Gaëlle Buswel has been a fixture of the French blues-rock scene for well over a decade. Audiences have seen her open for everyone from ZZ Top and Deep Purple to Blue Öyster Cult and Walter Trout, steadily building a reputation as a dependable live performer. Usually, those appearances find her fronting a full band and delivering a more electric brand of blues-rock. Last night at the Bataclan, however, she appeared alone with an acoustic guitar, her voice and a handful of songs.
Opening for Keb' Mo' is not necessarily the easiest assignment. His audience tends to be attentive, knowledgeable and somewhat discerning. With only five songs at her disposal, Buswel had little time to establish herself. Fortunately, the stripped-down format suited both the occasion and the material.
The acoustic setting placed the emphasis squarely on the songs and the storytelling. Buswel navigated the short set with confidence, gradually winning over the audience before closing with an a cappella rendition of Ponderosa Grove's "Save My Soul." The song evolved into a call-and-response singalong accompanied by foot stomping from the crowd, turning the Bataclan into a surprisingly participatory room for a few minutes.
Five songs are rarely enough to fully assess an artist, but they were sufficient to leave a favourable impression. Whether in this stripped-back format or with her full band, there will undoubtedly be other opportunities to catch Gaëlle Buswel on a stage in the near future.
