Roo Panes - You Know Him Well
Its a difficult gig these days for a supporting artist when your immediate talent is quite introspective gentle acoustic strumming and deep wistful vocals. Roo Panes is tonight supporting Rae Morris in Newcastle and the toon venue is quite packed but seemingly with groups of people that appear to want to chat rather than listen. One couple shrieking at each other like they haven’t been together for years, and very loudly distracting the majority of the front of the audience from the stage. Its a real shame because beneath the immediate thoughts of ‘it’s another guitar singer-songwriter’ is a world of textures and layers, of landscapes, emotions and dreams - if only Charlotte and Vicky could be pulled away from their phones or their incessant gibberish to actually give it a chance.
Roo Panes (short for ‘Andrew’), originally from Dorset and is a man of enviable model looks, so its understandable that Burberry snapped him up a couple of years ago for both musical and visual exposure. However, beneath that chiselled exterior are songs of hope, vulnerability and deep personal expression - creating an atmosphere where you just feel that you could drift away on a tranquil ocean voyage, sailing into sunsets…..( “aye pet - making sure you’ve stocked up on 12 bottles of Newcy Broon first” - Charlotte).
Pane’s vocal style sounds much older than his 27 years and keeps reminding me of Colin Vearncombe (anyone remember Black - Wonderful Life?) and the range does become limited, lending it to a more pastoral and waveless energy. The songs require to be listened to, to understand some of the lyrical content, to appreciate subtle nuances of key change and expression, which sadly isn’t something that the majority of the audience here tonight are quite ready or able to do.
His debut album ‘Little Giant’ is chock full of songs that require more than 1 listen, people will say ‘its a grower’ and on the album there are more accompaniments with orchestral strings and female backing vocals that add to those deep dulcet tones. On stage tonight Roo is just a 12 string guitar (beautiful sound) and a cello which creates both some drama, but a more stripped back feel, and the total sound has to contest with the unfortunate murmur of chatter beneath.
He chooses, quite rightly, to play songs from that album as the key focus should really be to introduce yourself to a new audience and maybe sell a few copies, or at least get them to look you up when they eventually get home.
Panes is a humble, quiet and calm persona on stage, saying little in-between tracks, and even his cello playing colleague had to remind the audience of the artist’s name, ironically immediately after this we get ‘Know Me Well’ the opening track of ‘Little Giant’ and a really beautiful song, and the irony of finally seeing Charlotte and Vicky singing to the chorus “Oh, you know me well, know me well” isn’t lost.
Roo Panes is a significant talent that should be known well - and will be one day, he just needs the time and appreciation to be heard.
