Bobby Long - The Bitter End, New York

Co-writing a song for the soundtrack of blockbuster movie du jour, Twilight, and having teen idol looks must be a blessing and a curse for London-based singer-songwriter Bobby Long.

The Greenwich Village venue of the third New York date on his Dangerous Summer Tour attracts a herd of borderline stalky Twilight fans, and Long’s penchant for dedicating songs to female members of his touring crew results in many a death stare towards their corner of the venue.

Bobby’s stripped-down, one-man acoustic live show is intimate and compelling and though he banters confidently with the crowd, during songs Long hides almost self-consciously behind his hair. Originally hailing from the West Country, the 22-year old troubadour’s smooth, soulful voice has a gentle rasp, much like Ray Lamontagne or a young Van Morrison. ‘Dead And Done’ – a sunny, Johnny Cash name-checking track, and the woebegone ‘Two Years Old’ are the highlights on this rainy, late summer night.

The Twilight connection has certainly given Bobby Long a leg-up and, with time, he should transcend the fame-by-association and be recognised in his own right as the superior storytelling musician he is.

Words by Rachael Wright
Photos by Betsy Blundell