Razor-sharp threads, big smiles, dancing around handbags… and all this long before James Hunter and his band were anywhere near the stage. If ever a DJ had the knack to put people in the mood, it was the one chosen to warm things up tonight. No faffing about with attempts to achieve seamless transitions between songs, it is just stop one record, get the next one started…smash, bang, wallop! When music is as good as the soul and R&B blaring through the Haunt’s booming sound system, the subtleties of mixing are pretty much irrelevant. By the time James Hunter is ready to play, such is the DJ’s excitement that the needle is unceremoniously lifted mid-number – “let’s get cracking”.
 
That’s exactly what the James Hunter Six do, launching full throttle into an up-tempo song. Big horns – check; fiery guitar solo – check; raunchy Hammond solo – check; a scream to rival that of Prince – double check!!
 
A bit of a makeshift onstage sound check follows the opener; something that might be viewed as tedious or unprofessional, but Hunter handles it with charm and humour. Also, when a song as good as ‘Chicken Switch’ follows, with a performance to rival the album version, you realise that waiting an extra 30 seconds is no great hardship.
 
A long list of fantastic songs are delivered over the space of the next hour and a half. It honestly feels like the James Hunter Six have enough energy and material to play all night – and they wouldn’t get any complaints from the audience if they chose to, either. No-one puts more into the evening’s performance than Hunter himself – he’s a ball of energy, sweat and tricks, with ‘Goldmine’ seeing him make fine use of the mic stand in his guitar solo before treating us all to a Chuck Berry shuffle (also mid-solo). His obvious vocal talents are complemented by fantastic guitar work throughout, but he’s not carrying the band in any way – there’s a lovely chemistry and camaraderie between them. Not only that, they have mastered the art form of the solo – there are lots on offer this evening, none of them outstaying their welcome, all delivered with panache and chutzpah.
 
There’s plenty of musical variety within the set: upbeat soul and R&B, low key swing, and songs with a strong ska undercurrent. Hunter knows exactly when to change things up, although at one point he jokes, “You’re expecting a fast one now, but we’ve run out of them.” That’s not quite true – firm fan favourite, ‘Minute by Minute’ follows to the audience’s delight. My goodness, that song really is fantastic – taut guitars, bouncing piano and uplifting brass underpin a truly classic vocal and lyric.
 
Whereas, ‘Minute by Minute’ and songs of its ilk are what people associate with Hunter, it’s the slower songs that really impress: ‘Let the Monkey Ride’ shows his tender side; his undeniably soulful voice is close to heart-breaking.
 
It’s a brilliant evening – I’ve only got good things to say about the James Hunter Six. They deliver on all counts, Hunter capping things off with his version of a Freddie Mercury-style call and response. Again, his charm and presence mean that everyone joins in without hesitation or any signs of embarrassment – it’s just pure, good clean fun – for the joy of music.
Adam Atkins