Review: David Gray, York Barbican; King Creosote, Stained Glass Centre, York

DAVID Gray has turned 50, King Creosote's Kenny Anderson is 52, and their mutual abiding love of performing shone through in contrasting circumstances.

Gray has a new album to promote, March's Gold In A Brass Age, his first in four years, although it was ready for release September. He looked a man in a hurry to make up for lost time, knowing how good his new songs were, and keeping his guitar techie busy, as he switched restlessly between piano and guitar, all the while applying loop effects to his constant creativity.

It was so energetic that Gray, wonderfully silver-tongued in interviews, kept the chat brief but informative, the songs rattling on: Babylon, rather than babble on at the Barbican. It was all about the music, performed in a superb five-piece set-up, and with Gray's voice so expressive, thrilling and moving. And yes he played all the hits. Gold standard, not brass, even the jerky-turkey dancing!

King Creosote's Kenny Anderson

King Creosote's Kenny Anderson has been taking time out from songwriting to do up his house, play covers' sets at his local, and he has a baby on the way.

He's touring again, low-key; three shows, home to Fife for the baby's latest scan, then back down for Lancaster and York, the Roses' capitals. He had a large notebook by his side, with lists of all the covers he did last year and this evening's set list that he said he may or may not ignore, such was his impromptu performance style.

It was cold in the old church; two layers of clothing for Anderson, who regularly blew on his fingers to keep them warm for the guitar strings and drone stops on his accordion.

Ostensibly he was promoting Domino's vinyl reissues of Rocket DIY and Kenny And Beth's Musakal Boat Rides, but in two long sets, full of witty banter and erratic impersonations, he took in much more: from Dexys' Come On Eileen to his big Latvian hit and a work-in progress song contemplating mortality and gravestones. King Kenny indeed.