Gary Edward Jones Single launch "Bang, Bang, Bang"

On Thursday 28th April at Constellations in the Baltic Triangle, Liverpool, something rather special took place. In celebration of the launch of Gary Edward Jones' single "Bang, Bang, Bang" from his debut album The Cabinet Maker, an audience gathered to witness the brilliance of the singer-songwriter from Liverpool. There is nothing one dimensional about Gary's talents. He is a multi-faceted individual, so the success of the evening came as no surprise to his dedicated fans and newbies alike. Gary is passionate about his musical craft and the set that he performed offered up a delicious, effortless mix of sounds to the audience.

As the evening unfolded, it was clear that there are literally no ends to the talents of Gary Edward Jones. His humility is so inspiring, he simply gets the job done. It is a testament to the singer-songwriter, recording artist and producer's talent that on a wet and miserable night, he was able to draw in such a large and receptive crowd. Add to the mix the fantastic setting - the venue Constellations and outstanding support acts, it's no surprise that the gathered throng of listeners were treated to a spectacle of first class quality.


What struck you as soon as you entered the venue was the wonderful sense of being sheltered from the harsh elements and the inclement weather. This was a safe place, a haven with an energy so positive and palpable that there was no doubt that something spectacular was to ensue. The installations were magnificent with robots suspended from the ceiling as well as decorating the floor space around the room. These were courtesy of the artistic talents of Elizabeth Anne Jones and Leonie Ajello Hallam.

Not only were the robots cute and plentiful but they were there for a purpose that transcended their aesthetic appeal. The evening, like the single had a theme of social conscience and consciousness about it. The robots representing change in the world with Rusty the protagonist of the music video being the main agent and symbolism of that change.

Photo Credit: Lis Garrett Photography
The preview of the fantastic music video was mesmerising, the creation of extremely talented animator, artist & film-maker Matthew Dolan. Styled on an apocalyptic landscape set in the future, Rusty the lonely robot struggles to survive and exist in a world created by its selfish human predecessors. The video, like the single was clearly a labour of love, beautifully and painstakingly crafted, frame by frame.

"The clocks they turn but no lessons are learnt"

The blurb on Gary's YouTube Channel describes "Those history pages are stained with stories and acts of human sadness and greedy machines. A not too distant robot..momentarily free by kind malfunction, with space to explore... There are lightbulbs...There are others that awake...There are messages. The clocks turn, the routine grooves run deep...and the portion that surrendered years ago unfortunately beats a dull  glow. The conveyor belt is no holiday. Even robots only live once....but that dull glow.


Gary, Rusty and Mark Dolan. Photo credit Gary Edward Jones Music
Mark Hallam compered the evening and introduced opening act Eleanor Nelly to the stage. Having witnessed Eleanor perform acoustically before, I thought I knew what to expect. The standard of her vocals has since improved ten-fold which is outstanding as she was already phenomenal. Despite her youthful years (16 to be precise), her voice has an impeccable maturity about it without being precocious. Her performance was powerful, emotionally evocative, spine-tinglingly fantastic. As well as singing songs from her EP which was released in November 15, she sang newer numbers. Her set included songs such as Paper Aeroplane, Blue Eyes and Dear diary which told the true story of her friend that suddenly went missing. Eleanor has a tone and depth to her voice that pierces the soul, it hits the deepest part of you and the memory of it lingers like an old friend. Recognised by LIMF as "one to watch", there is no doubt that this young singer-songwriter is destined for greatness.
Eleanor Nelly Photo credit Merseyrail sound station
Next on stage was the man himself who performed the likes of Freefalling, Bang, Bang, Bang and an absolute favourite of mine called Lovestruck - an awesome track with as Gary explained a different feel about it, being hip-hoppy in nature. It was full of funk and a depth of rhythm that got me moving unashamedly in my seat like a crazy person. I remain unapologetic.
Gary, Oscar, Elizabeth. Photo Credit: Michael Cusick photography
I took a moment to look around the room at one point, it was a brief moment when my eyes were not transfixed to the stage. The energy in the room was palpable. Every guest was smiling and soaking in the atmosphere. The evening was a magnanimous serving of creativity and non-contrived aural pleasure to a highly receptive audience. You could literally hear a pin drop as the level of engagement was so high.


The evening concluded with Ian Greenwood of "Da Moon Project" who played a DJ set to a dance floor of robots. The sound throughout the evening was excellent thanks to Gareth Dubbeling and Chris Lecky. The band also accompanied Gary superbly and comprised George Hitchmough, Oscar South, Emily Jackson and Elizabeth Anne Jones. Backing vocals by Emily and Elizabeth were superb and like Gary, faultless in their execution of the songs in the set. 


An extract from the song Bang, bang, bang is "planet bleeds, there's no legacy to leave". We can be sure that Gary Edward Jones is making a positive contribution to society through his music and creating a legacy. His album and his single are indeed worthy of support. The Cabinet Maker is the light in the dark and a breath of fresh air. Thank you Gary, you are an undeniable gem who has so much to offer through your musical contribution.


Check out the official video for Bang, Bang, Bang here
Visit Gary's website
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Purchase Gary's music here

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