JEFF BUCKLEY

JEFF BUCKLEY (Tivoli, Dublin)

The principle of beginning a Jeff Buckley review by comparing him with his unspeakably gifted but ill-fated father has been practically enshrined in the Constitution at this stage and to attempt to do otherwise would probably require a referendum.

Suffice to say that Buckley’s regal ancestry has worked both for and against him. While it must have helped open doors that may not have been so easily accessed had he been Jeff Bloggs, he has been forced – much to his chagrin – to live in the shadow of the legacy of a father he only ever met once and consequently to constantly justify himself and his music to the world.

But, hopefully, it won’t always be like this. Taken on its own merits, Buckley’s music is more than capable of standing on its own feet even if, at times, it trips up over its ambition.

The set list for this, the first 1995 date on his Mystery Whiteboy Tour, comprised much of Grace, a sprawling, flawed epic that may fall short of the masterpiece which many hailed it as but, for a debut album, was bursting with inventive ideas shooting off in all directions in a dazzling amalgamation of musical styles.

‘Eternal Life’ and ‘Dream Brother’ were particular standouts with Buckley and his band stretching the songs to their limit while Elkie Brook’s ‘Lilac Wine’ and Leonard Cohen’s celestial ‘Hallelujah’ brought out the full power of his famed operatic voice, even if they were marred by the din of those intent on standing by the bar and talking throughout the entire show.

There was even one non-believer in the audience who shouted out, with a distinct messianic inflection in his voice, “You’re all being fooled.” There’s always one.

But the most telling comment came from Buckley himself when he asked, wistfully, almost admitting defeat, how many had been present at last year’s Whelan’s gig. I sympathised. That was one of the most exuberant and uplifting performances I’ve ever seen and it was too much to ask to expect him to repeat that euphoric high in the Tivoli.

So there was no 20 minute version of Big Star’s ‘Kangaroo’ tonight but a paltry one song encore and an apology that he couldn’t play on any longer which, given that he did not appear to be in the best of health on the night, was understandable if a little disappointing.

• Nicholas G. Kelly