As I’m standing outside the ABC after yet another Nick Harper show, I look down at the scribbled set list that I’m clutching and ask myself the same question that I’m bothered with after every one of his gigs: How the hell is my review going to do that justice? On the car journey home I mused upon the fact that no matter how many times I guide people to his MySpace, no matter how many times I pass a colleague a mix tape, there really is no substitute for the Harper live experience. Not to speak ill of his recorded catalogue, it’s mind blowing in the extreme, but there’s something about this guy when he takes to the stage that sticks two fingers up at convention and pushes the boundaries of what you think is possible from a tenners worth of live entertainment.
Fresh back from a record breaking gig at Everest base camp in aid of the Love Hope Strength foundation, Nick launches into
No Truth Up In The Mountains and the crowd settles. The anticipation obvious. The essence of one of his shows is that one will never be exactly the same as the next, although you can be guaranteed a unique mix of humour, political musings and some of the best song writing you’ll ever hear presented. The musical virtuosity and vocal extravaganzas must be almost second nature to Harper fans it seems. We’re two songs in and being regaled by stories from the highest gig on earth, a humorous and touching account that engages everybody in the room. So compelling was the narrative that it would have been easy to forget that you were at a gig at all.
Moving back to the music it was pleasing to note that more recent offerings such as
Evo and
Blue Sky Thinking mix seamlessly with older classics such as
Aeroplane, amply demonstrating Harper’s ability to change style and feel album by album but still pushing the quality higher with each release. Possibly the biggest cheer of the night goes up for
Imaginary Friend, a song written after the loss of his mother to cancer that is preceded by a genuine tear jerking story that stops the audience cold. It’s almost as Nick Harper’s purpose in life is to explore life and report back on his findings so the rest of us can stumble through it a little less. I realise he’s almost the perfect musician in many regards, able to convey insightful and thought provoking topics in beautiful three or four minute songs. Anyone who was there will tell you about the breathtaking version of
Real Life where Harper turns his voice into a powerful weapon that’s almost operatic in its elegance. I honestly didn’t think such an arrangement possible, let alone my guest for the evening (a Harper virgin) who stood in awe as it unfolded. I’m half expecting the ABC to send out a bill for the damage to the floor, when 75 jaws simultaneously dropped at the vocal feat.
The last time I saw Nick Harper he was about to embark on his Everest adventure, and it seems that the man that has come back has mellowed and become more direct in what his mission is. The songs are getting better, and every time I go home from one of his shows I feel as though another little corner of the world has been opened to me. It sounds cheesy and idealistic but you’ll be hard pushed to find a Harper fan that goes home and switches off after one of his gigs. I could go on yet again about how criminally underrated he is as an artist, but in some ways I want to keep him as my secret. He touches his audience on so many different levels; it’s almost like being invited into his front room for a chat and a singsong. He’s an artist I find it difficult to level criticism at, which is rare for anyone who writes about music. He’s a living example of true quality which many argue is rare in the music world. Get along and check him out on his next tour, and you can join me in the front row.
www.harperspace.com www.myspace.com/harperspace 
