Gigs by John Davis

John Davis knows the world of gigging well.It is an entire world in itself; a band, on the road, does not follow the conventions of daily life.There is no waking up to the alarm clock at 6.30am, shower and dress, get breakfast for the self and any and all dependents, pack the household off to work and school and then repeat the whole process again in reverse order at 5.30pm.Or something like that.Davis is quick to show us, however, that gigging is not some happy chaos of late, smoky nights and lazy mid-morning rising, a new girl in every new bed.No, gigging is equally as mundane as the 9 to 5 life.It is a parallel world with its own routines and boredoms. And its own heavenly moments.Davis captures all of these moments eloquently in a poetry that walks this side of prose.A beautifully designed book, it is aesthetically pleasing within as it is without.  Technically competent, Davis effortlessly takes us into his parallel world; his intuitive feel for all of this world’s idiosyncrasies and particulars shines through in each verse.You cannot help but be transported to each of the bars, clubs and gigs that Davis puts down on the page – I was there with him at each turn of the page, and turn I did, compulsively.  Sol has a way of finding true indy talent.  ‘Gigs’ is just another shining example of this.