Chester Live Rooms, 10 March 2022

As I listened to the support act I began to worry that the sound management would ruin the main performance. Fortunately, for Draper’s set there was a miraculous recovery and what turned out to be a beguiling performance.

A capped and leather-jacketed Draper quietly and almost secretively slid onto the stage, mount his high stool, check his beers etc. and commence the show in the company of Ben Sink on acoustic guitar. Opening with his latest opus ‘Cult Leader Tactics’ Draper’s mood seemed thoughtful, maybe even melancholy. I am not familiar with his songs but, together with the next song ‘Annie’, was surprised at the emotive nature of them and the matching vocal delivery which was both whispered but clear as a bell.

Throughout a set punctuated by Sink’s guitar and at one point a drum machine ((’Dirty Trix’), the capacity crowd responded with love and respect for this local artist. While the pace and mood changed (almost imperceptibly) during the show, the songs reflected deeply personal experiences and industry observations. Draper also enlisted a new fan and I will acquire the new album, CULT LEADER TACTICS, ASAP.

To summarise, I was surprised and delighted by this highly personal and skilled performance.

Setlist

Cult Leader Tactics
Annie
Friends Make the Worst Enemies
Disgusting (Mansun song)
Negative (Mansun song)
Things People Want?
Dirty Trix
Wide Open Space (Mansun song)
Don’t Poke the Bear
Legacy (Mansun song)
The Chad Who Loved Me (Mansun song)
U Killed My Fish
Dark Mavis (Mansun song)

Encore

You’ve Got No Life Skills, Baby!
Lyin Bout Who U Sleep With

http://mansun.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/pauldraperofficial/
https://www.youtube.com/c/pauldraperofficialCULT LEADER TACTICS