The 27 Club

Irish rock singer Jack Lukeman’s enjoyable show isn’t the only one to have taken singers who died before they turned 28 as its starting point – there’s quite a different, far more elaborate show with the same name on at Assembly George Square.

But Lukeman’s offering is a gritty, honest rock gig, his soaring voice accompanied by just keyboards and drums. At his best, he sounds like a cross between Morten Harket and David Sylvian: he has a rich baritone, but sometimes struggles on the higher notes. But it’s the sheer range of material he gets through that’s particularly impressive, from Kurt Weill to Amy Winehouse, or the Rolling Stones to Echo and the Bunnymen. There are some names that few will have heard of—1970s group Big Star, anyone, or 1950s singer Jesse Belvin? But it doesn’t matter: the material is strong, varied, and sung with passion.

And that variety only highlights the sameyness of Lukeman’s performance: if you’re not a fan of fruity, operatic delivery that occasionally veers towards a lounge style, sadly that’s what you’re going to get much of the time. He’s hushed and sultry in a trio of Robert Johnson songs, though, and he’s keen to make sure the audience has a good time.

The highlight of Lukeman’s show is his remarkable reimagining of Nirvana’s 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' which he transforms into a dark, brooding lullaby full of seething intensity, accompanied just by chiming piano. It’s a breathtaking, revelatory performance – if only the rest of his set had shown the same imagination.