Adam Green: O2 Academy, Oxford (From The Oxford Times)

Adam Green: O2 Academy, Oxford

2:59pm Wednesday 21st July 2010 in

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One of the most common stories told in popular culture is that of the artist who achieves great success when they’re no longer around to appreciate it. How this applies to Adam Green, who at 29 is far from being in the same situation as Stieg Larsson or Jeff Buckley, is in his former life as part of kooky folk collective the Moldy Peaches.

Together for four years in the early part of the 21st century, the band had a tiny following and sold few records; they folded in 2004 and Green went solo. Cut to 2008 and the Moldy Peaches’ songs are all over the soundtrack for the brilliantly funny and commercially successful film Juno. Cue a resurgence in the sales of their back catalogue and more airplay than they ever got when they were together.

Adam Green has, though, resisted calls to reform the band and ploughs on as a solo artist.

He retains many of the sensibilities that the Moldy Peaches held dear, writing songs that package dark subject matter in lovely twee language. His delivery is, however, completely different, with dirty, freewheeling rock ’n’ roll replacing the folky acoustic guitars.

And it is this he fills his hour with in the upstairs room of the Academy, jumping and jiving for all he’s worth, now more Iggy Pop and Mick Jagger in his stage presence than the bookish fellow who fronted the Peaches.

Screeching through the set, he delights the crowd with chaotic renditions of Carolina, Emily and Friends of Mine. Pausing for a breath, he plays a brace of acoustic tracks that showcase his comedic side and has the crowd laughing as if this were the best of stand-up shows. He ends with the satirical Jessica Simpson and ambles off into the night, clearly in no hurry to return for an easy pay day or to do anything other than what he does right now.