Compared to the likes of Jackie Wilson & Louis Prima, Si Cranstoun is a songwriter who pays tributes to the Dancehall greats – recording original songs in the style of his idols. Currently on tours supporting The Overtones, he is the epitome of an artist who has paid his dues and is now starting to make a name for himself all around the UK. Based on this live performance, it’s not hard to see why.
With an eight song set that was bounding with energy from the off, Cranstoun opened with three original songs – ‘Shout Out’, ‘Dance Forever More’, ‘Caught in the Moonlight’ – which held the crowd’s attention from the off.
With no backdrop or live band, Cranstoun held the large stage with his own presence alone, just him, a microphone and a spotlight. His voice, so well suited to his chosen style, has a real old fashioned tone which really suited his mid-set covers of Sam Cooke’s ‘Twisting the Night Away’ and Jackie Wilson’s ‘Reet Petite’. By this point, the audience were eating out of the palm of Cranstoun’s hands, mesmerised by his great voice as well as his distinctive dance style.
Hard to describe – it needs to be seen to be appreciated – his limbs seem elasticated as he twists, jumps and spins about the stage. His obvious enthusiasm is as infectious as his songs, and it was no surprise after his closing hat-trick of original songs – ‘Gods of Love’, ‘Tick Tock’, ‘Never Gonna Let You Go’ – to see hundreds of people lining up to nab copies of his current album after his set.
You can still catch Si Cranstoun on the road with The Overtones – visit https://www.sicranstoun.com/ for more information.
Review courtesy of The Music News Site
