Jonathan Richman @ Oran Mor

There are few more singular artists still plying their trade on the gigging circuit than Jonathan Richman. Let's face it; you don't get all that many middle-aged Americans with a penchant for skewed childlike couplets about subjects ranging from lesbian bars to Pablo Picasso to the pound. A true original, Richman's eccentric acoustic take on fifties-style Rock n' Roll is always captivating and the audience at Oran Mor are left champing for an encore (not given) after a short, sharp performance that manages to scale sustained peaks of brilliance despite its brevity. A mix of old and new, Richman's set caters to longtime fans with versions of Modern Lovers classics Old World and Vincent Van Gogh while providing compelling evidence of his enduring genius courtesy of a smattering of more recent solo material. Plaintive yet playful, Richman might not linger for long but he proves he still has the ability to leave his mark. [Duncan Forgan]