Steve Martin at the Hammersmith Apollo

Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers

Hammersmith Apollo, 8 July 2011

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to see Steve Martin on his first banjo tour. It was probably the most surprisingly show I went to that year because it was so good and not just the oddity a comedian playing the musician would suggest. Instead it was a fabulous mix of virtuoso banjo playing and genuinely hilarious comedy. Martin is not just a major comedy star but he's also a genuinely gifted musician, in fact it's delightfully old fashioned in a way, a star who is all-rounder, a true entertainer if you will.

Steve Martin at the Royal Festival Hall

Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers
Mary Black
Royal Festival Hall, 9 November 2009

On paper the idea of a Hollywood comedian indulging in a spot of serious banjo-playing sounds more curious than entertaining but in this case the comedian in question is an absolutely superb banjo player who has just released the best banjo album of the year, full of bluegrass tunes he wrote himself. Add to that the fact that he's been playing with the first-rate bluegrass band, North Carolina's The Steep Canyon Rangers (who have to be some of the finest musicians I've ever witnessed), then what you have is a pretty damn good show. And that's not even taking into account that on stage (between songs) Steve Martin is still one hell of a funny guy.