This past Friday night in Manhattan, Johnny Flynn took the stage at (le) poisson rouge – something he hasn’t done in quite a long time. Both an actor and musician, Flynn recently released Sillion, and has performed only a handful of shows in support of the album. Fans lined up and waited outside the venue for hours for the sold out show, some even flying in from out of town to catch Flynn in what appears to be his only gig in the US.
While he typically performs with his band, The Sussex Wit, this show was strictly solo, and Johnny certainly did not disappoint. Humble and full of smiles, Flynn interacted with the crowd throughout the show, even encouraging participation due to his lack of backing band. When he reached the ever popular, “The Water” in his set Flynn quipped, “usually my band plays here, but apparently they’re not around (motioning to the emptiness behind him). You’ll do this part, let’s practice it”. A lively sing along ensued, getting some winces from the folk-singer at the crowd’s massacring of particularly high notes, but all were congratulated for making it through. Flynn played a long and vibrant set, ending the evening with “The Box”. As a final goodbye, he let the crowd in on a little secret – he’d be back in the U.S. in September, this time for a proper tour including his backing band. Just another reason to look forward to fall in NYC.
Check out Amanda Eckert’s photos of Johnny Flynn at Le Poisson Rouge:
Sillion is now available for purchase: http://johnny-flynn.com
