David Ramirez review, St Pancras Old Church, London: Compelling set performed to an intimate crowd

The US singer-songwriter is missing his band but still delivers an impressive set packed with atmospheric ballads

David Ramirez at St Pancras Old Church (Rune Todnem)

“I don’t think I’ve ever opened a set with a hopeful song,” quips Americana artist David Ramirez after “Find the Light”, which kicks off a compelling set in front of an intimate, attentive crowd that includes his Mum and Dad. The 34-year-old Texan admits there’s a lot of “sadder” songs in the set, before adding “I hope you guys are all on board with that?” The crowd can't contain their excitement.

Ramirez, who has dual American and Mexican heritage, is blessed with an expressive voice and a huge range that recalls both Johnny Cash and The National’s Matt Berninger. His latest album, We’re Not Going Anywhere, is his finest and most ambitious (and political) yet and its songs provide the night's finest moments. He wails and pleads for more time to talk with his long-distance English girlfriend on the evocative “Telephone Lovers”, laments his homeland on “Twins” (“There she goes/ Goodbye America”) and explains the merits of Tuesday boozing on the mournful “Time”.

Ramirez describes the wonderfully atmospheric “I’m Not Going Anywhere” as showing “a little finger to death”. His material, in general, could be described as gloomy optimism, but at certain points he really does miss his full band (they're returning to the UK in August); without them, his emotive material lacks a certain oomph. He does his best to fill in the gaps where the band should be, but on, say, the refreshingly honest “People Call Who They Want to Talk to” (a song that sets off the venue’s church bells) there is something missing.

There are a couple of notable omissions from tonight's set, namely the tangy “Good Heart” (“I’ve got money problems/ which lead to drinking problems/ which lead to sleeping all day problems”) and powerful ballad “Eliza Jane”, but Ramirez still delivers a droll, self-deprecating (“Thank you for those three people who clapped, I clearly chose the right path”) and totally committed set. Roll on August.