Paul Heaton at The Pryzm, Kingston-upon-Thames on 4.3.2025
Pryzm
Good to get a new venue under my belt so early in the year. I can’t believe I haven’t been here before. My first visit to Pryzm and I cannot remember ever seeing a gig in Kingston, my birthplace.
Pryzm puts on loads of top acts, often promoted by Banquet Records as part of album release sales promotions. Short sets. Great prices and album inclusive deals. Tonight is no different, with two shows and we are at the early one. (Heaton ticket £25 including the new album on CD)
(I’m here with a friend I know from school, Keith B and my wife Sally, thanks to a late Keith purchase – I bought the last available ticket in the main sale. I’m also grateful to Keith for a few of the band photos included later.)
Pryzm is an old cinema with many original features that give it character, including a sticky carpet. As you enter there is the merch stand and boxes of vinyl records for sale from Banquet Records.
Then it’s upstairs to find a place to lean, stand or sit. There is an upper balcony and around the main standing area there is a good leaning rail and some seats if you are early enough.
Bars with orderly queues deal with drink needs effectively. The capacity is unclear but I would suggest about 1800 for a gig, from my reading – 2250 for the whole building.
The stage is small and makes the event even more ‘up close’ – the tour is billed as the ‘Mighty Several Close Up and Personal Unplugged Tour‘.
Paul Heaton
I did see Paul Heaton with his band (Jacqui Abbott was ill) a few years ago at an arena show in Birmingham and I saw The Housemartins and The Beautiful South a few times back in the day, the last century. (Previous Paul Heaton blog here.)
After being tipped off about Rianne Downey, who now plays and records with Paul Heaton, I saw her open the main stage at Teddy Rocks in March 2023, in front of 20 or so people (clip from my YouTube channel).
A fabulous voice to accompany Paul Heaton. I can imagine her playing in a packed bar in Nashville. There’s a folky Americana feel.
Heaton and Downey are joined on stage by a seated guitarist and bassist, with Rianne playing guitar on some songs also.
Paul Heaton keeps his trademark ‘jacket on’ look. Must be roasting. He makes light of the overt attempt to boost first week record sales to a number one spot, with the ticket and album arrangements that work so well for artists who come here. “It didn’t work, did it” he quips.
A set of just over an hour with 14 songs, five from the new album, The Mighty Several, and a selection of classic Housemartins and Beautiful South numbers.
Silly Me is my new album pick, which they play – Rianne Downey’s voice used to best effect. Fish’n’Chip Supper is instantly singalong – many do – so British and likeable, but maybe too easily likeable in its simplicity.
H into Hurt is another good one from the LP which gets a play, along with the title track.
The 62-year-old Heaton has his closer cropped hair tonight. The youthful look of a cheeky football fan in still there – he’s a Sheffield United fan. Back when The Housemartins were going, I assumed they were all from Hull, given the provocative London 0 Hull 4 album title. But no. They met in Hull but Heaton is Cheshire born, grew up in Sheffield and then lived in Surrey before moving up to Hull for a bit when The Housemartins formed. He’s always seemed like a good bloke to me, managing to shed the stardom.
It was excellent to hear The Housemartins’ Happy Hour live again, and in this up close venue. There’s also Five Get Overexcited earlier on.
Old Red Eyes is Back was my favourite of this happy hour. Another drinkers’ song (1991) from The Beautiful South collection. I stood thinking of my old drinking mate Sean, not that we had red eyes after our sessions eh. (It’s your round Sean if you’re listening!). Great song.
Pop classics from the Beautiful South catalogue come out near the end of this snapshot: Don’t Marry Her and Rotterdam (or Anywhere). Heaton explains his guilt at having to get us to shuffle out at the allotted time before he lets in the next sitting, drawing a comparison with some sordid brothel.
I really enjoyed this quick visit. I’m sure I’ll be back and another Heaton and Downey live experience would be most welcome soon, especially in a venue that is not too cavernous. Great pop songs with a bit of soul and some folk.
Gigs with Ivan 