WASHINGTON -- Early into a gripping, 75-minute solo acoustic set at the 9:30

Club on Wednesday night, ex-London Suede guitarist Bernard Butler encouraged

audience members to join him onstage. As 60 to 70 fans clamored aboard, Butler

launched into the opening chords of "When You Grow."

"This is more like it," the pleased musician responded.

Butler's career has grown considerably since he parted ways with the neo-glam outfit

London Suede in 1994. His aptly titled solo LP, People Move On, released

earlier this year, showcased the guitarist's songwriting and production talents, offering

listeners a set of polished ballads that interweave elements of Neil Young's, Traffic's and

Neil Diamond's best work.

Considering the rich production quality and sound textures of Butler's solo album, many

on hand at Wednesday's show were not sure what to expect from a stripped-down

acoustic set. It didn't take long for Butler to dispel any fears about his ability to carry the

show on his own.

Taking the stage to the sounds of Neil Diamond, the lanky, long-haired

Butler picked up his well-tuned acoustic guitar and launched into

HREF="http://www.addict.com/music/Butler,_Bernard/Not_Alone.ram">"Not

Alone" (RealAudio excerpt), off People Move On. On disc, the song is a

swirling, '70s-style pop number, complete with a backing of violins. In concert, however,

Butler transformed the tune with his guitar virtuosity, stunning the intimate crowd into

silence. Only minutes into his set, Butler had already won over the crowd of 300-plus

fans.

He followed up that strong opener with the title track from People Move On and

then dazzled the audience with a mesmerizing rendition of

HREF="http://www.addict.com/music/Butler,_Bernard/Autograph.ram">"Autograph"

(RealAudio excerpt). Onstage, Butler's innate talent combined intricate guitar

work reminiscent of Jimmy Page with the sheer intensity of former Hüsker Dü

frontman Bob Mould.

Bathed in red light and surrounded by red and white candles, Butler's

upbeat stage persona was a striking contrast to the morose dramatics of his former band.

Butler offered fans nine craftily reworked tracks off People Move On and debuted

four new songs -- including the beautifully sad "Seventeen Miles" -- over the course of

the evening.

"Enjoy yourselves. That's what I always do," Butler encouraged concert-goers halfway

through the stripped-down set.

Yet Butler certainly was not enjoying himself upon leaving London Suede midway

through the recording of that band's remarkable second LP, Dog Man Star. At the

time, the U.K. music press held its collective breath. Would London Suede, then the

band-of-the-moment, be able to survive the loss of their much-heralded guitar prodigy

and chief musician? What would Butler do to please his growing legions of fans and the

rock critics who had dubbed him the best guitarist of his generation?

London Suede's response to Butler's much-publicized departure was to hire a new

guitarist and record 1996's Coming Up. The album proved to be a triumphant

return to form for the band, silencing critics who had predicted its downfall in its

post-Butler incarnation.

Butler, meanwhile, has taken a journeyman's approach to his career in the years

following his exit from London Suede. Similar to the post-Smiths experience of his guitar

hero, Johnny Marr, Butler has played a number of short-lived stints with artists ranging

from The Verve to former 'Til Tuesday vocalist Aimee Mann.

On Wednesday night, though, Butler ably positioned himself as a formidable,

up-and-coming solo artist in his own right. He closed his amazing set of beautiful songs

and masterful guitar work with "I'm Tired," the final track from People Move On,

passionately confessing: "I'm tired, I've no more to say."