This first Spotlight is a big European “Cheers” to a man I’m gonna miss the company of for a while!

Some years ago, when I was maybe 18, I was invited to a gig in an intimate little venue opposite Denmark Street, London.  I was unassuming, had never visited the venue, and no idea what I had in store that night.  The venue was The Borderline, which I found out later was rather well known!  The headline act was an Aussie bloke with a propensity for taking off his shirt: one Carus Thompson.

This gig was off the hook, and remains, to this day, one of my favourite of all time.  It was a completely acoustic set, with a very distinctive sound – the sound of Aussie Roots, a kind of folk/reggae fusion.  Somehow, this unassuming surfer-type had me rapt, unable to help myself from moving to the music.  His voice is mellow and melodious, with a slight rasp to it, like maybe he smoked a little too much weed!

Carus is the only man I ever heard do a cover of a Bob Marley record on stage who I didn’t especially want to punch, and more than that, when his guitar string broke mid-song, he restrung it whilst jumping about to the music and singing, then just slipped straight back in without dropping a beat.  It’s still probably the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen an artist do on stage – and I’ve seen the Boss hang upside down from a mic-stand and Alice Cooper get decapitated!

Moreover, I was there as a guest of the promoter, so I had the pleasure of sharing a couple of beers with the man after the gig.  I’ve seen him many times since and had the honour of buying him one or two more beers, too.  He’s genuinely one of the nicest blokes you’re likely to meet, and insanely talented: I just can’t figure out why he isn’t a global sensation!

I was gutted to find out yesterday that he’s cancelling his Euro Tour this year, but pleased that he’s doing it in order to spend time at home with his wife and young son, who need Daddy Thompson at home.  He has my respect for that.

Anyway, this particular tour was supposed to be a rather momentous one, because Carus was due to be launching his latest album, the long awaited Acoustic at the Norfolk, Volume II.  I can’t link you all to any online playlists, because to my knowledge they don’t exist, but I would urge you with all my heart to listen to the sample track and then buy this album.  It can be shipped to wherever you are in the world, and it’s the closest those of us outside of Oz are going to get to the man himself for a while.

He left this message for his European fans:

“…if you do get your hands on a copy please turn it up loud, raise a glass of your finest Europe beer and send me a “cheers” and it’ll almost be like I’m there. Especially if you give it a bit of a dance.”

Carus, your absence will be felt, but I wish you all the very best for your family’s future, and look forward to your triumphant return to the UK.  Cheers!