Gig review: Graham Parker at The Old Woollen, Leeds

“Welcome to the fifty years of me tour,” Graham Parker mulls early into his show at The Old Woollen. Pate gleaming beneath low-hued gold lights, guitar strung loosely over his shoulder, he gives a half-shrug of wry indifference. “It’s tiring, y’know? I can see you sagging in your seats already!”

The east London native’s line in self-deprecation should not be taken strictly at face value, of course – not when his wit has been as much part and parcel of his cult pup-rock appeal over half-a-century of music.

Though rarely found in the upper echelons of the charts during both his post-punk and new-wave heyday, the 75-year-old’s fingerprints can be found on recordings as diverse as Elvis Costello, The Pointer Sisters and Bruce Springsteen, to name just a few.

This stop in Leeds, as part of a solo run that combines acoustic and electric sets, travels all the way back to the start, with a heavy focus on both of his 1976 records Howlin’ Wind and Heat Treatment. Rendered alone on stage with just guitar and harmonica, plenty of its tunes are distilled to their impressive core – Watch the Moon Come Down proves arrestingly poetic, while White Honey leans into its Morrison-esque melodies with an engaging twanginess.

The former’s title track meanwhile leans into a dash of white-boy reggae with entertaining aplomb – its melodies still folded firmly to the front.

Throughout, Parker remains a roundabout storyteller – he claims mastery of the kazoo due to a study of Buddhism before Ancient Past, and spends more time explaining the logic behind Waiting for the UFOs than he does pulling his audience into singalong refrains.

On I Live in the Past, he quips that he wrote it while tuning his guitar during his last monologue. “It has an unnecessary key change!” he cries with delight.

By the time he wraps with Don’t Ask Me Questions, any faux-disgruntlement appears to have given way to genuine delight. “See you in another 50 years, eh?” he quips. It’s a date.