on a live 1977 episode of the BBC’s ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’. Making his debut TV appearance, alongside the more serious minded Wild Willy Barrett, the mismatched duo were halfway through a song when Otway proceeded to leap around the stage, and crash into a stack of heavy amplifiers, causing a power cut, and injuring himself in the nether regions.
Tonight, at the wonderfully atmospheric and cosy Alexander’s in Chester, Otway and Barrett (the elder, at 76) showed that the passing years have not diminished them (although, thankfully, Otway refrains from any improvised stage acrobatics.) They are a splendidly comedic duo, with wildly contrasting stage personas. Otway’s barely contained manic toddler, combined with Barrett’s world weary wizened old pro, are a potent mix. Playing mostly their own original songs, varying from simplistic teenage angst to raw unbridled pure rock, everything is delivered with genuine, heartfelt joy. Otway chats to the audience with gleeful familiarity, and the whole thing feels like a raucous family gathering. A particular, and popular Otway trademark is the ripping off of his shirt to reveal a scrawny, hirsute torso, with shirt buttons flying everywhere. For some old rockers this could be truly embarrassing and a little disturbing, but Otway’s childlike innocence is truly infectious, and the audience absolutely love him.
Barrett plays a variety of instruments superbly well, and even includes a great display of BAD playing, for comic effect. There is even the use of a specially adapted wheelie bin, (referred to as “the wah wah wheelie bin), harbouring an apparently home-made amplifier, plus assorted props. One of those props being an actual hand saw, which Barrett uses to violently hack through his guitar, whilst playing it! He then proceeds to take a hammer, and totally wreck the instrument, causing a mini whirlwind of splinters and dust. Otway often watches on with (apparently ) genuine fear and nervous apprehension.
Another Otway signature move is the wheeling on of his theremin, the odd looking electronic musical instrument activated by moving the air around it. This results in an unpredictable orgasmic display of shape throwing, and wildly waving arms to produce seriously eerie electronic wails and screeches. Otway looks like he’s having the time of his life, while Barrett stares at him like a thoroughly depressed headteacher. A surprise inclusion is the song ‘Two Little Boys’, originally made famous by a now disgraced TV entertainer. Otway sheepishly, and rather emotionally, explains that they decided to keep performing the song, in spite of it’s now notorious connections. Barrett, always the more thick skinned and straight talking, leaves us in no doubt as to what he thinks of the aforementioned entertainer! There’s a running gag about how much Barrett hates artifice, fake jollity, and particularly encores, and he is stone faced as Otway camply exits and quickly returns (it’s a very small stage, by the way), to perform the final songs. This is a pure display of hilariously effective artistic compromise.
There is even a set of highly amusing Bagpuss bagpipes, played by Barrett.
A wonderful and inspiring evening, with two genuinely offbeat eccentrics, who also happen to be superb musicians. Reviewed on 18th June.
First published at https://www.thereviewshub.com/john-otway-and-wild-willy-barrett-alexanders-chester/
No comments:
Post a Comment