Watch and wonder: Richard Thompson at the Rio Theatre

I think it was at the end of this song that a colleague turned to me and gasped, "How do you do that and not sound wanky?" 

Here's your chance to ponder the same apparently impossible contradiction with a clip from Richard Thompson's sold-out show at the Rio Theatre on Saturday (May 11).

There isn't much to add.

At 64-years-old, the Brit singer-songwriter—probably on something of a new wave of discovery thanks to bands like Fleet Foxes—hasn't lost any of his power to move or amaze. While a good portion of Saturday's show was drawn from new album, Electric, it was great to hear what his Electric Trio made of older numbers like "Al Bowlly's in Heaven" or "Shoot Out the Lights". 

In particular, drummer Michael Jerome provided the monstrous swing and musicality that always seemed missing from the slightly antiseptic album version of the latter. And his rolling, fill-heavy take on the Pour Down Like Silver highlight below was very nearly as breathtaking as the unwanky business coming from the genius to his right.

Anyway, er, best show of the year, anyone?