The impressive list of names lining up to pay homage at tonight’s tribute is evidence of the large number of fellow musicians that Elliott Smith could count amongst his cult following, something previously highlighted by the fact that it was his song ‘Needle In The Hay’ which Frank Black credited as his therapy following the Pixies man’s divorce.
But the music was unfortunately not enough to help Smith himself overcome his own personal demons and avoid the legacy of another doomed poet of gloom á la Nick Drake. It seems scant consolation that the 35-year-old’s suicide will probably lead to new listeners stumbling upon his beautifully haunting back catalogue.
Certainly tonight, which sees nearly everyone on the bill play two of his songs, highlights the substance and depth that his six-album solo career contained.
All of the acts who played at tonight’s well-organized show deserve credit, not least for drawing a sell-out crowd which helped to raise €5,000 for a memorial fund to help abused children.
The Walls, Katell Keineg and long-term Smith fanatics Turn all deliver great interpretations of his songs, with an ‘all for one’ philosophy pervading. Iain Archer similarily manages to bring a hush to the audience with his contribution to the night while La Rocca were amongst the few to venture from XO, with a passionate performance of ‘Say Yes’, the closing track to what is perhaps Smith’s best album Either/Or.
In truth however, only a few come close to really getting to the heart of his ‘sour words and sweet tunes’. The hailed-like-heroes Bell X1 are one act capable of mining the same emotional depths of the lost singer-songwriter, and they pull off beautiful renditions of ‘Speed Trails’(with Paul tagging ‘Here Comes the Sun’ onto the end) and ‘Between the Bars’.
Overall a great night and a fitting tribute, although it was hard to leave without a lingering sadness that we will never again get to see the man himself play these songs.