Robyn Hitchcock - Full Performance (Live on KEXP)

KEXP.ORG presents Robyn Hitchcock performing live on KEXP from Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop in Austin during SXSW 2013. Recorded March 13, 2013.
Songs:
The Abyss
Be Still
Olé! Tarantula
Sometimes A Blonde
I Love You
End of Time
Host: Troy Nelson
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Shelly Corbett & Scott Holpainen
Editor: Justin Wilmore
kexp.org
www.robynhitchcock.com
www.mellowjohnnys.com

[@heidihorvat1]

I'm a Rush and a Robyn Fan!!! I got excellent taste in music thank you! Seen Robyn already live by himself, I love his stuff.

[@sunsiren8571]

THANK YOU for posting this!!!!!!!!!! Oh to have a man like that write a song for a women like me...heaven! Robyn's been around for decades and doesn't have the recognition he deserves. Its time a new generation discovers his genius. Like Syd, but thankfully kept writing and playing.

[@ronwood355]

Roybin lives in a world of words and sounds

[@StevieBlunders]

Robyn is the cutest man ever

[@dsdomestic]

Love it when I discover a new artist :) Cool set and real music

[@Maclochness]

Sometimes a Blonde is certainly a highlight of this performance

[@daredab]

👋 Met Robyn at this show, he asked if I was alright. having road my bike like hell trying to get there on time, was a bit beside myself. Great time, I’m up front under the camera

[@pepebotella971]

Like it or not, this guy has a lot of greatness in him

[@cindylamb8164]

He's just doing his thing. Stop over thinking. RH is a top notch storyteller first and foremost. Just happens to have a guitar and commands the respect of many an iconic artist.

[@katedimler6157]

he is real, his lyrics are spot on........and he was could only be construed as semi nervous till the end.....I just wish he would come back to the Midwest........his lyrics resonate with me

[@richardwhite3921]

I think Mr Kennelly, and I know it's Mr and not a female obviously, should sincerely take a historical trip through the realms of Robyn Hitchcock. Everyone has their tastes and likes different colours, why criticize? This beautiful man with a wonderful point of view, as far as looking at things is concerned, has been and continues to be probably the most underrated musician, poet, artist and humanist valve ever. As far as: He can't play the guitar... Technical mistakes... Look around love! Have a peek at not dark yet introduced by Billy Bragg and with John Paul Jones in accompaniment. Look at Shopfront Hitchcock. Listen to the young Tim Keegan and the Homer Lounge. Don't make silly criticisms before you really know the facts. I could carry on all day, but I won't. Do you know Kimberly Rew? Now I think I know why there are cones. They stop people falling into the same holes as yourself. Before sharing something negative with the world... Think!

[@Agent-dj8nx]

I discovered Robyn from the "it is obvious" cover he did. I'm already a fan.

[@Magspiper]

Hot. All I need is a stylish man with his voice and guitar

[@Agent-dj8nx]

His between-song banter is awesome

[@Nazzz65]

Robyn is a charmer but his head just isn't in it here. He simply did not bring his A game. It's not hard to fathom. Bruce Springsteen's between song banter is not the same as Robyn's of course.but when I've seen Bruce his banter was awesome and pretty funny. Robyn missed the mark here that's all I'm saying. I wonder why that's all. Here is Robyn attempting to play slide and play harmonica too, simultaneously. The result is just way ,way sub-par. I merely speculate whether or not it's jet lag. Robyn is a fantastic performer especially when he plays electric. I just wonder what happened here. I'm not cutting him off at the knees or anything.

[@iadorenewyork1]

Even when Robyn is "off", he still can turn a phrase, and he is plenty charming.

[@sallybowles2781]

great shirt by the way

[@Crashoverall]

genius

[@sallybowles2781]

He always looks so pissed off, I d love to know what he s thinking when he performs - saw him in 1995, he looked pissed off back then too - I was 18 and I loved him very much

[@sheikhyaboooty]

Work your way back to the Softboys circa 1980 or so...you`ll be pleased you did.

[@jjpme92un]

So how does Robyn end up performing in a bike shop? I was waiting for a customer to come in and ask him for a 25 cm road tube . . .

[@grovermedway2432]

Working without a net. A lost art that separates musical men and women from the musical boys and girls.

[@sheikhyaboooty]

Odd you say that, you are aware maybe that Michael Stipe is on record stating that Robin Hitchcock...at the time with the Softboys was a major influence for REM.

[@darrellbryant2985]

👋

[@robcook5862]

Ha ! some people don't get his style, and unique way of mocking pompous performers. Just see Store Front Hitchcock and tell me if Robyn is a stellar guitarist !

[@textucker1158]

If you have nothing good to say say nothing.

[@Nazzz65]

An unexamined life is not worth living.

[@karlpilkingtons]

Unique style? Maybe he's very nervous (as I would be) but he's making a lot of technical mistakes, as well his strumming and rhythm are off.

[@Lucas-sg7pp]

of course when you talk about technical mistakes, hipsters are gonna start talking about emotion and style and magic. I dont see the magic on hitting the wrong chord and strumming off tempo.

[@Lucas-sg7pp]

im a big fan of this guy but im gonna have to agree with you, one thing is a little human element and little mistakes but this is too much to the point it makes me nervous, it makes me not enjoy the music

[@srynearson1]

You have no idea who you're talking about do you.

[@karlpilkingtons]

Poor lad can't play the guitar very well.... He can sing though.

[@number7gracestreet]

I love how he sings whatever comes into his head, his off the cuff lyrics. So clever!

[@carlingtonme]

A shame when a performers shows up drunk...:O

[@flowerdoodle2438]

I've liked Robyn Hitchcocks greatest hits etc..but this wasn't great. Songwriters only have so many good songs in em. I can't help but feel he's a bit pretentious

[@Nazzz65]

+Flowerdoodle2 A year ago I was dancing around the ''p''-word but agreed, he's pretty pretentious here. Robyn's lyrics at this point in his career could be categorized as 'obscure' lyrics which gets annoying after awhile. He isn't really fooling anyone with this warmed-over middle-brow surrealism. Aldous Huxley once observed that poets get stale and lose whatever lustre they had after 35-45 with few true exceptions. It's debatable. Artists and poets and writers and of course rock stars are certainly not above imitating themselves. It's too bad. Most often they give themselves short shrift.

[@flowerdoodle2438]

+Timothy Horan wow. It's not everyday on KZbin where I find someone agreeing with me. Thanks for your thoughtful concurrence. But yeah, there's something about this guy: the wispy silver-fox hair, the polka dot blouses, the weird anecdotes. Indeed, there's a middle brow surrealism...a cheap, practiced surrealist sensibility. Likely an effect of the Peter Pan pop star, he's in his 50s and he's still pushing this persona. There's an immaturity there or a adolescent preoccupation. He's certainly imitating himself and giving the people what he thinks they want? I see all these traits in a lot of "artsy", creative types; they want to stay a certain way forever-- can't get past this self image they hold and are slaves to preserving; that younger version of themselves, when they felt the coolest and everything was falling into place. I don't know. Maybe I'm over thinking this. As far as this performance, home boy needs to tighten it up or at least ditch the slide and harmonica. Doesn't work

[@Nazzz65]

+Flowerdoodle2 Well as you say back in the old days waiting for him to do something new and fresh again, I was a much bigger fan (he is/was a monster guitar player too) but agreed soul brother, Robyn is kinda like that uncle who never grew up but nowadays it's not helping him creatively. The fact may be that since he's not an Elvis Costello or a Van Morrison he can just about do these humble sort of sets. I say put an electric guitar in his hands!!! You're talking about a guy whose two favorite records of the 70's were Steeleye Span's 'Please To See The King' and Captain Beefheart's 'Clear Spot'. The man does, or did have wild, weird taste.

[@Nazzz65]

I don't want to be mean but (wait for it) if you really love Robyn (as I have for 35 years) you must admit that this appearance is pretty terrible. A really off night for Robyn. It's really unfortunate that this performance was preserved for posterity. Nothing is working for him here especially the harp that sounds like an icepick! It's worse than Bowie's harmonica playing! Worse than Alice Cooper's harp playing and that's pretty bad! Not even Robyn's goofy patter which is usually very funny: the best this side of Bruce Springsteen's, isn't coming together here for some reason. Robyn's considerable charm is no substitute for maybe a little more practice with this kind of set. Especially if he insists on playing slide throughout. Oh well...Maybe it's jet lag. In any case his guitar could really use a set-up too! I'm surprised that he would go onstage this disorganized and unprepared......

[@antonioelle4894]

seen this clip many times and I noticed only now that he is playing with an open G tuning...maybe is not familiar with it or maybe this was simply a no day for reasons we are not allowed to know