Wounded Egos (Gaz Coombes (Solo), Sub89 Reading, 14th June 2019)
Gaz Coombes' career, post-Supergrass, has been on an upward trajectory over the past three or four years. Starting with debut solo album 'Here Come the Bombs', 2015's 'Matador' and most recently, last year's 'World's Strongest Man', his solo albums have been critically well-received and increasingly successful. The latter pair of albums have been especially good and so the chance to see Gaz solo, in a relatively small venue, was a chance not to be missed. Before Gaz on stage, however, was support, Chris Simmons, a new name to me and one I thought I'd investigate via the medium of Spotify, ahead of the gig. In the cold light of recorded sound, I have to admit, I was kind of 'Meh' about his songs: there was something, but to be honest, there are probably even more identikit male singer-songwriters, aspiring to be the next Ed Sheeran (Lord, have mercy on my soul), than there are the female equivalent, and that is saying somethi...