MAVERICK SABRE: BURN THE RIGHT THINGS DOWN ALBUM LAUNCH
Review by PORTIA BRAJKOVIC
I see Maverick Sabre at a packed-out EartH Hackney for the launch of his fifth album, Burn The Right Things Down. For the uninitiated, the venue (an old cinema) is cavernous, almost church-like, perfectly fitting for an artist and album grappling with big questions on spirituality, self, and existentialism. Soft spoken, yet determinedly commanding of the stage, Mav enters the room to a thunderous round of applause.
The stage is set simply: Maverick front-and-centre, his band taking the backstage, all clad in head-to-toe black. Projected onto the wall behind are a series of black-and-white visuals, from footage of the man himself, to scenes of nature, to more abstract vignettes. There’s no bells or whistles, and there doesn’t need to be; Maverick is in his element.
The show opens with a series of high-energy crowd-pleasers. Whilst it’s technically a sit-down show, the audience spends very little time in their seats. ‘You Don’t Even Need It’ is a stand-out, whilst slower joints like ‘Lay Down On Me’ bring Mav’s distinctive, soul-filled vocals to the forefront, prompting an introspective attentiveness from the room. A cover of Erykah Badu’s ‘Bag Lady’ nestles perfectly amongst the soulfulness of tracks like ‘Holy Land’ and ‘If I Could Only Love You Again’, reiterating Maverick as not only one of the UK’s most impactful songwriters, but also one of the country’s most dynamic, versatile, and honest performers. Mid-way through the performance, Maverick takes to the mic and calls on the audience to fill venues and support live music. He points out that music is a universal language, and a remedy to the feelings of uncertainty and instability that we are all feeling right now.
After disappearing for the requisite faux-show close, Maverick re-appears alone on stage and picks up an acoustic guitar. He asks us to put our phones away and then plucks out the first few chords of classic fan-favourite, ‘I Need’, pulling excited cheers from the crowd. The entire room sings along to the hook. He joins in here and there, but lets us have our moment. We sing together about the search for blue skies, sunshine, and angels, and it is one of those rare, warm moments of hope and connection that you can only really find at a gig like this one, with an artist like Maverick.
Burn The Right Things Down is out now via Famm.
