Bonnie Raitt Live @ Vicar Street, Dublin - June 3rd and 4th 2025

These two nights in the musical heartland of Dublin city prove to be memorable for many reasons, including the wonderful atmosphere created by the capacity audience and the superb musicianship highlighted. It’s not been that long since Bonnie Raitt last visited the intimate surroundings of Vicar Street, and she played here in 2023 as part of her European tour to promote the 2022 album release JUST LIKE THAT.

That release was her eighteenth studio album in a career that spans six decades and her craft as a stellar musician and soulful vocalist has never been in any doubt since her debut album appeared back in 1971. Her interpretation of songs written by other songwriters is the stuff of legends, so much so that the renditions are seen almost as her own, rather than that of the originals. Over the two shows at Vicar Street Bonnie plays the exact same set of sixteen songs, taken from nine of her official releases, with both NICK OF TIME and LUCK OF THE DRAW featuring most, with three songs apiece.

Her between-song communications are very engaging and she certainly has always displayed a ‘common touch’ when empathising with the audience on matters of the heart, of life, and of surviving troubled times. Her easy way with words finds Bonnie observing that she is “not too old to shift her gears” and that her road crew are the best, thanking her guitar tech for “providing fresh horses” when a guitar-swap is required between songs.

The band is so talented and nuanced in their interplay and interpretation that the spontaneous applause from the audience on several occasions is duly acknowledged by Bonnie as she generously points out each musician after specific solo parts. We have long-time band members Ricky Fataar on drums and vocals, James “Hutch” Hutchinson on bass and vocals, joined by Glenn Patscha on keyboards and vocals, and Duke Levine on guitars and vocals. They are note perfect throughout and if you close your eyes it’s almost like you’re listening to a studio recording, such is their subtly layered performance.

Bonnie has never sounded more accomplished with both her vocal adroitness and her guitar technique on slide and bottleneck a rare gift to witness live. There is something special in the air at these two gigs and Bonnie is very gracious in her tributes to the likes of Mavis Staples (her inspiration), Mable John, Paul Brady, and John Prine. There are poignant moments when she speaks of John Prine and his enduring legacy. Bonnie was channelling his memory when she penned her award winning song Just Like That and the true story behind the lyrics is particularly moving (a son’s heart donated that saved the life of a stranger). Her song performance is quietly captivating.

Paul Brady is in the audience both nights but doesn’t join Bonnie on stage, despite her inclusion of two songs that he wrote (Not the Only One and Steal Your Heart Away). Bonnie says that Brady’s comment when asked was along the lines of “You can’t afford me,” but I have no doubt that this is tongue-in-cheek. Highlights across the two nights were the beautifully timeless I Can’t Make You Love Me, the superb blues of Dylan’s A Million Miles, the Mable John 60s hit You’re Good Thing (Is About To End), Richard Thompson’s classic Dimming Of the Day, and her own song Nick Of Time with the telling lines “Life gets mighty precious, When there's less of it to waste.”

The performance of Angel From Montgomery is always special and Bonnie infuses the moment with heart-aching pathos “If dreams were thunder, lightning was desire, This old house would have burnt down a long time ago.” As Bonnie states in her introduction to the song “No one cuts through it like John Prine.” Of course, the glory all goes to the magnetic brilliance of Bonnie Raitt, so generous in her artistic expression and ebullient in her sharing of the many gifts she brings. Until the next time.

Coda: Jimmy Vaughan made a guest appearance for the encore on night two Never Make Your Move Too Soon. Brother of blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, he is the founding member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Support on both nights was from the multi-talented Martin Harley who played a four-song set and greatly impressed with his roots music and soulful vocal. He plays again in Dublin next September at the Workmans club. 

Review and photo by Paul McGee

Thomm Jutz and Eric Brace @ Chandler’s House, Rathfriland 10th May 2025.

When you are finally given the opportunity to follow through on a tour that was originally scheduled for 2020, then you jump in with all guitars locked and loaded. It was in March 2020 when Thomm Jutz and Eric Brace found themselves on Irish shores as news of lockdown hovered in the air and cases of Covid virus began appearing on the news. Deciding to abandon their tour before a single chord had been played the duo just made it back home to the USA before everything changed in our lives for the succeeding two years.

Their return is a celebration of all that is good in contemporary roots music as they perform in the intimate surroundings of Chandler’s House in the picturesque village of Rathfriland, County Down. To say that the duo have a gift for both live performance and songwriting is perhaps the greatest understatement of this review. Both artists possess a track record for album releases that would make your head spin and each has a storied career to their name. Eric was a journalist with the Washington Post before forming the superb band Last Train Home, eventually moving to Nashville where he met fellow journalist and songwriter Peter Cooper. Together they wrote songs and toured while Eric also formed his own record label, Red Beet Records.

Thomm was born in Germany and eventually made his way to Nashville where he became a guitarist for artists such as Nanci Griffith, David Olney and Mary Gauthier, among others. As a popular session musician Thomm went on to launch his own recording studio and also to teach songwriting at Belmont University in Nashville. He joined with both Eric and Peter, out of mutual admiration, to form a powerful trio who delivered some fine music up to the untimely death of Peter Cooper in 2022. To honour their great friend, both Eric and Thomm decided to keep playing live as a duo and to keep the songs alive for everyone to celebrate both life and music as sweet therapy for the soul. Peter Cooper is remembered tonight in songs such as King Of the Keelboat Men, Hartford’s Bend, and My Sally.

The themes of transport and storytelling are well explored in the songs with lots of reference made to railroads and trains, steamships and riverboat days, air travel and some flights of fancy woven into the detail of the songs. The creative writing process is unlocked, as both artists trade stories of how the mystical muse comes to visit; it may be a random comment caught in a restaurant or a conversation on the street, whatever can inspire a song. Indeed, what defines a musician more than that of travelling minstrels, forever roving, always looking for connection and inspiration.

Five songs are included from the most recent album Simple Motion, released in 2024 and included in the set are superbly played versions of Frost On the South Side, Just A Moment, Can’t Change the Weather,  Arkansas and What You Get For Getting Older.  It’s a very generous set of twenty songs and the fluent lead guitar lines of Thomm Jutz are a joy to witness. He is more than complimented by the more rhythmic playing of Eric Brace  and the pair dovetail superbly around the melody. Their harmony vocals are also finely tuned and the audience was certainly fully engaged with every performance throughout.

A very funny song Middle Aged Women is delivered to great amusement and extols the benefits that a little experience can bring. Other songs feature authentic tales of quiet heroes, the marginalised unemployed, hobos, gypsies and hanged men; crop workers, riverboat captains, whiskey makers, booking agents and tributes to both Tom T Hall (Living A Life Of the Mind) and Jimmie Rodgers (Jimmie Rodgers Rode A Train). Thomm sings I Choose You which is a co-write with Tammy Rogers and one that is repeatedly used in both marriage and divorce proceedings (that invariably lead to 2nd marriages). Such is the great banter from the stage and among the receptive audience throughout. Dear Lorraine is a Last Train Home song that Eric introduces and he also sings powerfully on Tranquility Base, a song that reflects upon the moon landing and the life of Neil Armstrong. The encore is dedicated to popular local promoter Andy Peters and the Jackson Browne song Late For the Sky is performed with great subtlety and reverence to the original. This was a most enjoyable evening of timeless music played by consummate musicians to a greatly appreciative audience. It was a real pleasure to be part of it all.

Review by Paul McGee Photograph by Eilis Boland

Jeffrey Martin @ Whelan’s, Dublin – Tuesday 6th May 2025

This show marks a very welcome return to Irish shores for Jeffrey Martin as he takes to the stage with just his acoustic guitar and an expectation of things to come. The enthusiastic audience greets his presence with great warmth and cheer, making the intimate setting all the more special over a set that includes a generous seventeen songs and much to digest and ponder in the words of wisdom shared.

The main focus of the show revolves around the most recent release THANK GOD WE LEFT THE GARDEN and seven songs are featured, including the sublime There Is A Treasure ‘And all the tools we use to feel important, They are useless as a sailboat in the sky, Where old bones and heartaches are forgotten, It's a place we don't have words to describe.’ A further three songs are performed from ONE GO AROUND, including the heartfelt Poor Man ‘ I'm not a bad man, I'm a poor man sinking.’

An earlier album DOGS IN THE DAYLIGHT provides yet another three songs, and another old favourite Galveston is also a request from the crowd. There is a cover version of a Richard Buckner song Surprise, AZ and this recounts the tragic deaths of a mother and daughter. Other songs, Checkers and Everybody Has A Broken Dream have yet to feature on albums, and a new song is tried in the shape of a fifth century tale in which a young boy goes off to a life of adventure on the ocean wave.

Coal Fire is a tale of trauma, where a firefighter watches a colleague die as they try to contain an underground inferno. Billy Burroughs recounts the life of the beat poet and a pivotal event that changed him and haunted his waking days thereafter. Red Station Wagon speaks to homophobic attitudes and the necessity to speak out in defence of others. Paper Crown views the perversity of chasing power to the detriment of all else, with the enduring force of nature always standing as the real teacher over the longer term.

These songs come from a place of lived experience and are constructed with compassion and humility. There is a deep humanism woven through the words, with a recognition of the fragility of life and in our struggles to find real meaning. There exists an innate sense of loving awareness where the character lines we carry are reflections of the mistakes we make and the perspective gained. Jeffrey Martin is in tune with the beauty inside, a garden that we all possess and can walk in as often as we choose. It’s an intimate place where contentment and peace are never far away.

There is a quiet dignity to be found, but also also a great sense of fun in the stories and tales that Martin relays between songs. It may be his admission to rollerblading in the small hours of morning in his local neighbourhood when the roads are all deserted and everyone is asleep. Or perhaps his decision to dabble in the stock market and the inevitable consequences of the stress levels experienced (referencing mud patches, dog parks, and mushrooms). Surely not the story of the deep shock visited upon a class of young students upon hearing his dark content on a songwriting visit.

Perhaps Jeffrey sums it up perfectly in his song The Middle when he sings ‘Don't go pointing your finger at me, You don't know where I've been or what I've seen, Closing your eyes is not the answer to the riddle, I found it in the middle.’ Indeed, a measure in all things, and a weather eye to keep our fellow man from harm, if we can. Our place in time is akin to drops of water into a vast ocean of life  and we leave our own ripples behind when we go. How we choose to live is our choice but with the gentle wisdom of Jeffrey Martin to guide us along, then we are bound to find continued joy in these songs that are a balm for the soul. A quietly superb evening.

Review and photo by Paul McGee

Kilkenny Roots Festival 2025

Once again the medieval city of Kilkenny becomes the centre of the known musical universe in Ireland as it hosts the 27th weekend of all things great in Americana, Blues, Country, Folk and whatever else tickles your fancy. As always, the craic is mighty, and the pubs and venues are packed to capacity as music pours out the doors, along with streams of visiting aficionados.

The headline acts, nineteen in all, were carefully selected and played with great variety and vigour in their performances. Trying to get to see all their shows was the challenge and hard decisions were needed in choosing between the many timings and venues.

The free trail offers over 60 gigs where the artists take the opportunity of being part of the weekend and spreading the word about their music; perhaps selling some merchandise along the way, and making new friends into the bargain. The Lonesome Highway team covered a lot of ground over the four days of music and here are our particular highlights.

Leaf Rapids pulled out all the stops to be part of the festival, travelling all the way from Manitoba in Canada. They played four shows over the weekend and it’s safe to say that they won over a lot of new admirers with their superb musicianship and creative songcraft. The sets played were generous in length and included many moments of great banter and storytelling. Songs about silver fillings, speed nuptials, barber shop assaults on customers, and vultures, mix with beautiful relationship songs such as Starling To A Starling, and story songs of unwanted pregnancies on Dear Sister. Cover versions of songs by Patsy Cline, David Bowie and John Prine are all weaved into the strong setlists and the use of theremin by Keri Latimer, creative whistling and stylish percussion from drummer Joanna Miller, fluent guitar subtlety from Chris Dunn and the grounding bass of Devin Latimer, all come together to create compelling performances. There is a very strong case for a return visit into the future based on their performances this time out.

Steve Wynn a musician whose legacy stretches back to the post-punk days of the 1980s and the jangle pop sound of The Dream Syndicate. His ability as a songwriter and incendiary guitarist has long placed him in the hall of fame when it comes to the vibrant sounds of the Alternative Rock movement and Paisley Underground bands. Visiting Kilkenny on a book tour of his autobiography I WOULDN’T SAY IT IF IT WASN’T TRUE - A Memoir of Life, Music and The Dream Syndicate, the autobiography covers Steve's childhood in Los Angeles, through to the first run of The Dream Syndicate, and the band's breakup in 1988. It is a colourful account of a time where experimentation and attitude mixed together into a heady cocktail that brought exciting electrics to the music scene. Steve performed a number of songs from the early days of Dream Syndicate and Days Of Wine and Roses, Tell Me When It’s Over, The Medicine Show and Merrittville were included, between readings from the book and great insightful questioning from Allan Jones, the renowned journalist and creative source behind such publications as Melody Maker and Uncut magazine. A very engaging event.

Jesse Malin is a musical powerhouse who exploded out of Queens, NYC in the 1980s as the frontman in bands such as Heart Attack and D Generation into the 1990s. He began a solo career after the breakup of the bands and his debut was released in 2002 to huge critical acclaim. After a run of nine albums Malin suffered a spinal stroke in 2023 that left him paralysed from the waist down. Through an incredible battle against all the odds, coupled with a staggering degree of personal fortitude and unquenchable spirit, Malin has fought back to reach a point where he is performing again.

Never looking for sympathy, he takes to the stage with the aid of a Zimmer frame and sits for much of the set, as his superb band sit alongside in solidarity and support of his never-give-up attitude.  Jesse receives an emotional welcome from the capacity crowd and then turns in a performance of incredible intensity and power across two hours in an unforgettable concert. Included in the setlist were favourites such as Turn Up the Mains, She Don’t Love Me Now, Brooklyn, She’s So Dangerous, among many others. Great cover versions of songs from The Pogues, The Ramones, Patti Smith, and a heartfelt tribute to Shane McGowan on Shane are also real highlights.

The real winner however, is the certainty that the human spirit can battle against all odds and make an enduring statement. When Jesse Malin stands at the microphone and his band gather around his talent to play All the Way From Moscow and a new song Argentina, the country where he started to receive stem cell treatment for his paralysis, all bets are off and the audience join in the celebration of meeting the challenges that life throws our way. A weekend highlight to all who were lucky to be in attendance and a seminal concert in the history of Kilkenny Roots Festival.

Paul McGee

Freeman's Country Carvery cut their teeth at Kilkenny Roots in 2023 to a handful of enthusiastic punters at the back of Cleere's bar, and this six-piece band performed to a packed room in Kytelers this year. Freeman's Country Carvery are a collection of some of Cork's (and beyond) finest musicians, including Patrick Freeman, Alan Comerford, David Murphy, Brendan Fennessy and brothers Declan and Kevin O'Shea. No doubt fuelled by their growing reputation and also the ongoing resurgence in classic country, their seventy-minute set was a masterclass in highlighting the cream of 60s and 70s country music. From Buck Owens to The Byrds and Marty Robbins to Gram Parsons, the show was a stream of classic songs performed to the ninth degree. Mark McCambridge (Arborist) and Lizzie No joined the party with guest appearances on a fun-filled occasion. With 'real' country music growing legs in recent years, there has been a noticeable absence of Irish acts getting on board. With the combined quality of these guys and the audience response, young and old, to tonight's show, the tide is definitely turning.  

Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band introduced me to their the musical world by their glorious assortment of alt-country DANCING ON THE EDGE in 2023, it was a pleasure to find them booked to play the festival and a thumbs up to the booker for trusting a somewhat left of centre act to perform. Attendees at the show, unfamiliar with their output, may initially have been taken aback by songs that often exceeded the ten-minute mark, but by the end of the show, they were certainly on board. With the majority of the set drawn from the 2023 album, the highlights were Free From The Guillotine, Junk Drawer Heart, Bluebirds Revisited and A Suitable Exit, where the combination of Davis’ stream-of-consciousness lyrics and the intricate playing of the band drew you in and held your attention throughout. Part Silver Jews and part Will Oldham, guitars, bass, synths, percussion and Davis’ hypnotic vocals and use of a melodica all banded together to create a stunning set by a band that won a lot of admirers by those unfamiliar with their sound alongside the previously converted.

The Delines offer a consistency in their shows in recent years by getting better and better with each performance. No strangers to Kilkenny or Willy Vlautin's former band Richmond Fontaine, the expectancy was sky high for their afternoon show in the Set Theatre, and they most certainly delivered. Their fifteen-song set featured material from their latest album, MR. LUCK & MS. DOOM and a dip into their back catalogue with Vlautin's cinematic tales of the unfortunate and forgotten brought to life by Amy Boone's silky vocals. A well-oiled unit, Cory Gray's keyboards and perfectly placed mariachi trumpet breaks, Freddy Trujillo's silky bass, drummer Sean Oldham's brushes and Vlautin's guitar contributions are telepathic-like. Maureen's Gone Missing, Don't Miss Your Bus Lorraine, Little Earl and Don't Think Less of Me are sublime and matched by the Vlautin/Boone duet My Blood Bleeds the Deepest Blue. They sign off with Dilaudid Diane, an exquisite set closer that features collective vocals by Boone, Vlautin, Trujillo, and Oldham, accompanied only by Gray's keyboards. It may seem unachievable to forge and create such joyful performing songs that play out like a soundtrack to the underworld in their home country, but The Delines manage to do so, and no more so than this afternoon's show.

Declan Culliton

Elaine Palmer provided a very welcome respite from the more loud and bombastic acts of the weekend, the North Yorkshire singer-songwriter brought her well crafted country songs to appreciative audiences at her sets in The Clubhouse Hotel and Syd Harkin’s. A true ‘Americana’ artist (her family are located in both Arizona and Yorkshire), her thoughtful songs varied from love affairs to historical tragedies, all conveyed in her quietly powerful yet achingly beautiful vocals. Accompanied by Peter McDonald on guitar, she performed songs from across her small catalogue, especially her recent release, HALF MOON RISING, recorded in California. We hope she’ll be back soon.

Our Man In The Field who are led by Alexander Ellis, on their first visit to Kilkenny, may have been the hardest working band of the weekend. Previewing the band’s upcoming album SILVERADO (recorded in Mark Knopfler’s studio), and with a superb new band line-up, they were one of the most talked about bands on the free circuit this year. Playing some new songs and older ones from their two previous records, Alexander’s story songs were particularly enhanced by the guitar stylings of Matt Owens (Noah & the Whale) on his vintage Gretsch Black Falcon. The new material has moved in a slightly different direction, away from the psychedelic country/soul sound of 2023’s GOLD ON THE HORIZON and on the foot of the live performances, we are looking forward to getting our hands on the new album.

Jerron ‘Blind Boy’ Paxton treated the smallish crowd to masterclass in roots music at his gig in the Watergate Theatre, which was entirely fitting considering the name of this festival. Paxton’s musical influences (from LA to Louisiana and the Ozarks to the Appalachians) were evident in his exhilarating set, which ranged from Mississippi blues to Cajun dance music to ragtime and everything in between. He showed his proficiency on guitar, banjo (two styles!), harmonica and piano, as well as some fine a capella singing. His between song rapport was hilarious and, all in all, we expect the theatre will be sold out on his next visit.

Eilis Boland

Ben De la Cour, who was making his first appearance at the Kilkenny Roots Festival, made what will be a lasting impression on his audience. They were wholly attentive to his songs that deal, more often than not, with the darker and less buoyant side of life and hard times. Playing in Cleere’s, he noted the overall good sound of the room but also attributed this to the sound balance, as the two don’t always come together. It highlights, to a degree, the benefit of matching an artist and their musical presence with a suitable venue. De la Cour is a distinctive vocalist and a superb songwriter, whose lyrics follow a linear line in bringing the songs to life, something that can be a little more oblique with other writers.

For the first thirty five minutes or so De la Cour played solo, with songs taken from recent albums including the cinematic opener God’s Only Son, then other songs included Number’s Game, Swan Dive, Company Town and Appalachian Book Of The Dead. He then brought fellow artist Aubree Riley to the stage to sing harmony on a selection of other songs, such as Shine On The Highway. This added a new layer to the songs and provided a balance to de la Cour’s own delivery. There were also a couple of songs taken from the soon to be released new album, including the title track, New Roses, and a song written for his daughter, We Were Young Together Once. They finished the set with a version of a song that he remarked that his uncle took a dislike to a specific part. That was the line about alligators in The Lakes Of Pontchartrain, a much recorded folk song but not one often played in his set, yet one he felt was appropriate to play here in Ireland. He finished with an unexpected encore, which left everyone appreciating his talent and heading to the merch table to buy as many of his albums as possible. Given that it was, in some cases, their first experience of Ben De la Cour’s music, it was a testament to the success of this talent and to the performance in Kilkenny. 

Jim Lauderdale was playing solo in the Watergate Theatre and in his hour long set he covered songs from throughout his many albums, including the title track Planet Of Love from his debut, as well as another song from that album that has become a much-loved staple in The King Of Broken Hearts. Jim’s voice has aged with a certain grace that gives the songs a sense of longevity and highlights that he has lost none of his distinctive capacity on that front. However, speaking to a number of fans afterwards, they expressed the view that after numerous solo performances it would have been enhancing to see Lauderdale accompanied by other musicians, especially his current Game Changers band. None-the-less, the set was delivered with his usual engagement with the audience, explaining with whom a song was written, as well as with some humorous asides. Calling in his customary rhinestone embellished suit, Jim Lauderdale embraces his love of traditional country and bluegrass music, in this context, allowing his inherent skill as a singer-songwriter to shine. 

Jenny Don’t and The Spurs delivered an energetic, full bore set of roots-punk, tinged with spaghetti western instrumentals and twang, over a high-octane rhythm section. The sound proved too loud for some in the setting of Cleere’s listening room and it was true that Dont’s vocals were often lost in the overall maelstrom of sound. The drummer Buddy Weeks and Don’t’s husband bassist Kelly Halliburton (there were a couple of joking remarks about that relationship) were the powerhouse behind the band, with Christopher March’s guitar adding the necessary and appealing overall layer of country influenced twang, while Don’t assisted with the rhythm on her trusty Telecaster and enthusiastic vocals. They deliver a sound that many love and is not one that is heard too often these days, but will have resonances with the likes of Jason and The Scorchers’ heyday and Irish appearances. Much of the set was taken from their current album BROKEN BLUE HEART which is a pretty fair representation of their overall sound and ethos. They are touring in Europe over the next month or so, and return to Ireland to play in Whelan’s as the final date on their European tour on June 23rd.

Stephen Rapid

Photographs by Declan Culliton, Kaethe Burt, Eilis Boland and Stephen Rapid with special thanks to those who provided additional live photographs.

Zoé Basha @ The Duncairn, Belfast - 26 April 2025

Zoe Basha breezed into Belfast like a woman possessed. It was her third time gracing the stage of the Duncairn Arts Centre in North Belfast, but her first time fronting her own show with her own band and her long fermenting début album in tow, and she couldn’t wait to share it all with the decent sized audience. GAMBLE, produced by Basha herself, was recorded in Dundalk and was released on April 17 (look out for our review soon).

Basha took to the stage alone, threw back her head and launched into a confident a cappella rendering of the traditional folk song A Nightingale Sings. Then she was joined by her touring band - Ultan Lavery on keys, Jessie Whitehead on fiddle and James Christie on drums - for a ten song set. Basha strapped on her huge (at least it appeared huge against her slight frame) vintage arch-top acoustic Gibson guitar and launched into Same Swallows Swooping. Her deft fingerpicking and her own swooping vocals - she has a range from almost contralto to sweet falsetto - were impressive from the off. That song, she explained, was written while she was living in France, working on a land commune, having left her base in Ireland many times on various projects abroad over the past thirteen years. She lived in her van there in France, but eventually returned to Ireland, and that van has ended up rusting in a field in Cavan (probably along with many others). Travelling Shoes was written when she was 17 and starting to busk and travel, but was still relevant when she was 27, she explains, ‘don’t expect me to be here/to greet you in the morning’. It’s probably those years of busking that have given her this easy stage presence and the confidence to encourage the initially somewhat inhibited audience to ‘sweet heckle’. Gamble, the album’s title track, was written when she was alone in Galway, reflecting on being alone and half-hoping to run into someone who might too have baggage, but that it would at least be functional baggage. Jessie Whitehead’s fiddle was to the fore in the arrangement on this one. 

On Worried,  Basha ponders the wisdom of allowing her true feelings to come to the fore in a relationship and being judged for doing so, ‘I’m worried you’ll call me a child’. She follows this with an Appalachian traditional ballad, accompanied by just a droning fiddle, and synths from magician Ultan Lavery. 

It’s clear from tonight’s gig that folk and jazz music are prominent among Basha’s wide musical influences, and she mentions that she has spent time in New Orleans. Her choice of guitar is therefore no surprise, bestowing strong jazzy overtones on her compositions. Come Find Me Lonesome, also written while on the road in France, has a particularly smooth soulful groove, and it allows Ultan Lavery to let loose on those keys. We get some more covers - False Sir John is an Appalachian ballad from the singing of Jean Ritchie and Basha gives it a full band treatment, as opposed to Ritchie’s a cappella version, and a jazzy Jimmy Rodgers two-step, Sweet Papa Hurry Home, complete with yodels.

Closing with the single Dublin Street Corners and with an encore of Billie Holiday’s Gloomy Sunday, the permanent smile on Zoé Basha’s face tells that she’s thoroughly enjoying brining her songs to life on this tour. Try to catch her on the rest of her Irish dates or in France and Belgium soon.

Eilís Boland - review and photograph

Willow Avalon @ Opium, Dublin 21st March 2025

'I never thought I'd play more than two miles from my house,' announces an animated Willow Avalon on the final night of her U.K. and Ireland tour, which included sharing stages at the C2C annual event with Lainey Wilson, Dierks Bentley, Cody Johnson in London, Glasgow and Belfast. Avalon may not have been a headline act on that tour, but her show in Dublin this evening suggests she will be in the future.

Unlike many of her peers navigating the painstaking music industry, Avalon has not spent ten years in Nashville praying for a break. Having played piano and sang in church at an early age, she has been living in New York in recent years. She signed her first ill-fated label deal at eighteen, but her career has taken off in hurricane style in the past few years.

Signed to Atlantic Records, the title of Avalon's recently released album SOUTHERN BELLE, RAISIN' HELL was not dreamed up in a Nashville songwriting sweatshop by a panel of songwriters. Instead, it's a literal representation of an artist who grew up in a small Southern town in Georgia (population 260) and got her artistic inspiration from family members, predominantly female. That clan, and in particular her granny, whom she refers to on a number of occasions this evening, were not traditional middle-class folk. More accurately, they were church-going, pistol-packing and mace spray carrying women who grew up in a swamp area and took no prisoners.

There's more than a little early Dolly Parton swagger to her stage show tonight, and it's no coincidence that her playlist before taking the stage includes singalongs Nine To Five and Jolene. However, Glen Campbell's Gentle On My Mind fades into the background as her band arrives on stage. Kitted out in matching black suits, white shirts, and bolo ties, the four-piece band includes guitarist JR Atkins, pedal steel player Jack McLaughlin, drummer Noah Rauchwerk and bass player Ned Steves, who also doubles on banjo. Avalon follows them on stage in suitable Southern Belle attire, flowing dress and multi-coloured cowgirl boots before launching into Something We Regret ('I love you like sugar, you love me like sex. Put us both together and we'll do something we regret'), complete with Steves' whistling solo followed by another 'busted love' account, Honey Ain't No Sweeter.

Her between-song banter is fun-filled and engaging, and each song is preceded by a 'one-two-three-four intro.' She admits to not being the luckiest in love or in her choice of partners, and quite a number of those doomed liaisons created the backstory to a number of the songs on her album. Those romantic liaisons may not be her forte, but alongside a gloriously accented voice, clever songs and a killer backing band, she is blessed with a personality and stage presence that screams X Factor. The stories between songs keep coming; the useless boyfriend that couldn't change a tyre or handle his laundry is the subject of The Actor, as good a country song that I've heard this year. Baby Blue, introduced as an account of a boyfriend she pulled the plug on, is delivered as an acoustic three-piece, with the drummer Rauchwerk and pedal steel player McLaughlin taking time out.

Shots of whisky are downed ('Sorry, mama') by Avalon and her band by introducing Tequila or Whiskey before she closes the set with Yodelaheehoo leaving the stage to a deafening response. Crowd favourite Homewrecker is the one-song encore, and although the set is short at just over fifty minutes, she more than makes up for it with the intensity of her performance.

There is little doubt that Willow Avalon is destined for bigger rooms and arenas going forward. Times are always challenging for female artists in country music, but in the last decade, Kacey Musgraves and Sierra Ferell have made breakthroughs, and in more recent years, Kaitlin Butts. Avalon ticks all the boxes to follow in their footsteps. No doubt, most attendees at tonight's show will recall in coming years seeing this fireball in a medium-sized venue for a little over twenty euros. That's most certainly unlikely to be repeated.

Declan Culliton

Jake Xerxes Fussell@ Whelan’s, Dublin – Thursday 20th February 2025

An avid collector of traditional songs, Jake has always looked to old influences for the inspiration that drives much of his musical interpretations. The field recordings captured by his father Fred Fussell in trips across various American States had a deep resonance with Jake as a young man, and he has taken this spark forward into his professional career as a folklorist and a keeper of the flame that burns brightly in the traditions of the folk narrative.

Tonight he plays to a capacity crowd at the iconic Whelan’s venue in Dublin and his stage performance is enhanced by the presence of Will Waghorn on superbly delivered drumming and light percussive touches throughout. Jake visits all of his five album releases across a fifteen song set and his ability to lure the audience into a communal soporific state is something that has real resonance and a special power to communicate on a deep level. Jake does not engage much in idle chatter between songs and his comfort with the silences spreads to the hushed crowd.

When you hear the words of the songs being sung by the audience there can be no doubt that you have arrived in a happy state of acceptance. The fact that the lyrics are often framed in language of times past is what makes everything all the more impressive ‘My wife died on Friday night, Saturday she was buried, Sunday was my courtin' day and Monday I got married.’

Using his favourite Fender Telecaster, together with additional acoustic guitar, Jake dispenses with any other sonic effects to deliver his unique sound, which is channelled through a reverb amplifier. His fingerpicking style is something that has been praised over many years and his rhythmic playing is both addictive and hypnotic to witness in a live setting. Most of the song choices are taken from the two recent albums, WHEN I’M CALLED (2024), and GOOD AND GREEN AGAIN (2022). Firm favourites such as Jump For Joy, Jubilee, The River St John and Have You Ever Seen Peaches Growing On A Sweet Potato Vine? are included in the set and the sense of reverence in the room during the performance is palpable. A cover version of the Nick Lowe song I Love the Sound Of Breaking Glass is also delivered in fine style.

A fine support slot from Canadian Jennifer Castle opened proceedings and across her ten song set she made many new friends who found her unique songs to be quietly captivating. Her previous albums have included some very astute writing and in the set tonight are included NYC, Trust, Rose Waterfalls, Justice and a Bob Dylan cover Walkin’ Down the Line. All told, a magical evening of intimate music played with quiet aplomb and enthusiastically received by the buoyant audience.

Review and images by Paul McGee

Ron Pope @ The Workman’s Club, Dublin – Friday 17th January 2025

Despite a concerning lack of prior advertising, this early concert into the New Year was very well attended by a room that held many admirers of Ron Pope and his craft. Returning to Dublin to kick off his Neon & Glass Tour, Pope leads a very impressive four-piece band who play with a real finesse and flair across an impressive set that includes a mix of new songs and old favourites.

Pope has had quite a prolific musical output since his debut album arrived in 2008. Having left New Jersey in his early years for a Georgia upbringing, Pope played in various school bands before focusing his career into The District, a band who recorded a run of albums that culminated in Pope making a decision to go solo in 2008 with the release of his debut album. Since then he has gone on to record an impressive body of work that spans numerous releases and includes many singles along the way.

His sound is an eclectic mix of country, roots, americana, soul and sass. Onstage his presence is relaxed and confident, a terrific guitar and keyboard player, and a natural storyteller, with an ease that endears him immediately to the audience tonight. Early into the set he divides the crowd into three sections for a sing-off, and the delivery on One Grain Of Sand is a risk that shouldn’t work, but it somehow pulls the room into the performance in a way that could otherwise have taken somewhat longer to achieve. His setlist includes songs from six prior albums, together with a run of more recent singles which should feature on his upcoming new release AMERICAN MAN, AMERICAN MUSIC, due to arrive next month. The new material is impressively strong and the abiding impression is one of a musician at the top of his game and very much enjoying the moment.

Highlights from the engaging performance were many but I Gotta Change (or I’m Gonna Die), Fireflies, Hell Or High Water and The Life In Your Years are standout performances. Pope has a way with a lyric and a gift of capturing a feeling, and a sentiment, so perfectly. His ability to communicate the joy of community is evident throughout his performance and his tales of a life spent on the road are tinged with the sense of sacrifices made and missing the comforts of home life along the singular path taken. This artist is the real deal and someone who deserves all that comes his way.

A special moment is his tale of meeting Jackson Browne, who had expressed an interest in the music, and Pope said he felt like a young kid “meeting Santa Claus.” He performs a superb acoustic version of These Days as a tribute, with the musicians gathered around a single microphone for great effect. The excellence of Caitlyn Raitz on cello and fiddle contains some real highlights and together with Zack Berkman offering creative support on bass and mandolin, and Matt Scibilia on drums and banjo, the band really knocked it out of the park tonight. Another standout is the off-stage performance of I Pray I’ll Be Seeing You Soon when the band join the audience on the venue floor to play a song that reaches out to loved ones across the divide and hopes to keep that essential flame burning.

Support act tonight was Emily Scott Robinson and her visits to Irish shores have all been too brief. She has a special talent and her ability to express an emotional purity in her songs is very much appreciated by the audience tonight. There is no questioning the quality in her performance and her vocal delivery is very engaging. The songs have a resonance and her creative muse is not too far removed from the wonderful Nanci Griffith and the lasting memories she has left behind.

In a short set of only five songs, Emily played favourites from previous albums with Things You Learn the Hard Way, Cheap Seats, and Better With Time all received with warm applause. Her song that led to a recording contract with Oh Boy Records, The Time For Flowers, is dedicated to the spirit of peace and fellowship that lies at the core of all that Emily espouses. On the cusp of the new Presidential Inauguration in America, she offers a balm to the division that separates so many and shows real elegance and grace in her performance.  A new song from a forthcoming album is Bless It All and it instantly hits a sweet spot in her continuing ability to focus moments that should be held close in her insights on the human condition. I get the feeling that we are seeing Emily at a pivotal moment in her journey and she is on a trajectory that will only lead to greater things. Her career is on the cusp of taking off to the next level and I wonder on the push required to get her sublime talents over that line.

What a great concert to welcome the New Year and to get our pulses racing for all that lies in store. Two very gifted artists landed in Dublin and left a lasting memory that will remain for those who were fortunate enough to catch the show.

Review and photography byPaul McGee

Amy Speace @ New Gate Arts and Culture Centre, Derry – 1st November 2024

It’s been ten years since Amy last performed in Ireland and tonight she is greeted warmly as she takes the stage to reconnect with her fan base. Playing to a full room at this impressive modern venue in the heart of Derry city, Amy is in fine voice and full of playful energy as she relaxes into a night of song and stories laced with insight and wisdom. Her stage presence is beautifully woven with the personal, the comedic and the perspectives gained from her journey as a professional musician. Tonight sees Amy play in Derry for the first time and her concerts these days are carefully planned around her family and her work commitments stateside. She has multiple strings to her bow, including songwriter, poet, teacher, blogger, mentor, mother and performance artist; all of which restrict her trips to Europe these days. Hopefully it will not be as long a gap before another visit to these shores as her creative core has much in common with the artistic leanings of Ireland in story and song, and she is missed in her absence.

We are treated to a peek into Amy’s songbook, crafted over many years, and the setlist visits seven of her albums, across sixteen songs, highlighting the rich talent of this artist. Leading off with the sublime There Used To Be Horses Here, a paean to the past and the price paid for progress, Amy follows with Down the Trail from the same album and it’s a poignant tale of her father’s passing. Her memory of the sad event is told with great tenderness and includes an amazing story where her father repeated the exact words of his older brother, from a dream many years previously. The Sea and the Shore is a superb song and a songwriting masterclass in structure and imagery as Amy juxtaposes the moon, the sea and the shore in a love-triangle of emotion.

Amy has a new album just released and songs from The American Dream are featured with the title track, Homecoming Queen, This February Day and First United Methodist Day Care Christmas Show all impressing greatly. The breath of her writing is displayed across other songs as she performs Weight Of the World, Back In Abilene, Hallelujah Train and Little Red . A standout moment is the performance of Grace Of God which highlights everything that separates this Folk artist from her contemporaries with words of great resonance, powerful reflection and a spirit guide to the road ahead.

Amy is very generous in acknowledging the influences of others and her stories of Nanci Griffith and Judy Collins are heartfelt and enthralling. Having started out as an actress in NYC her ability to hold an audience has become even more compelling with experience and the room hangs on her every word. Amy also tries out a new song for audience feedback and it’s a prime example of her creative process unfolding. On A Monday In London was written in a 30-minute burst of energy as she waited to go onstage recently and she asks for a response to the lyrics. There are several suggestions regarding a part that concerns a pub in Kensington and its place in the rhyme… The song is excellent and gives a fascinating look at Amy’s inspiration and muse at work.

Also included in the set is a tribute to Nanci Griffith and a cover of her song It’s A Hard Life Wherever You Go - played as a rueful comment on the fractured society that we all experience today. She also plays Hymn For the Crossing a co-write with Irish artist Ben Glover from some years back and she explains that it was written in memory of Pete Seeger. The encore is another Ben Glover song titled Kindness and it is a prayer sent out to the universe concerning the real glue that binds us all together as humans. It is an appropriate message of loving awareness and perfectly captures Amy’s sense of self and her place in bringing joy to her admirers. We are privileged to witness her burning light, honed over decades of performing to innumerable audiences over countless venues. Hurry back soon.

The support act tonight is worthy of special mention also. Without Willow are an Irish acoustic folk duo from Donegal who make music of a timeless quality, coloured with fine melody and lyrical poise. Highlighted by the heavenly vocals of Karen Kelly, the seven-song set illustrates her lovely tone and their tales of love lost and unrequited yearning. Her musical partner is Simon McCafferty who is a real guitar virtuoso, playing with great dexterity and also singing in a voice that perfectly compliments Karen as she soars around the melodies. They play four songs from their recently released debut album Left Behind and As Autumn Falls, Heather Field and Lay Down Your Troubles are all received with an enthusiastic response. New songs are also included with The Way Back, Love You Last and Sink My Teeth particularly memorable. Please support local music and purchase this fine music via the band website at www.withoutwillow.com  - A very impressive performance tonight.

Review and photograph by Paul McGee

East Side of The Cumberland @ AmericanaFest 2024

Staged at over fifty venues in Nashville, AmericanaFest is a punter’s delight, with hundreds of listening options each day of the festival alongside many unofficial showcases. Understandably, scheduling is logistically challenging, and attempting to catch as many acts as possible without spending the day Uber-hopping from venue to venue can be nearly impossible. With over a decade of AmericanaFest experience under our belt, this year we chose mainly to stay east of the Cumberland River for our afternoons and evenings. It is not a difficult decision as our three favourite music rooms, The 5 Spot, Dee’s Cocktail Lounge and The Vinyl Tap, are within a ten-minute driving radius of our annual accommodation at Five Points in East Nashville. Also, our regular eateries and watering holes, Dukes, Snooze, The SkyBlue Cafe, Mas Tacos and The Nashville Biscuit House, are within walking distance of  Five Points. We managed to see over sixty acts, most of which were in East Nashville and several not official showcases. Here are some that particularly hit our sweet spot.

DEES COCKTAIL LOUNGE

Bob Sumner

Each year, AmericanaFest offers us the opportunity to see an artist or band perform previously unknown to us, and this year, Canadian Bob Sumner was that discovery. Backed by a fantastic five-piece band, Sumner’s performance of material from his recent album, SOME PLACE TO REST EASY, was a unique blend of traditional and modern country, and his unrushed vocal deliveries were a joy to behold.

Amanda Fields

Ironically, on the same bill as Bob Sumner was our ‘find’ of last year, Amanda Fields. Her band included producer, multi-instrumentalist, and nominee for instrumentalist of the year by the Americana Music Association, Megan McCormick. WHAT, WHEN & WITHOUT was a No.1 album of the year at Lonesome Highway last year, and hearing the songs performed live was a highlight of the trip.

Jon Byrd with Paul Niehaus

Another artist featured in our favourite albums of 2023, the weekly Wednesday residency at Dee’s of Jon Byrd with legendary pedal steel player Paul Niehaus seamlessly blends original material and well-chosen covers. It is simply unmissable.

Kimmi Bitter

Kimmi Bitter, whom we were introduced to last year at AmericanaFest, has shown remarkable growth in her career in those twelve months. Her act, filled with nods to previous country music eras, is a testament both to her honeyed vocals and her stellar backing band and their impressive stage act perfected by months of touring.

Gabe Lee

Nashville local Gabe Lee has been turning heads since his late teens. With four albums in four years, each a step up from its predecessor, he has established himself as one of the strongest songwriters of his generation. We were fortunate to get to two of his performances and can testify that his growing reputation is justified.

India Ramey

One of the hardest-working artists at the festival, India Ramey, with a movie-script-like backstory, endorsed her reputation as one of the ‘not to be missed’ at the festival. She lived up to that forewarning with a rollicking set featuring selections from her new album, BAPTIZED BY THE BLAZE

THE VINYL TAP

JP Harris

Staged on the release day of his new album JP HARRIS IS A TRASH FIRE and backed by a six-piece band (one of the guitarists had to play offstage given the limited space), we were treated to a typical JP set of raw honky tonk laced with the customary witty stage banter from one of Nashville’s favourite adopted sons.

The Watson Twins

Kentucky-born identical twins Chandra and Leigh Watson's vocal harmonies are worth your attention alone. Combine that with cleverly written roots songs and cracking players, and you’re in for a treat.

THE 5 SPOT

Kristina Murray

Every year we attend a Kristina Murray show at AmericanaFest and ask ourselves, ‘How is she not a household name in country music?’ This year is no exception, and hopefully, when she releases her next album in 2025, she will get signed to a label and get the exposure and support she richly deserves.  

Emily Nenni

From emerging artist status to one of the hottest properties in country music over the past few years, Emily Nenni’s career continues skyward. Featuring material from her DRIVE & CRY, released earlier this year, she scored a direct hit with her gorgeous vocals and slick backing band.

Jess Nolan

A new act for me, Nolan is a member of Jenny Lewis’s touring band alongside her solo career. With her killer band, which included Anthony da Costa on guitar, she performed a late-night spellbinding set that drifted between jazzy roots and indie rock.

THE BOWERY/VAULT

Ben de la Cour

Unlike most venues in Nashville, The Bowery is a ‘listening room’ where artists are afforded the luxury of performing to pin-drop silence. It was the perfect setting for Ben de la Cour’s Gothic-folk songs that draw the listener into each and every word.

JANE’S HIDEAWAY

Caitlin Cannon

The L-shaped room at Jane’s Hideaway is not the most artist-friendly venue, and together with securing the 11 pm graveyard slot on the Awards Show night, I feared that Caitlin Cannon’s show would be under-attended. Quite the contrary, the front of the stage area was crammed, as was the postage-stamp-sized stage where Caitlin and her five-piece band performed. Cannon can have you grinning like a Cheshire cat one minute and wiping a tear from your eye the next and did just that with a powerfully emotive set.

List of acts that we saw

Amanda Fields /Bob Sumner (twice)/Corey Parsons/Bronwyn Keith -Hynes/James Steinle/Cooper Kenward/Juliet McConkey/Aaron Till/Ken Pomeroy/Phil & Tim/Jason Eady/Sophie Gault/Gabe Lee (twice)/Zach Meadows/India Ramey/Midnight River Choir/Kimmi Bitter/Low Gap/Jade Marie Patek/West Texas Exiles/Boss Tweed/Buck N Stuff/Jon Byrd with Paul Niehaus/Tray Wellington/Caitlin Cannon/Rose Hotel/Jontavious Willis/Jana Mila/Riley Downing/Kristina Murray/Lilly Hiatt/Emily Nenni/Leyla McCalla/Christian Le Hutson/MJ Lenderman/Judy Blank/India Ramey(twice)/JP Harris/Tim Heidecker/Lydia Loveless/Jason Hawk Harris/The Watson Twins/Tim Carroll/Ben De La Cour/The Pleasures/Margo Cilker/Max McNown/Aaron Lee Tasjan/Jess Nolan/Tommy Alexander/ MAITA/Anna Tivel/Kassi Valazza/Jenny Don’t & The Spurs/Matt Man & The Shine Runners/David Newbould/Anna Kaye/Brian Wright

Overview and photography by Declan Culliton

John Martyn Birthday Celebration @ Mandela Hall, Belfast - 11 Sep 2024

The anticipation was high in the sold out, newly rebuilt Mandela Hall at Queens University Belfast for the celebration of what would have been the legendary musician’s 76th birthday. The audience comprised not just of the 65-80 year olds who had followed Big John from his early beginnings as a cult figure in the British folk scene of the ‘60s, but there was also a sizeable scattering of younger fans, those like me who had discovered him in 1980 with Sweet Little Mystery, and the children and even grandchildren of the older fans.

 The six-piece band hit the stage running with a killer version of Big Muff, the co-write with Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry from 1997’s ONE WORLD, complete with funky bass lines, heavy synths and reverby guitar. Any anxiety that this would have been a mere token tribute to the genius immediately dissipated and the lucky audience were treated to a 21 song performance ranging right across John’s considerable ouvre. Leading the lineup as ‘Big John’ was Belfast’s own ‘Big Ken’ Haddock, himself a larger than life character (and all of 6’4” tall) with a powerful voice and considerable guitar and songwriting prowess, and who inexplicably has never found fame outside of his own corner of Northern Ireland. Lead guitar was provided by Colm McClean (Gretchen Peters, Ben Glover) who was first spotted playing covers with Co Down’s Matt McGinn in Belfast’s Real Music Club days, and is now one of NI’s ‘go to’ guitar players, both as a session musician and as a band member. John McCullough took time out from Van Morrison’s band to lend his dazzling keyboard and synthesiser prowess to the proceedings, while another old friend of Haddock’s, Conor McCreanor (Gretchen Peters, Gareth Dunlop, Duke Special, Foy Vance) impressed on electric bass. Anchoring them all on drum kit was Belfast’s Adrian McIlduff (Simon McBride) and David Howell (Van Morrison) played a blinder on saxophones.

The two hour performance (and no break!) continued with Piece by Piece and Ken informed us that he witnessed John performing that very song during the follow-up tour in 1986 in this exact venue (the original iteration of the Mandela Hall). During a solo acoustic slot, starting with Bless The Weather, Ken explained how demanding it was, even with his formidable vocal ability, to attempt to sing John’s songs. By the end of the night he was apologising for his hoarseness but no one in the audience was other than enraptured by his performance. He can go from a growl to a whisper, as he switches between his acoustic Lowden and Gibson guitars throughout the night. 

In an evening of highlights, the seven minute version of John Wayne was a particular standout, as was Ken’s solo rendition of Spencer the Rover. 

On May You Never, they were joined by surprise guest, Bangor’s Foy Vance, who used to sing in a duo with Ken in the ‘90’s. Then Ken’s daughter, Grace, joined them for a memorable version of Hurt in your Heart, after which Ken told an endearing story of how, unbeknownst to him, John dropped in one time to Ken’s regular Belfast residency and they ended up playing guitars all night in John’s hotel room. The performance was enhanced by a huge constantly changing backdrop of photos of John, some familiar and many less so.

There was an inevitable standing ovation and encore for the band, all of whom were old friends and their performance was clearly, in part, due to their years of playing together, but also due to the intense rehearsals they had scheduled in preparation. Credit was also due to Nigel Martyn (Old FlatTop Promotions) who curated the event. John Martyn’s partner, Theresa, attended and gave it her imprimatur - what higher praise is there?

Rumour has it that they might take it on the road … watch this space.

Review by Eilís Boland  Photographs by Julie-Ann Rouquette

Craig Finn and Kathleen Edwards @ Whelan’s - Friday 6th September 2024

Tonight was a very special occasion from a number of different perspectives. We saw the long-awaited return of Kathleen Edwards to a Dublin stage and her support slot was received with great enthusiasm by a packed venue. Craig Finn also brought his superbly crafted story songs and narratives in stripped down form and the solo performance of his images and words was all the more poignant in the delivery.

It’s been over ten years since Edwards performed in Dublin, where her beautifully crafted songs have always seen her elevated to the status of ‘favourite daughter.’ In fact she speaks of “feeling like I’m back home” with reference to her natural red hair and Irish forename. Her stage presence has always exuded an easy confidence, despite her admission to feeling nervous tonight. Perhaps the start of a European tour brings a certain apprehension but her performance is superb throughout, laced with real quality and lapped up by an ardent audience that was completely in her corner.  Her guitar skills were perfectly highlighted in such an intimate setting, and her sweetly seductive vocal tone has never sounded as strong.

Her all-too-short set comprised of old favourites such as Six O’Clock News and Hockey Skates, both taken from the 2002 debut FAILER. She also featured Asking For Flowers and Hard On Everyone, both of which capture relationship challenges, and In State closes the set, taken from the 2005 album BACK TO ME. In between, we were given a cover of the Paul Westerberg song Only Lie Worth Telling and a new song Algorithm that perfectly captures her view of the current state of the music business “Playing from the heart onstage with your friends will never be replaced by an algorithm.” Right on, Kathleen!

Craig Finn has released six solo albums since 2012, in between recording regularly with his band The Hold Steady. His stage presence is engaging and warm, the witty conversation between songs tonight both funny and keenly observant. There is great humour and empathy in his songs about how we all try to fit together and make sense of the world. His vocal style is a mix of spoken word and singing, with both the delivery and his energetic guitar strum wrapped in an impressive cocktail of honest technique and integrity. The set list of fourteen songs was taken from five albums, with three songs featured from the 2022 A LEGACY OF RENTALS. There is a performance of the Hold Steady track Certain Songs and the refrain resonates ‘Certain songs, they get so scratched into our souls.’

Preludes is a very autobiographical song about redefining yourself and Newmyer’s Roof captures the horror of 9/11 and the deep spiral of despair that followed in its wake. The Amarillo Kid tells of a drug cartel rip off that gives insights into a life on the run ‘When the Devil starts to show up in your dreams, Then it's hard to get your dreams back.’ The prolific songwriting talent of Finn is very much evidenced by the fact that six of the songs performed tonight have yet to feature in any of his recorded output to date. If he is road testing them for the next album then we are certainly in line for another cracker and the slice-of-life  vignettes are all worthy of the highest praise as they hit the bullseye time and again.

On Shamrock he  reflects that ‘the apple sometimes rolls right down the hill’ as opposed to the time- honoured saying that “the apple never falls far from the tree.” A brilliantly conceived juxtaposition. Another new song Crumbs captures the results of a hard life and the struggle to endure ‘The years they put the yellow in her hair, and teeth and skin.’ Both eloquent and heartbreaking. So, quite a night and right up there as one of the gigs of the year. Time stood still for a few hours and then it was back to the reality of a bustling city nightlife, insulated with a warm glow of contentment.

Review by Paul McGee Photos by Paul McGee (Finn) and Declan Culliton (Edwards)

Kassi Valazza @ Whelan’s Dublin - 4th September 2024

When Lonesome Highway interviewed Kassi Valazza in 2023, prior to her first shows in Ireland, she spoke of her devotion to the music of her fellow Portland, Oregon, resident and legendary folk artist Michael Hurley and how his shows at The Laurelthirst Pub in that city had influenced her career. Now in his early eighties, Hurley was a strong influence in the 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene. Valazza opens tonight's show with a Hurley song, Wildageesses, the closing track on her 2023 album ironically titled KASSI VALAZZA KNOWS NOTHING.Recalling how she had asked her booking agent to schedule a joint tour with Hurley, the reply was, 'What will he draw'? That, she tells us, is the music industry today.

That recent album, released in Europe by Loose Music in 2023, quickly created a solid fan base for her in Ireland, evidenced by two sold-out shows at the Kilkenny Roots Festival that year. Joined on stage on those occasions by a keys player and a pedal steel player, the songs from that album were presented in a somewhat cosmic and psychedelic folk-styled manner.

Unlike those shows, tonight is a solo performance by Valazza. The songs, most of which are drawn from KASSI VALAZZA KNOWS NOTHING, sound enthralling in their stripped-down presentations. Despite an admission of anxiety and nervousness playing live ('I love writing songs, I just don't enjoy playing them live'), Valazza is in fine and engaging form. Her vocals, with nods to Laurel Canyon on occasions but also evoking traditional mid-60s folk styling, are impeccable, as is her skilled guitar work.

She explains that Rapture was inspired by her first childhood best friend, who had an unfortunate and alarming attraction to fire starting. This led to an attempt to set fire to paper in Valazza's family home on one occasion. In response to Valazza's nervous protest, the reply was, 'You don't know how fire works,' inspiring the song's lyrics: 'You don't know how fire works, it dies until you feed it.'

High points in her relaxed set are many. Early Morning Rising, fuelled by ingesting mushrooms and written on a walk around town during Covid, and Johnny Dear, featured on her 2019 record DEAR DEAD DAYS, and, we are told, was written for her grandmother, are particularly memorable. Also included is a terrific version of Neil Young's One Of These Days. 

A new song, Weight of the Wheel, included in her next album, which has already been recorded in Portland, Oregon, with her band, closes the set before she returns for an encore with Chino, written fondly about her hometown. The pin-drop silence from a packed room during each song is testament to an artist gifted with a crystal-clear voice, sublime guitar skills, and an intriguing treasure chest of songs. Simply magical.

New Orleans singer-songwriter Chris Acker took the impressive opening slot. His forty-minute set featured clever and witty songs inspired by atypical neighbours, an unappreciated proposition by a fellow male, and the bizarre but true story face of Jesus on a toasted cheese sandwich. Acker will be releasing his next album, FAMOUS LUNCH, shortly, and I will most certainly be seeking it out.

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

Jake Xerxes Fussell & Andrew Combs @ The Workman's Club Dublin - 28th Aug 2024

Andrew Combs

Tonight's double bill features the return visits to Ireland by two artists, Andrew Combs and Jake Xerxes Fussell.  Combs, who lived in Galway for eight months early in his career, played two sets at the Kilkenny Roots Festival in 2017, accompanied by Jerry Bernhardt on guitar, Charlie Whitten on bass and Dominic Billett on drums. The logistics of touring Europe with a band these days don't stack up, unfortunately, and Combs jokes that he is supported by his 'band in a box', which features backing tracks that he has prepared for a number of his songs.

Switching from keys to guitars, his set draws from his extensive back catalogue but with emphasis on DREAM PICTURES, released by him last week (and reviewed by Lonesome Highway) and his 2022 album SUNDAYS. Both albums are introspective, stripped back and essentially home recordings; the latter was written and recorded during the pandemic while Combs recovered from personal illness, the former was written at night when his wife and children were tucked away in bed and with minimalistic acoustic backings, confront and attempt to exorcise anguish and isolation. He introduces Eventide, a song written lovingly to his wife, as that album's statement ('And even though truth be told I'm getting scared of getting older, you are my back against the wall, you are my hands when I'm falling'). Another inclusion from the new record is The Sea In Me, which Combs is at pains to explain that 'I am ok, the best I've felt in my life,' despite lyrics which could suggest the opposite.

The set opener is Dirty Rain from 2017's CANYONS OF THE MIND, and for this writer, is one of the standout songs and environmental statements of the past decade, and he closes with Hazel, also from that album, and a tale of a peeping Tom that his wife surprisingly likes; he jokes. Also included are Too Stoned To Cry, written when he was twenty-one and, in this case, hated by his mother and the tender love song Better Ways. Rainy Day Song is introduced as a treasured co-write with his Nashville neighbour Brent Cobb, with Combs proudly adding that Lee Ann Womack also recorded the song with the changed title, Shine On Rainy Day.  

This was a hugely enjoyable set from an artist with a stunning vocal range and intriguing songs, delivered in a relaxed and engaging form that kept the packed audience entertained and captivated.

Review and photograph by Declan Culliton

Jake Xerxes Fussell

Jake Xerxes Fussell is touring his latest album, WHEN I’M CALLED, and his ten-city run across six different countries starts tonight in fine fashion. Joined on stage by his trusty tour manager Will Waghorn, who reveals hidden talents and both drums and French horn, Fussell displays his customary understated demeanour as he takes his seat onstage. His contributions on Fender Telecaster and acoustic guitar are both hypnotic and deeply rhythmic, and he performs an intimate set of fourteen songs selected across all five of his album releases to date.   

The songs included tonight blend seamlessly into each other and the packed room settles attentively into each delivery as Fussell conjures up images of times gone by when traditional tales were captured in song and handed down the generations. He is a folklorist and has a deep interest in the oral roots of old acoustic blues, field recordings and sea shanties that pass from simple origins into the canon of musical history that defines so much of the changing world in which we live.

Focus is on the new album and four songs are included with the title track When I’m Called performed along with Cuckoo, Feeing Day and Gone To Hilo. The delivery is full of nuance in the playing with subtle touches and fills on top of the rhythm laid down by Fussell on each arrangement. The continuous need for tuning between songs does impact upon the flow of the evening and the fact that Fussell remains seated for the entire show is something of a disadvantage, especially for the majority of the audience that cannot see him from their location in the packed venue. There is much chatter between the songs and Fussell is not one for idle banter at the microphone, even though he does thank everybody with a real sincerity for coming to the show, while professing his love of returning to Dublin. Since appearing at the Kilkenny Roots Festival in May 2022, Fussell has performed further shows in recent years at venues such as the Belo Bar and Whelan’s.

The inclusion of two cover songs is not a surprise as Fussell likes to indulge his interest in other artists and their songcraft. Each tune is of course given the unique stamp of reinterpretation and reworked to fit easily into the atmosphere created by the soulful vocal and timbre of Fussell.  The Nick Lowe classic I Love the Sound Of Breaking Glass is included tonight, as is an Arthur Russell song, Close My Eyes. Other highlights are Jump For Joy and Peaches from the 2017 album WHAT IN THE WORLD, and The River Saint John, Michael Was Hearty and Jubilee, from the 2019 release OUT OF SIGHT.

If you close your eyes and let the intricate guitar strum and gentle percussion wash over you, there are echoes of Ry Cooder, JJ Cale, and Chris Smither in the playing, and the fingerpicking style of Piedmont blues legends like Blind Boy Fuller and Buddy Moss is never far away. Jake Xerxes Fussell is something of a lone wolf when it comes to mainstream acceptance. His Blues and Folk influences dominate and his quiet stage presence adds an enigmatic tone to his live shows. Always worthy of our full attention, the connection of Fussell with Irish audiences clearly resonates with the rich history of the oral traditions of our forefathers and the storytelling wrapped in our music and song.

Review by Paul McGee Photograph by Declan Culliton

Jerry Douglas @ The Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire - 31 July 2024

In a rare treat for his Irish devotees, Grammy winning dobro meister Jerry Douglas took to the stage on a balmy summer night in the beautiful harbour village of Dún Laoghaire, on the south side of Dublin. Long sold out, he was playing to a well informed audience, who fully appreciated the legend that was before them.

He kicked off with a medley of bluegrass tunes, followed by a short history of his instrument, also known as the resophonic guitar, which started out as ‘a louder way to play Hawaiian music’. One of his big influences was Josh Graves, who introduced the instrument to bluegrass in the 50s, and Jerry explained that his father exposed him to this music when he was ten or eleven, and he has been obsessed with it ever since. Following two very fast Uncle Josh tunes, he surprised us with another very different influence - while touring with Allison Krauss in 2006 he discovered the Tom Waits’ album, ORPHANS: Brawlers, Bawlers, & Bastards and fell in love with the tune ‘2:19’, which he played and sang for us. Not particularly known for his singing, he showed that he indeed has a good voice, but it’s only usually heard on his own Jerry Douglas Band albums. We were also treated to his vocals on a rousing version of the Hendrix’s covered song of freedom, Hey Joe, where he used loop pedals to good effect. We heard hilarious anecdotes about his first time visiting Ireland, brought to Clare by his friend Maura O’Connell, who was dating Béla Fleck in the 80s. This lead to introducing his first surprise guest, Donegal fiddle player Ciarán Tourish (Altan etc), who joined Jerry for a slow air followed by a livelier one. But that wasn’t the end of the surprises - to the great delight of the audience, he brought on none other than the legend himself, Paul Brady. More hilarious stories were followed by two Brady songs, Marriage made in Hollywood (covered by Jerry on Glide in 2008) and the much loved ballad Follow On. 

Another beautiful long instrumental piece, Route Irish (which he performed on the Transatlantic Seessions, of which he is co-director) ran the gamut of darkly dramatic sequences, through to a relatively peaceful resolution. Joshua Burnside, the Belfast folkie who was also the opening act, came back to perform his song Louis Mercier, one which they had performed together on the 2023 Transatlantic Sessions. 

For the inevitable encore and standing ovation, Jerry gave us his moving version of Dónal Lunny’s Tribute to Peadar O’Donnell, his self-penned Lil’ Roro, Duane Allman’s Little Martha and he closed with his tribute to his Transatlantic Sessions friend and co-director, Sir Aly Bain.

Fans will be talking about this gig for a long time.

Review and photo by Eilís Boland

Gary Louris @ Whelan’s, Dublin - 16th July 2024

It has been twelve years since The Jayhawks played The Button Factory in Dublin, supported by Richmond Fontaine duo Willy Vlautin and Dan Eccles, and sixteen years since Gary Louris played Whelan's alongside former Jayhawks member Mark Olson. Tonight, Louris completes a hat trick of appearances with a solo set that had the audience and obvious Jayhawks lovers enthralled for over eighty minutes.

Formed in 1985 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, The Jayhawks, alongside American Music Club, were arguably the pioneering bands in the alt-county genre, followed a few years later by Uncle Tupelo and, later, Whiskeytown. Unlike the vast majority of the bands in the genre, whose influences were strictly American country and rock, The Jayhawks, particularly under Louris' watch, also took on board the melodies of classic 60s Brit-pop to forge their distinctive sound.

Currently living in Quebec, tonight's show is Louris' first date on a tour of Ireland and the U.K. It follows a few days spent in Ireland with his Canadian wife and visiting relatives. ('I'm half Irish, my mother was a Dunne'). Featuring new material from a solo album due for release early next year, some Golden Smog material, a number of co-writes and some classic Jayhawks songs, the show is a reminder, if needed, of Louris' outstanding back catalogue over his thirty-year career.

Not surprisingly, his selection of songs from his Jayhawks' war chest is a highlight, but his other inclusions and the backstories about their conception are also hugely entertaining. Introducing What Would I Dreamer Do?, he recalls contributing the song to the 2018 tribute album THE MUSIC—FOREVER WORDS, where he and others put music to Johnny Cash's lyrics. Louris adds that the opportunity to play on stage with Cash and June Carter Cash was a never-to-be-forgotten experience.  

Co-writes with Jeff Tweedy (Listen Joe) and The Dixie Chicks (Everybody Knows) are also performed. Heavily influenced by The Kinks, Louris and his fellow Jayhawks were the studio band on Ray Davies's 2017 record AMERICANA. In celebration, Louris invites West Cork's guitar supremo Bill Shanley, who has been performing with Davies regularly for over fifteen years, onto the stage to join him for two songs. They play The Kinks' Strangers, which, ironically, Shanley had never previously played, and a standout version of Waiting For The Sun. The other Jayhawks songs included in the set and lapped up by all in the crowded room are I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, All The Right Reasons, Angelyne, Tailspin, Blue and two encores, Quiet Corners and Empty Spaces, and Save It For A Rainy Day.

It was a relaxed and memorable evening in the company of roots musical royalty. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Louris will soon bring his fellow bandmates, Marc Pelman, Karen Grotberg, and Tim O'Reagan, back to our shores for a whole Jayhawks show. Here's hoping.

Thumbs up to Dubliner Stefan Murphy, who opened the evening's entertainment with a selection of songs from his album HOSPITAL VERSES.

Review and image by Declan Culliton

Static Roots Festival @ Oberhausen, Germany - 12th & 13th July 2024

What are the components of the perfect festival? Naturally, the acts take pride of place, but other factors such as venue or venues, on-site facilities, cost, and the likely punters at the event are also factors. In a box-ticking exercise, Static Roots Festival staged at Oberhausen in Germany and correctly christened a 'boutique' festival, would rank highly in each category.

More than simply a music festival, Static Roots is now an annual meeting place for a growing number of music lovers and friends, many of who travel from Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe, Canada and the United States each year for the community, hooley and, of course, the music on offer. This year's travel plans from Ireland were thrown into chaos for many by the Aer Lingus pilot's strike, which resulted in cancelled flights and the prospect of lengthy airport delays. Alternative travel plans and extended stays in Oberhausen by many were a testament to the resolve and determination of the majority of punters who travelled from Ireland.

Unlike most festivals that are 'for-profit' ventures, Static Roots is also a fundraiser. To date, it has donated over €20,000 to Doctors Without Borders, which annually provides medical assistance for thousands of patients. The international flavour of the festival was also represented in this year's lineup, which included artists and bands from Germany, Canada, Austria, the United States, the UK, Norway, and the annual representation from Ireland.

How did Static Roots 2024 compare to other years? The general consensus was that it surpassed any other year, and that's a big statement given what has been on offer since festival director Dietmar Leibecke, his wife Marion and their dedicated background staff first opened the doors at the Zentrum, Altenberg venue in 2016.

It's not all about music, either. Staged over two days, Friday kicked off with the now annual tour of the local Static Ruhr region.  This year's event was a guided tour of the 19th-century mansion and stately home, Villa Hugel in Essen, followed by lunch at the picturesque Wirtshaus zur Heimlichen Liebe restaurant. An added bonus during the meal was an unexpected appearance and some delightful songs by Suzie Ungerleider accompanied by BJ Baartmans on guitar.

Five acts graced the Zentrum stage on Friday evening. Previously known to us as Courtney Marie Andrews' Norwegian bass player, Ole Kirkeng set the scene as the opening act. There must be something in the water in Norway with the quality of musicians and vocalists from that country. Several of Kirkeng's fellow country people appeared in bands over the weekend, and he guested as a bass guitar player for another Norwegian artist, Louien, whose angelic vocals and delightful chamber pop set were electrifying. Resident in Germany for over two decades, Chris Cacavas' curriculum vitae can boast membership in groundbreaking bands like Green on Red and The Dream Syndicate alongside his solo career. Catchy riffs and emotion-drenched rock and roll followed as he dipped into his extensive treasure chest of songs.  

The headline act on opening night, The Sadies, have been performing as a three-piece since Dallas Good's untimely death in 2022. The heavy lifting may now rest on his brother Travis Good's shoulders, but with longtime members Sean Dean on upright bass and Mike Belitsky on drums, their collective dynamic still rings through. The dramatic stage curtain backdrop featuring Dallas cemented that regardless of the numbers on stage, he continues to be a part of their performances.

Saturday's entertainment commenced in fine style at lunchtime in the Zentrum Altenberg cinema with an interview by Nick West, editor at Bucketful of Brains, with novelist, songwriter with The Delines and former bandleader with Richmond Fontaine, Willy Vlautin. The main thrust of the discussion centred around Willy's latest novel, The Horse, but drifted into anecdotal tales of a difficult upbringing, his devotion to The Sadies and a hilarious story of his encounter with Shane McGowan. Willy also read two passages from the book, and his bandmate in the now retired Richmond Fontaine and current bass player with The Delines, Freddy Trujillo, opened the event with several well-received songs.

The afternoon and evening's musical offerings followed, and Louis Brennan and his band performed the first set. Brennan's cracking band, assured stage presence, and caustic and often hilarious lyrics were as dazzling as his multi-coloured shirt. The calming presence of Suzie Ungerleider followed, dipping into her extensive back catalogue and charming the room with a beautifully delivered set. If Suzie was soothing, the Crazy Horse-styled face-melters courtesy of David Newbould were an instant full-on rock and roll injection. The highest praise I can heap on Newbould is that his twin guitar-driven songs instantly connected as if you'd heard everyone beforehand and were locked in your memory bank, awaiting someone to turn the key and re-release them. The only act to appear solo, David Keenan, was dealt the challenging hand to follow next. Unnerved and aided by followers who often acted as backing vocalists, his one-man show cemented his lofty reputation as a singer, poet, songwriter and actor. His flowery shirt nearly matched the kaleidoscopic pattern of his fellow countryman Louis Brennan, prompting a fellow punter to enquire if they employed the same Dublin tailor.

Static Roots provides its performing guests with a large stage, an impressive lighting system, a crystal-clear sound system and a pin-drop attentive audience. It's noticeable how the artists embrace every one of these aspects, and no one more so than Hannah White. Alongside a cracking band that included her hubby Keiron Marshall on guitar, she was walking on air and equally at home with upbeat rockers, a classic country song and a mid-tempo brutally confessional ballad. Being regular European visitors, The Delines needed little introduction to the German and visiting punters. What is unique to this band is their capacity to hold your attention regardless of the number of times you've previously enjoyed their shows.  The magic of Amy Boone's soulful vocals articulating Willy Vlatin's heart-rendering tales is spellbinding, and tonight is no exception. The curtain closer Prinz Grizzley's career has progressed from busking to fronting indie bands to invitations to perform at SXSW, Austin and AmericanaFest in Nashville, and his well-earned headline slot is a testament to his talent and dedication. With his band The Beargaroos, he was the ideal act to close the formalities by dipping into his back catalogue of Austrian country-flavoured rock and roll.  

That concluded the indoor entertainment, but as has been the case in previous years, the music and merriment continued outside until the early hours of Sunday morning. Small Change (Tony Cleere and Conan Doyle) kept the campfire burning in grand style with the annual sing-song.

The closing statement in a review of Static Roots invariably includes the 'even better than last year reference.' I'm afraid I will sign off with that again, but on this occasion, without a shadow of a doubt. The best 'little' festival in Europe came up trumps once more. See you all again in 2025.

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

The New Leaves @ Chandler’s House, Rathfriland, Co. Down – 22nd June 2024

Spring represents the season of growth and regeneration, a time when new leaves appear and everyone looks forward to embracing change. This is also an appropriate way in which to describe the contemporary Folk band who perform as The New Leaves. Founded in 2022 and based in Warrenpoint, Co, Down these four school friends bring a large sprinkling of Spring in their music and much appreciation of all that nature offers.

Their debut album appeared earlier this year and the concert tonight at the impressive Chandler’s House in Rathfriland is essentially a full run through of the fourteen tracks on the record. The band is comprised of Declan McKay (Vocals, Guitar), Cian O’ Hare (Vocals, Guitar), Patrice Mc Kevitt (Vocals, Bass), and Paddy Goodfellow (Drums & Percussion). Their sound is very melodic with inviting song arrangements and three-way harmony vocals that are bright and airy.

The audience is very welcoming of the opportunity to see new local talent and they are enthusiastic in their response to the up-tempo tunes. There are some interesting moments over the set and the onstage banter from Declan McKay is always seeking a response and a smile from the crowd. Songs like A Giant Murphy Lament and Bluebell Woods are early highlights and the interplay between the musicians is controlled and precise. On the album there is use of cello which elevates the overall listening experience, adding new colours to the music. I found myself wishing for the inclusion of other instruments to add some nuance during the live song deliveries, and the addition of violin or cello would certainly lift the performance dynamic.

At times the harmonies seem a little bit off and the playing just too safe, where a more exploratory approach would benefit the essence of the songs. This is offered as constructive criticism as there is no doubting the talents of Declan McKay who writes all the lyrics and is a strong guitar player. The drumming of Paddy Goodfellow is also very consistent and adds quality to the song structures on a subtle level. The bass of Patrice McKevitt is somewhat constrained and it would be nice to see her stretch out more while the guitar lines of  Cian O’Hare while gently supporting the playing of Declan McKay were perhaps a little lost in the mix on the night. These are all areas to work upon as the band make their way into new territories and add to their growing experience.

The production on the album is really excellent and points to a very polished sound and perhaps that is somewhat missing tonight in favour of the spontaneity of live performance. Other songs like Away With the Fairies, East Coast Daydream and In the Shadow Of the Mournes are all delivered with quiet confidence and an assurance that bodes well for the future. A word also for opening act Chris Coltrane who played a selection of his own songs with great energy and his guitar playing brought  much appreciation from the audience. Overall, a very enjoyable evening, showcasing local talent and delivering plenty to admire in the energy on display.

Review by Paul Mcgee. Photograph by John Melrose

Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival - June 7-9, 2024

The sun has set on yet another successful festival, in the welcoming small town of Westport in County Mayo. This event really has no equivalent in Ireland, with a world class line up of bluegrass, old time and folk music, most of which is free to enjoy. 

Friday night saw the first of the paid concerts, held in the 225-seater Town Hall Theatre which, as usual, was sold out. Dirk Powell and his daughter Amelia treated the audience to a master class in both Appalachian folk music and Cajun tunes, brought to us from their home in Lafayette, Louisiana. Dirk switched effortlessly between fiddle, banjo and guitar as they powered through Cajun numbers such as Les Blues de Tactac, The Balfa Waltz (from the repertoire of the famous Balfa family, of whom Amelia is a member) and Mon Bon Vieux Mari, complete with humourous explanations of the French lyrics. They were then joined by a surprise (and most welcome) guest, their great friend Rhiannon Giddens. Her appearance was a particular treat for those of us who were unable to make the previous night’s long sold out gig, where she and Dirk performed a rare duo concert. A sublime version of Merle Haggard’s Somewhere Between Me & You was followed by a fiddle tune from W Virginia called Richmond, allowing Rhiannon to break into some Appalachian flat footing. We all sang Happy Birthday to Dirk, before they closed with some more Cajun tunes. The second act for the night was Martha Spencer & The Wonderland Country Band, who were on their first visit to Ireland. The insanely talented Virginian, from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, is becoming very well known in the US, as a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, band leader, dancer and syndicated radio show host. Their seventeen song set ranged from Virginian old time fiddle tunes, like Rabbit on the Dancefloor, to country songs, like Hank Williams’ Ramblin’ Man, and some of Martha’s originals. Lots of Southern lore and even some impressive flat footing kept the audience enthralled. 

Saturday was the day of the workshops - this time Oregon veteran banjo maker Tom Nechville gave a master class in the 5-string and North Carolina’s Natalya Zoe Weinstein (of Zoe & Cloyd, who also were performing throughout the weekend) did the same for fiddlers. One of the highlights of the weekend was the unique Universities Symposium, a coming together of students and educators and historians from East Tennessee State University, The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance (at University of Limerick) and the Old Time and Roots Music Faculty of Middle Tennessee State University. This important gathering, facilitated for the second year in a row by the festival, focussed this year on ‘the Jam/Session as a site of Music, Community and Research’ and comprised of round table talks, discussions and performances. Westport Festival sees this as an important part of their work, to explore the connections between the Irish traditions and bluegrass and old time string band music. Rhiannon Giddens was on the panel and was an active participant.

Saturday night’s Town Hall concert had performances from three top acts:- Remedy Tree (Florida) brought their pleasant progressive bluegrass music to Ireland for the first time, with a selection of originals and a particularly enjoyable version of Tim O’Brien’s I’ve Endured  and Dylan’s Señor. Next, Chris Luquette & Rick Faris almost blew the lights out with their high energy set of eleven songs/tunes, some original and some well known bluegrass numbers. Both are equally phenomenal players on both mandolin and guitar, Faris being well know to Irish audiences from his several visits with Special Consensus. Bill Monroe’s Wheel Hoss, the traditional Bury Me Beneath the Willow Tree, Johnny Cash’s Big River and Don’t This Road Look Rough and Rocky were covered as well as Luquette’s Home To You and several Faris originals, including What I’ve Learned and See You On The Other Side. The Wayfarers came from Ohio to treat us to their dynamic, driving, old time mountain music, which always proves popular with Westport audiences. Their energetic performance went down a bomb, covering classics like Shortnin’ Bread, The Hills That I Call Home, Marching Through Georgia and John Brown’s Dream.

But the ticketed concerts are only half of the story. All around town, across eight pub and hotel venues, there are free gigs from 2pm most days. These involve the acts already mentioned above, but in addition there are bands from Ireland, England, Europe and the US, many of whom were on their first visit to Ireland. Add to this The Red Room Mystery Gig, The Gospel Hour in the Holy Trinity Church on Sunday morning and The Square Dance that afternoon, and sure, where would you get it?! For those who stayed on for another night, the festival closed with Irish folk singer, Pauline Scanlon.

Uri, Tim, Freda and Sarah have earned full kudos for their year long work to bring us this extravaganza every year, and long may they run. Put the dates in your diary now for next year - June 6-8, 2025. We can’t wait.

Report and photos by Eilís Boland

Over the Rhine @ Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, Belfast, Northern Ireland-21st June 2024

What a pleasant surprise to learn of a one-off show in Ireland by Over the Rhine, husband and wife duo Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist. Together they have been making music for over 30 years now and their creative output has been at a consistently high and impressive level throughout. The decades have also been very kind in terms of performance dynamic and tonight the Belfast concert provides ample proof of just how polished and powerful they continue to be in a live setting.

The set list of twenty songs spans much of their superb discography and tracks are included all the way back to 1991 from the TILL WE HAVE FACES album, and through to the most recent release LOVE AND REVELATION in 2019 last. There are currently two new albums in the distribution process with HYMN TIME IN THE LAND OF ABANDON (a collection of old hymns and gospel songs), and TEN SONGS WITHOUT WORDS (solo piano from Linford) available to order on their website.  Tonight there is no merchandise for sale as their recent dates in Holland cleaned out everything they brought over for the short run of European dates.

Reverend Steve Stockwell promoted the show tonight and his work at the Church is to be much admired in reaching out to the local community and especially in highlighting the synergy that exists between art and faith. To quote Linford from the Over the Rhine website “ From the very first time I sat down at a piano, I discovered that melodies were available. A river of music was already flowing up above me. When I closed my eyes and pressed a few black and white keys, something beyond words would begin to make itself known. It made it difficult not to believe that music was a miracle of some kind or other.” Aptly put and exactly what is delivered tonight with the beautiful, soaring vocal tone of Karin delivering a magical element and the subtly melodic playing of Linford on piano interpreting the song progressions. Both also play acoustic guitar to great effect together and Linford speaks of his locally sourced Lowden model with great affection.   

Karin has a sweetly soulful delivery that contains a resonance that captures a moment in ethereal exultation. Her ability to bend and hold notes is quite a gift and the harmony vocals of Linford perfectly compliment the bright colours that emanate from their performance. The creative interplay is so perfectly judged that time seems almost suspended in the quiet reverence of this beautiful Church setting. There can be a risk in playing at such unique venues and a sense of respectful silence could permeate proceedings, but Karin and Linford are well practiced in such circumstances and their easy communication and conversation with each other and the audience sets the tone for a very rewarding and special evening.

The songs tonight are taken from eight of their back catalogue releases, with a few new songs also being road tested for a future recording project. Both After All and Nothing fit seamlessly into the standards we have come to expect from the duo and another song Bella Luna is played, one that has yet to appear on album, although it has been performed live over recent years. Included in the haunting and inspiring performance are favourites such as The World Can Wait, Born, Drunkard’s Prayer, When I Go, Latter Days and Like A Radio. There were no songs from the Ohio album (2003), a personal favourite, but one can’t complain as the quality of everything included is so high.

When Karin wants to change the dynamic and the pace of the show, we are treated to great renditions of Trouble and Entertaining Thoughts, along with a superbly captivating All My Favourite People as part of the encore. Yes, it was one of those nights when it felt like the stars aligned and everything was at peace in the World.  Take a bow Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler, it was sublime.

Review by Paul McGee