It’s been a busy couple of months for Tame Impala’s Cameron Avery since he announced his solo tour back in January. After enticing us with the glorious ‘Wasted On Fidelity’, his debut ‘Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams’ is out, and stuck firmly on SOURCE’s Spotify.

Cameron’s arrival in the UK seems to have gone slightly under the radar, and dare we say it, so has his album launch. And we’re not too sure this is entirely accidental; the show has something often found with side projects – a playful, relaxed performance from someone stretching their wings.

A stripped-back show with double bass, guitar and piano, the strength of the songwriting prevails, especially given the production on record is so strong. It’s a bold move, and works exceptionally well; tracks such as ‘Take It Away’ are bought to life with a brooding, menacing air.

Without any percussion, Cameron’s vocals are allowed to carry the show, showcased effectively on tunes like ‘Big Town Girl’.

‘Whoever said gambling is for suckers’ is a marmite job; a spoken word story of vengeance, love and gambling. We loved it – 80% genius storytelling, 20% wildly self indulgent. Definitely one to listen to on record, though maybe with feet up and a whisky.

We spoke to Cameron afterwards and he was affable and charming, which summed up how we felt about his performance. By far one of the most intelligent and naturally easy gigs we’ve enjoyed for a while.

Bleach, Saturday 15th April 2017
Words and photos by Ashley Luke Laurence