IBMA World of Bluegrass

The highlight of the calendar for artists and fans of bluegrass (and adjacent) music took place in its new home of Chattanooga, Tennessee on Sep 16-20 this year. Despite the expected teething problems associated with any such change of host city, overall it was a resounding success, with five full days and nights of showcases, an industry conference, workshops, awards and official and unofficial jams and collaborations. Once again, I came away with the warm fuzzy feeling that the bluegrass fraternity are the most musical, the most welcoming and the most supportive to younger players than any other musical community. As Craig Havighurst said, they’re not just practicing, they’re playing. My highlights below are just a few of so many more. I hope you can make it next year.

Wyatt Ellis

Shortly after playing electric country guitar in Peter Rowan’s band, another former child prodigy mandolinist Wyatt Ellis demonstrated why I have referred to him as 'the next Marty Stuart’, with a stellar performance on one of the main stages. Not only is he a mandolin whizz, he is developing into a considerable songwriter and band leader, and is still only 16 years old. The mind boggles as to what he will do next!

Sierra Hull & Band

No introductions needed for another one of the bluegrass phenomenons who graced the main stage at the outdoor Miller Park weekend event at WOB. As well as her accomplished touring band, Hull invited her equally talented husband, Justin Moses (above on dobro) to join her on a few songs from her lauded album, A TIPTOE HIGHWIRE, another album that is destined to be in my Top 10 of 2025.

Becky Buller

Becky Buller was showcasing her latest record, a covers album of songs that have helped her through her lifelong struggle with depression and anxiety. Going by her performances during the WOB, SONGS THAT SING ME may well be  the best album to date from the award winning fiddle player and songwriter. Pictured above, her band included Jacob Groopman on guitar and Ned Luberecki. Look out for our review of the album soon.

The David Mayfield Parade

Not very well known but hopefully this will change. David Mayfield (formerly of Cadillac Sky) is a larger than life character who fronts an irreverent and dynamic bluegrass band who perform a lot of original bluegrass and gospel material, much of it tongue-in-cheek, with a rock ’n' roll sensibility. Check out the new album, GO BIG OR GO HOME, which will be reviewed here soon.

Rick Faris Band

Another Special Consensus alumnus and one of the busiest artists in bluegrass, luthier and mandolin/guitar player Rick Faris was showcasing his impressive new release, LIFE’S PARADE. His young band includes Henry Byron Burgess on mando, Maddie Dalton on bass and Gibson Davis on banjo. Gibson is the son of Chris Davis (formerly of The Rascals etc) and grandson of Danny Davis.

Mason Via

Recently departed from Old Crow Medicine Show, the North Carolina singer-songwriter and guitar player has taken the chance to go it alone and has a crack collection of musicians helping him do so. His songwriting skills are matched by his guitar playling, but above all he is an outstanding performer with charisma and high energy. Check out his new eponymous album on Mountain Fever Records.

Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter Band

Probably the best two bluegrass fiddlers alive right now, the two are touring together currently, as well as pursuing their own band projects. Joined by a powerhouse band comprising Cody Luper (banjo), Chris Henry (mando), Mike Bub (bass) and Jake Workman (guitar), they were one of the highlights of the entire week. Not only that, they also hopped up on stage with other acts, like Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (aka Mrs Jason Carter) and The Infamous Stringdusters.

Foggy Mountain Spaceship

The completely off-the-wall trio from Colorado were one of the festival favourites. The brain child of Kyle Ussery, they play cosmic banjo music from another dimension and were showcasing their first record, GALAXY TRACKS VOL I. Kyle plays a banjo bass, a banjo synth and a cello banjo; Chris Elliott plays a standard 5-string banjo and Chris Sheldon plays his custom Banjotron Acoustikit 2000 (essentially a multiple percussion unit centred on a banjo!). Seen above with special guest Kyle Tuttle (left), formerly of Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway etc.

The Faux Paws

The powerhouse trio from New York State brought their explosive blend of dance/old-time/Celtic/bluegrass/jazz/folk and left with many more new fans. Chris Miller (sax and banjo), Noah VanNorstrand (fiddle & feet) and brother Andrew VanNorstrand (guitar) who produced one of my favourite albums of 2025 to date, NO BAD IDEAS, confirmed their status as one of the most exciting acts in string band music right now now.

Report and photos by Eilis Boland

Zachary Lucky @ Little Whelan’s, Dublin - 7th October 2025

Despite having played in Europe on numerous occasions, tonight is the first show in Ireland for Saskatchewan country singer-songwriter Zachary Lucky. The first of two shows on his whistle stop visit to Ireland before he heads on a two-week tour of Europe, Lucky charms the well-attended show with his relaxed storytelling and well-crafted Western songs chosen from his latest record THE WIND, as well as dipping into his 2019 album MIDWESTERN and his Covid-written record, the aptly titled SONGS FOR HARD TIMES.

Despite struggling with jet lag, Lucky is in chipper form from his opening introduction, ‘How are you doing, Dublin?’ followed swiftly by ‘How are you doing, Ontario?’ aimed at the significant Canadian presence in the room. Not surprisingly, the current affairs of the United States are mentioned, remarking how his 10-year-old daughter asks him, ‘What are all the dumpsters doing when she sees the Federal Agency trucks on the streets in the U.S.A.’ He may have only been in Ireland for a day, but he’s up to speed with the Budget announcement of today, which extends the basic income scheme for artists indefinitely in Ireland, joking that he might very well stay in Ireland.

Alongside the chatter and witty engagement, his vocals and guitar playing are top drawer. Material taken from his latest record include the autobiographical Ramblin’ Man (‘Well I've been from Tulsa, across that Great Divide. Only looking for one thing, a little peace of mind’), and Jasper, a tale of a fleeting encounter at a Tuesday night residency he once played (‘Then I heard her say ‘’they always leave me, those prairie boys they’re like the wind, they come around and then they’re gone.’’ And I wonder will she ever love again’). Also from that record is the delightfully simple song, John, written from the perspective of an ordinary man working a snowplough with nothing on his mind but thoughts of getting home to his wife and child. It’s very much a Saskatchewan-based song, and that devotion to Lucky’s home State is also aimed at in Sell All You Have, which is an ode to the numerous small farmers who were and continue to be forced to sell their homesteads to large corporations.

Two selections are taken from the SONGS FOR HARD TIMES, which Lucky notes, tongue in cheek, was described by his partner as the most depressing songs she had heard. Hang Me, oh Hang Me opens the set and also included is the Townes Van Zandt-written, Rex’s Blues. He revisits the MIDWESTERN record with what is very much a song of current times, Revelation Blues, and reminisces on his career with the introspective and set closer, Sometimes I Wonder (How I Got This Far).

A hugely entertaining evening that transported us all into the songwriting craft of Zachary Lucky kicked off with Dublin’s (also jet lagged, having arrived back from the United States the previous day) Kenan Flannery’s set of constantly engaging ballads. His songs ranged from a tribute to Elizabeth Cotton (I Love You Anyway) to a personal tale of a misconstrued date with a lesbian (Different Strokes) and the gentrification of his hometown (Cobblestones).

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

The Delines @ Whelan’s, Dublin - 23rd September 2025

Whelan’s is the perfect venue to feature the music of The Delines. The intimate surroundings and superb room sound are perfectly aligned with the sweetly relaxed atmosphere generated by Willy Vlautin’s observations and vignettes; wrapped in soft tones and hushed sentiments as the very gifted Amy Boone brings these soulful story songs to life, adding rich colours with her pure vocal tone.

Starting off a short European tour this evening, the five musicians are focused on the most recent release Mr.LUCK and Ms. DOOM and seven songs feature in the setlist. There is a capacity crowd for the show and the sense of community in the room is palpable as everyone drifts on a feeling of quiet reverie. There are seventeen songs performed in total and highlights include the band dynamic on Haunted Thoughts, Calling In, and Don’t Think less Of Me, all performed with a joyous restraint in the delivery. A few new songs are featured with When It’s Three O’Clock and Walking With His Sleeves Down both capturing the creative genius of Wily Vlautin in capturing a moment, a reflection, a state of mind, in his words.

Other songs included, are Gold Dreaming and  My Blood Bleed the Darkest Blue, from the LOST DUETS EP, while some recent favourites are featured with The Imperial, Drowning In Plain Sight, Little Earl and That Old Haunted Place. The duet between Amy and Willy on Walking With His Sleeves Down is particularly memorable with the keyboard sonics adding to the build in the melody and wringing plenty of emotion from the trumpet parts that ride the wave. The final song of a well-deserved encore sees the musicians gather around the mics to deliver a special moment on Dilaudid Diane, as yet unrecorded, and the superb harmonies reflect on the influence of opioid pain medications.

Amy Boone (vocals), Cory Gray (keyboards, trumpet), Sean Oldham (percussion, vocals), Freddy Trujillo (bass, vocals), and Willy Vlautin (guitar, vocals) all perform with an elan, and the world-weary songs are given a quiet resilience in the nuanced delivery of Amy’s vocal. Songs from the margins of society beautifully framed in the characters that form the daily glue in this play of life. What a unique sound, delivered by a special band of musicians, and all pointing towards ongoing success as they continue to develop their craft.

Support tonight is from the talented Chris Eckman and his astute observations into the human condition landed perfectly with the respectful audience who listened intently. Chris recalled his last gig in Whelan’s all of 24 years ago, with his band The Walkabouts, and he speaks of his love of Irish literature while playing a short set. Songs performed were Town Lights Fade, Genevieve, and Running Hot from his most recent solo release THE LAND WE KNOW BEST. He also included an old Walkabouts song with The Stopping-Off Place, which featured alongside The Curving Track from an earlier solo album, WHERE THE SPIRIT RESTS.

Review and image by Paul McGee

AmericanFest @ Nashville 2025 - Review 2

The festival was graced this year by hundreds of acts performing to thousands of music lovers from all corners, gathered across the various venues and bars of this iconic city. They are all an integral part of the extended family that share a common thread of community that is the key inspiration over this unique experience.

Another selection of the performances that impressed Lonesome Highway included;

CAM

A festival debut for an artist who has her roots in country music, but has risen beyond genre classification in her career. Her crystal clear vocal range and flawless performance are highly impressive. Recently she contributed on five songs for Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album and it was a privilege to witness her special talent in such intimate surroundings. Joined by her long-time friend Tyler Johnson on guitars, the personal storytelling of CAM was given room to shine and her sophisticated vocals did the rest.

CAROLINE SPENCE

Playing songs from her recently released fifth album Heart Go Wild Caroline played a beautifully constructed set of songs joined by Mark Campbell on guitar and Peter Groenweld on keyboards and the sonic treatments were a perfect accompaniment for her subtly strong vocal delivery. On each song the nuance in her writing is very evident and the insights between songs highlight an artist very much at the centre of her creativity right now.

KIP MOORE

Country Rock sometimes gets a raw deal among critics and so-called experts, but from a fan perspective Kip Moore is at the cutting edge of all that is currently relevant in this area. Playing a stripped down set with his talented band, he showcased songs in a light that framed what a good songwriter he is. The audience loved it and Moore performed with great character and colour.

THE WATSON TWINS

Very much the darlings of Nashville recording studios and go-to favourites for their superb sibling harmony vocals, sisters Chandra and Leigh Watson were playing songs from the recent Live album release, Seeing Double. Their band was terrific in the energy delivered and the twins are always good value for in-song conversation and interplay with each other. A real highlight.

AARON LEE TASJAN

Always open to crossing genres in his music and surrounded by his excellent band, he delivered real value for money in live performance. This show was a real pleasure to attend and Tasjan played a varied song set from his impressive back catalogue. He also delivered lots of witty between-song insights and wisdom from the years of playing and touring. A great guitar-driven set.

BUFFALO NICHOLS

His songs carry a deep resonance and a power that is compelling in a live setting. An impressive guitar virtuoso, Nichols’ lyrics reflect everything from racial bigotry to social injustice, moral poverty, political corruption, subjugation of the working class, and the relentless pursuit of wealth to the detriment of all else. Classic blues delivered in a soulful tour de force commentary.

ZANDI HOLUP

The current media ripple surrounding this new talent is well-founded and her set was littered with insightful observations on life and relationships; challenges faced in growing up within abusive environments, and much more. Her powerful songs are delivered with a shy  confidence and a steely determination. Zandi was accompanied by a sole fiddle player and won many new admirers.

KYSHONA

A festival highlight with her powerful vocal delivery and strong messages of inequality and racial segregation over the ages. Everyone can identify with the truth in her writing and the gospel-infused soul sound would move the hardest heart to the plight of the under-privileged in any society. Kyshona sings of hope and loving awareness in these dark times of moral myopia.

CHARLES WESLEY GODWIN

The continued rise of this singer songwriter was captured here by his superbly talented band and the songs they performed had a real energy. Lots to enjoy across a performance that had everything, including a few songs from a recently released EP and also a foretaste of the new live album that is coming soon. Godwin is well on his way to real stardom.

STEPHEN WILSON JR.

A high powered rocking performance from the electrically-charged Stephen Wilson Jr and his three-piece band. Hypnotic stage presence as a frontman, assisted by great songs and the trademark strong delivery – driving rhythms and impressive quality – a real crowd favourite.

It was a very enjoyable festival and some other highlights included an invite to the Folk Alliance International event at the historic RCA Studio A and the day party hosted by New West and Oh Boy Records, with both events adorned by a list of superb acts and artists. A visit to the Grand Ole Opry was also great fun. The sun shone throughout the five days and the joyful atmosphere was infectious.   

Review and photos by Paul McGee

AmericanaFest @ Nashville 2025 - Review 1

Having seen sixty acts perform in Nashville, including a number that were not AmericanaFest showcases, whittling the highlights down to ten standout performances is no easy task. Interestingly, the list is indicative of the broad range of acts loosely placed under the ever-widening Americana umbrella.

Review and photographs by Declan Culliton

Kassi Valazza @ Dee’s Cocktail Lounge

Shows by Kassi Valazza, whether solo or with a band, have consistently been breathtaking since our introduction to the Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter in 2023. Her showcase was no exception. Backed by a four-piece band, her set was delivered to pin-drop silence. Her songwriting and vocals are exceptional, and it may be lazy to make comparisons to Joni Mitchell and Sandy Denny, but she is that good.

Jon Byrd @ East Side Bowl

 Jon Byrd, a must-see act in every Nashville trip for many years, faced a change in his performance routine earlier this year when he lost his weekly residency at Dees Cocktail Lounge. However, the good folk at The East Side Bowl stepped in and booked Jon with a full band to perform each Tuesday at the Low Volume Lounge, before the now legendary Honky Tonk Tuesday kicked off in the main hall. This change only added to the anticipation, and his set, which delved deeply into his 2023 album ALL YOUR MISTAKES alongside some well-chosen covers, did not disappoint.

Kristina Murray @ Vinyl Tap

I know, I know, Kristina features every year in our report, but once more she justified her reputation as one of the finest traditional country singers of the past decade. She performed at the festival multiple times, including her showcase at the Exit Inn. This more intimate show featured Kristina accompanied only by an electric guitarist, her own acoustic guitar, and her crystal-clear vocals. It was a joy to hear several of the songs from her new album LITTLE BLUE, stripped back to bone and their backstory.

The Pink Stones @ Vinyl Tap

Although Hunter Pinkston’s band are only two albums into their career, they sound like veterans. Their new album YOU KNOW WHO combines easy-going rhythms alongside some more up-tempo country tunes that land somewhere between Gram Parsons and Porter Wagoner. Dipping into that record and their debut one, they executed the set with laid-back confidence, composure, and top-notch playing.

West Texas Exiles @ The Groove Record Store

A five-piece band of Texan players and vocalists, West Texas Exiles came to our attention with their 2023 EP, Vol.1. They lived up to that promise with their recently released debut album and the two shows we caught them playing at AmericanaFest. Their stripped-back in-store show at The Groove highlighted their individual and collective talents. Slick playing, superb harmonies and clever songwriting always win out, and these guys have them all.

Florry @ Love & Exile

Although young in years, the six-piece Florry has already released three albums since their debut in 2018. We caught two of their shows, this one and the previous day, at Grimey’s Record Store. They played different sets at each show, with a common denominator of incredible playing, energy, and killer vocals from band leader Francie Medosch (who had an infectious smile on her face from start to finish) and backing singer Katya Malison.

Merce Lemon & The Basement East

Landing somewhere between indie rock and what used to be called alt-country, Pittsburgh five-piece band Merce Lemon’s 2024 album WATCH ME DRIVE THEM DOGS WILD was a stunner, and their showcase underlined their quality. Highlights of many included their wonderful song Backyard Lover and a gorgeous version of I See A Darkness.

Alex Amen @ The 5 Spot

A new name to me and one that was only recommended earlier that day, Texan Alex Amen, accompanied by an acoustic guitar player, had the capacity to silence a late-night audience one song into his set. The country/folk sounds of Mickey Newbury, Glen Campbell and  Fred Neil came to mind while listening to an artist that is most certainly one to watch as his career develops.

Chris Scruggs @ Skinny Dennis

The opportunity to enjoy a traditional country education from Chris Scruggs and his band at the recently opened Skinny Dennis in East Nashville was a joy. Country covers, with the history of each of them informed by Scruggs, are the order of the evening on this Sunday night, with no cover charge, as part of a residency. Having band members like Kenny Vaughan and Billy Contreras, among others, made this an unmissable journey and a history lesson in ‘real’ country music.

Garry Burnside @ Vinyl Tap

A master class in blues, soul and funk from Garry Burnside and his band. Not surprisingly, given his pedigree as the youngest son of Hill Country Blues legend R.L.Burnside. Garry cut his teeth playing with his father and the late blues player Junior Kimbrough. His spine-tingling set featured material from his latest album IT’S MY TIME NOW.

Joshua Radin @ Whelan’s, Dublin – July 16th 2025

This was a very welcome return to Irish shores for a singer songwriter who is very popular on this island of deep rooted musical traditions. His last visit was in 2018 and judging by the sizeable crowd in Whelan’s tonight his decision to play a short Irish visit went down extremely well among the faithful.

His songs are often centred around the search for home, and also the quest of the incurable romantics who suffer unrequited love more often than most. Of course, being a travelling minstrel is no recipe for success in either of these areas. Joshua tells the crowd of his move away from L.A. and having sold his home. He has been living a nomadic existence for the past three years of touring and visiting countries wherever his creative muse takes him.

No wonder he still looks to define the true meaning of home in his songs. Or maybe the truth lies in trying to live ‘in the moment’ and acknowledging that feeling as the essence of being ‘home.’ There is no doubt that trying to sustain a steady relationship from the road is not for the fainthearted, and when you are just available on a sporadic basis, then there is no real bedrock upon which to build something of real value that can last.

Tonight, Joshua plays a very generous set of some twenty songs that span his career and ten albums to date. He draws inspiration from the crowd calling out for specific favourites and asks for the names those who shout out, together with their back stories as to how they found the songs. He also plays songs from a new album ONE DAY HOME which was released this year, and is very impressed to receive a request for one of the new songs already – usually it’s only the old favourites that everyone wants to hear.

Joahua is in buoyant mood and his confident and engaging stage presence is very much wrapped in empathy, warmth and witty observations. He is joined onstage by Happie Hoffman on harmony vocals and gifted guitarist Gabe Burdulis who dovetails superbly with Joshua as they play in unison on these songs of insight and longing. The setlist covers a lot of ground, from debut album songs like Everything'll Be Alright (Will's Lullaby), Winter and Only You (cover of Yazoo hit); through favourites like Brand New Day, Vegetable Car, No Envy No Fear, Beautiful Day, Here Right Now, High and Low and I’d Rather Be With You. The new album is featured with songs like You Don’t Need Anyone, I’m Coming Home, Let Me Be Right, I Believe I’m Falling, Let It Show and Same Star, the latter a song written to a recent girlfriend, in hopes of shortening the distance across different time zones. I have no doubt that over time these new songs will join the existing list of firm favourites in the minds of the loyal fan base. On first listen, there are some real gems here.

The final song tonight is a cover of Dylan’s Don't Think Twice, It's All Right and it resonates with the theme of moving on. That is what defines Joshua Radin’s life these days, and the constant motion is on the one hand quite liberating, while on the other, a source of impermanence. Joshua is an impressive talent and his honeyed vocals reflect his contemplative songwriting with such a natural flow. It was a privilege to witness this gig in such intimate surroundings and full marks to promoters Singular Artists for booking his return. Hopefully Joshua will revisit  before too long and build upon the success of this special evening.

Coda: Honourable mention to opening act Happie Hoffman. She sings sweetly constructed songs and has a warm presence, with her fingerstyle guitar playing and her joyous smile. She performs her own compositions Close, Real Love, What I Needed, Shooting Star and a cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow – her favourite song – making many new friends with her excellent playing and easy manner.

Review and photos by Paul McGee

Static Roots Festival, Oberhausen, Germany, 10th – 12th July

So much more than simply a music festival, Static Roots, since its launch in 2016, has created a community of like-minded people, both performers and punters, young and not so young, and growing each year steadily, who arrive in Oberhausen from Canada, The United States, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Scotland, England, Scandinavia and various locations in Germany to assemble for what has become a 'not to be missed' gathering.

Demand was so high for tickets this year that founder and curator Dietmar Leibecke had to relocate to a larger venue. Punters who may have feared that the shift might have had a negative impact need not have worried. The event simply moved to a larger hall in the same complex at Zentrum Altenberg, which in a previous life was a bustling zinc factory in the industrial town of Oberhausen.

Thursday 10th July

Another addition to previous years was the introduction of a 'Welcome Night', held on Thursday evening at Gdanska, a restaurant and music venue in the town, to cater to the numerous punters who traditionally arrive a day before the festival kicks off. The themed ‘Honky Tonk Special' kicked off the festival in 'knees up' style with UK country kickers Dom Glynn & His Sunday Best and Californian Savannah Gardner & The Recovering Good Girls.

Friday 11th July

The annual Friday Static Roots tour offers the opportunity for a cultural experience each year, and this year's tour was a visit to the most famous cinema in Germany. Located in Essen, The Lichtburg is the country's largest movie theatre with a capacity of one thousand and two hundred and fifty seats and a one hundred and fifty square feet screen. Lunch followed, which included music by Michele Stodart accompanied by David Ford on guitar. Next up was a visit to Dietmar's wife and daughter, Marion and Johanna's, local bookshop Proust Words & Beauty, before being bussed back to Oberhausen to prepare for the opening day's acts.

The scheduled opening act was Nashville-based Todd Day Late, but traffic congestion resulted in his slot being taken by Kilkenny's The Southern Fold. Ireland's best-kept secret current line-up is frontman and founder Emyln Holden, his co-vocalist Madeleine Leclezio, Stephen Doohan on guitar, Brian McGrath on bass, and Canadian drummer Gregor Beresford. Witnessing these guys perform their blend of rootsy alt-country on a large stage and to a hugely receptive audience is confirmation that they are equal, if not superior, to many acts in that genre that are household names in America and Europe.

The delayed arrival, rush to the venue and wardrobe change had little effect on Todd Day Wait and his band. Recalling the classic sound of Merle Haggard, his laid-back and 'real' country set was a breath of fresh air. A special mention for Italian pedal steel genius Flavio Pasquetto, whose sublime playing was a master class in 'less is more.'

French songstress BOBBIE was the first French artist to ever play at the festival, and it was also her first time to play in Germany. Her gorgeous vocals perfectly suited her setlist that crisscrossed between soulful numbers and well-crafted pop songs. No stranger to the festival, Peter Bruntnell's blistering performance in 2017 earned him a recall this year. Never one to disappoint, Peter and his band recreated that energy, passion and brilliance once more, dipping into his back catalogue together with selections from his latest album, HOUDINI & THE SUCKER PUNCH. Canadian seven-piece dynamic band Bywater Call took the closing slot on Friday. The perfect act to 'send them home sweating,' and fronted by powerhouse vocalist Meghan Parnell, their set was soulful, funky and brought the house down. 

Saturday 12th July

Saturday's festivities started with an informative and relaxed event titled Women of Americana. Following the success of a similar event last year when Willy Vlautin was interviewed by Nick West, on this occasion, radio journalist Christine Heise addressed the many issues that women still face in the industry, discussing the issues with three women due to perform later in the day. The three, Hayley Rearden, Pearl Charles, and Michele Stodart, spoke freely and articulately about the hurdles they consistently have to overcome in what still remains a male-dominated industry.

Scandinavian acts have been represented repeatedly in recent years at the festival, and this year's act to tick that box was Embla & The Karidotters. The Norwegian five-piece band's debut album HELLO, I'M EMBLA won them a Spellemann award (Norway's Grammys) as country album of the year. That album featured prominently in their set of melodic pop/ country crossover, which represented the Nordicana genre with flying colours. 

Static Roots has, on several occasions over the years, featured magical sets from unexpected sources and often lesser-known acts. This year's accolade goes to Massachusetts-born Hayley Reardon. Despite previously sharing stages with Lori McKenna, Rodney Crowell, and Anaïs Mitchell, Hayley remains relatively unknown in Europe. That will no doubt be corrected following her spellbound performance of deeply emotive alt-folk, which was elevated by the superb flamenco guitar skills of her musical partner, Barcelona's Pau Figueres. 

A pointer towards the diversity of the music on offer was to follow. After that spellbinding set of beautifully crafted and delivered songs from Hayley Reardon, the knees-up and toe-tapping sounds from Minneapolis-based modern bluegrass band Pert Near Sandstone raised the tempo. Instrument switching and shared vocals and mics were the order of the day in their rousing showcase of original and traditional songs.  

Following her recent performance at Glastonbury in one of her other projects as a member of The Magic Numbers, singer, songwriter, musician, producer and musical director Michele Stodart and her band's performance included material from her extensive back catalogue. She particularly tapped into selections from her excellent award-winning album from 2023, INVITATION. The icing on the cake was Pert From Sandstone's fiddle player, Ryan Young and mandolin player Nate Sipe, joining the party mid-set for two songs.

Los Angeles-born Pearl Charles' music has been described as 'Gram Parsons meets Abba', and that portrayal accurately describes her sound. Her honeyed vocals and melody-driven songs bridged the gap between traditional and modern country rock. Uncle Lucius has been front runners in the local Austin music scene for over a decade, and they lived up to their lofty reputation as a dynamic live band. Southern rock, swampy blues and gritty rock and roll were at the heart of their lively one-hour slot.

Incredibly, the closing act, The Godfathers, has been dishing out their no-nonsense rock and roll for four decades. Their lineup may have changed over that period, but founding member and frontman Peter Coyne defied those years, backed by his rocking band to bring the curtains down with a raw, edgy, punky and guitar-driven package of rock and roll with nods to The Ramones and Dr Feelgood. They closed with a storming version of their anthem, Birth, School, Work, Death, which sounded every bit as vital as it did almost forty years ago. All in all, the most appropriate act to end the festival on a blistering high note.

The lights may have dimmed in the auditorium, but outside the music continued into the early hours. Kilkenny's Small Change (Conan Doyle and Tony Cleere) had been once more been invited to lead the late-night sing-song, and a majority of the festival’s audience, alongside a number of the performing artists, joined in what was a celebration of music, friendship and community, a reflection of what this wonderful festival stands for.

Mention is also merited to the absolute attention to detail that is a constant at Static Roots. From Dietmar’s team of volunteers, the perfectly balanced sound and lighting systems, Master of Ceremonies Jeff Robson, the range of food and drinks available at very reasonable prices, and the smooth turnover of acts that result in the timetable being executed without any delays, everything worked.  A not-for-profit enterprise, all the funds raised from the festival's constantly busy merch desk go to support a most worthy cause, Doctors Without Borders. Roll on Static Roots 2026! 

Review and photos by Declan Culliton

Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival - June 5-8, 2025

With the 19th festival successfully put to bed, the small hard-working commiteee, led by the indefatigable Uri Cohen, can be truly proud of their continuing success in staging what has developed into the best bluegrass and old time festival in Ireland. Once again, the festival managed to present some of the finest American and European acts in the genres, across the boutique Mayo town, with many free gigs for enthusiastic established fans who travelled from all over the globe, and also for the newer local fans who have been drawn into appreciating the music over the years.

 The opening Thursday night gig, in the excellent Town Hall Theatre, featured The Cox Family (Louisiana) with their country gospel singing, and The Burnett Sisters Band (Tennessee) who truly impressed with their blend of high energy bluegrass, old time and country. The youthful multi-instrumentalist sisters can boast an Old Time Fiddle champion and a Folk Song champion in their midst, and their high energy set and sibling harmonies were quite stunning, as was the contribution of their English guitar player, Geary Allen.

Friday night was Old Time night - the line up started with Golden Shoals (US) on their first visit to Westport (having  played at Omagh Festival previously). Next was a duo who have visited these shores on many occasions- Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones brought their Appalachian tunes, songs and lore (with Erynn even making a good stab at a few phrases in Irish!). The headliners are also no strangers to our shores - Sammy Lind (MN) is one of the top OT fiddlers in the US and his partner Nadine Landry (Quebec) brought her Cajun and old time songs and guitar to close the night with fiery passion.

Saturday featured a number of satellite events: The String Band Summit was an academic workshop (open to all) on the origins of string band music and featured representatives from East Tennessee State University, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Middle Tennessee State University and artists from the US and Europe. The Cox Family gave a workshop on Harmony Singing to a packed room, and Sammy Lind led a popular fiddle workshop. As well as various organised and impromptu sessions around the town, the Red Room Mystery gig in Matt Molloy’s presented The Cox Family, Sylamore Special and Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road.

The main Saturday Night concert focussed on Bluegrass: openers Sylamore Special have come up through the bluegrass school programme in their native Arkansas, and they impressively combined bluegrass with old time influences, including a flatfooting demonstration from mandolin player, Gordon Parker. Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road left the audience in no doubt why they are one of the most talked about of the new breed of progressive bluegrass bands. Leaning towards jam bands at times, but also showcasing excellent storytelling songwriting, the genius of young Liam Purcell was obvious from the first chord. That musical genius was matched by that of his his band members Zack Vickers (banjo), Jacob Smith (bass) and Devin Jones (guitar). Finally, the traditionalists were rewarded by headliners Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, featuring an all new lineup. Temporarily missing one band member, Seth played mostly guitar (instead of his usual mandolin) but they nonetheless played a storming set. 

Sunday featured a packed Gospel Hour with the Cox Family, and the annual Square Dance.

Bands on the free pub trail included Blue Weed (Italy), Whiskey Mash Band (Missouri), regulars The Rocky Top String Band (Mayo) and Old Baby Mackerel (UK).

The weekend wrapped up with exponents of Irish folk music, Jack Warnock & Eleanor Gaffney.

Next year will be the twentieth festival - start planning now for what will no doubt be an extra special weekend.

Review and photos by Eilís Boland 

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)