Live Review: Beans on Toast – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Live Review: Beans on Toast – Wedgewood Rooms
Having now had the pleasure of being asked to review Bean on Toast at the Wedgewood Rooms, I feel like I’ve been missing out the past couple of years. In fact, Beans on Toast (real name Jay McAllister) is chuffed to be making his return, performing to a crowd of around 250 people.
After playing the song “MDMAmazing” he makes this point known. “I’m often asked if I get bored of playing that song” he announces, “Why would I get bored of all this?” he exclaims. Going on to say that other than Victorious Festival, he’s always playing to the same number of people and clearly loving it.
This time around, however, it’s also still a fairly new experience for Beans on Toast, having brought a full band to the Wedgewood Rooms. Rather than what I presume, would normally be just him and an acoustic guitar. So as Beans came bouncing on, barefooted and with a smile upon his face, the set-up was to be the makings of a fun night out.
Beans on Toast, Wedgewood Rooms
A Bird in the Hand
One of the many great things that soon becomes apparent with Beans on Toast is his honesty. What you see is what you get. His lyrics are inspired and very clever. Yet the man behind the name speaks from the heart, without professing to know any more than he already does.
As a result, one minute Beans on Toast will be voicing his opinion on politics and fracking, the next singing about a subject even closer to his heart. That being the birth of his daughter, a subject matter that features heavily on his latest album “A Bird in the Hand”.
Beans on Toast happily admits being a man of contradiction, ranting about corporate greed, while trying to make you buy his merchandise. Then there’s one of many sing-a-longs in “Bamboo Toothbrush”, he’s gone all out with corporate sponsorship, although he hasn’t really. In fact, Beans just bought a whole load of bamboo toothbrushes himself, albeit at cost price, before giving them away on tour with the new record.
Likewise when it comes to singing about enjoying a beer and a burger at Weatherspoons or having once been anti-London Olympics. Happily admitting with regards to the latter that he actually quite likes the Olympic Park swimming pool, often going for a splash as it’s over the road from his flat.
Live Review Beans on Toast – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Beans on the Road
Even with all the talking between songs, you can’t help but hang on every word. Beans on Toast comes across as your mate you know from down the pub. He has plenty of songs about drinking too, but they still come with the personal touch.
As for his backing band, they’re on and off stage throughout, with Beans often going back to performing solo. While other times the addition of a keyboard player and such like, help break up the continuity of the singer-songwriter. Although, even then Beans on Toast isn’t your conventional bloke with a guitar. His lyrical delivery part social poetry, part just reliving his time away from home.
Once the Wedgewood Rooms gig was over, like many artists, he was out by the merchandise talking with the fans. I didn’t get the chance to say hello, but I get the impression Beans would happily chat the night away about pretty much anything.
As for when Beans on Toast returns to the Wedgewood Rooms, I know that I for one will happily go back and see him. I just hope it’s not snowing again on the walk home…
Beans on Toast – “A Bird in the Hand” out now.
