Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of the John Butler Trio. Neither has anyone else. Not in this part of the world, at any rate.
Back in Australia, however, they are huge. And, to be fair, they do have their fans here although, like fellow travellers Dave Matthews Band theirs is very much a cult following (notwithstanding that in the case of DMB it’s a cult following that can pack the O2).
Though the fifth John Butler Trio record April Uprising sparked cries of commercial sellout, tonight’s career-spanning show sees them sticking to rootsy, reggae-infused rock. Newbies include eerie banjo ditty ‘Ragged Mile’ and punky jaunt ‘Close To You’. One of the loudest rounds of applause is for the show-stopping ‘Ocean’– a 12-minute solo instrumental, which, I’m assured by devotees, Butler never plays exactly the same way twice.
Later, sticksman Nicky Bomba’s mammoth drum solo is every bit as head-spinningly sensational as Butler’s own instrumental, but twice as wild (evidenced by the great honking splinter that gets dislodged from Bomba’s drum stick half way through).
Two full hours and about a dozen guitars later, I’m exhausted and frankly, a little jaded. A show this long needs more diversity, or at the very least, an intermission.