Singled out with Strings
On Stage Festival Theatre 18 and 19 June
On the stage in the Adelaide Festival Theatre, diesel entered to a rapturous applause. His support band consisted of three violinists and a cellist.
Serving up an "all you can eat set" diesel worked up the crowd with soulful blues lyrics and complicated guitar solos, skillfully executed.
On pulling an electric acoustic Gibson guitar from his bag, the audience went wild. An exceptionally accomplished guitarist, Diesel did not fail to impress with complicated solos, picking, sliding and strumming through country-blues rock tunes.
Just when you thought he had played it all, out came the electric Banjo. It doesn't just look like a guitar combined with a drum, Diesel drums away on it too, to great effect.
With a charming manner that kept the audience warm between songs and dry wit to boot, diesel was incredibly popular with the audience. Some over amplification and excessive use of echo was unfortunate in some songs.
Sitting only 20 metres from the stage at its farthest reach, it seemed unnecessary to crank the volume so high, as the intricacies of the guitars and violins was mostly lost in the distortion.
Playing songs from his new album as well as old favorites, diehard fans had plenty to sing along too. An enjoyable show and great night out for the sold out house.
Paul Rodda
