Versatility and ability to stretch the parameters of any genre have always been Beck's calling card, and tonight is the perfect setting for him. The sublime followed the ridiculous with his truly awesome rendition of Charles Mingus's "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat". At one points he stops, orchestrating the band so that the musical bridge is provided by the sound of an old jalopy setting off on a race projected on the big screen. Beck's flashy technique and sharp changes of gear provide customised thrills as his guitar replicates the sound of blaring horns or roaring engines.
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But in a selection from his two outstanding recent albums Who Else? and You Had it Coming, he combines his hobby and his art in a way that would have Tufnel scratching his head in disbelief.
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The back projection – archive photos of Beck in his pomp or relaxing at home with his prized vintage hot rods – underlines the connection. With his pudding-basin haircut unchanged since he first wrought several shades of six-stringed mayhem with the Yardbirds, it's hard to forget that Jeff was the role model for Christopher Guest's Nigel Tufnel in seminal rock comedy This Is Spinal Tap. Dressed in black vest, displaying a muscular physique, he has his white Stratocaster slung low on his hip as he grins, chews gum and unleashes a fusillade of diamond-cutting riffs. This three-night stint at the Festival Hall is a rare live outing for Jeff Beck, but the largely reclusive genius of Britrock guitar takes to the stage with the glee of a teenager.