Celtic Connections Glasgow 3rd & 4th February 2018

It's Saturday night at the most distinguished Oran Mor on the Byres Road in the West End of Glasgow and Sam Outlaw is feeling good, in fact feeling very good indeed, he tells us. Having played the previous evening to a full house in Aberdeen he seems genuinely taken back that the venue this evening is also heaving. Oran Mor is a converted church which was built in the 1860’s for the spiritual well being of the growing population of residents settling in West Glasgow. These days it caters for the social needs of many as one of the most prominent music venues in Glasgow, combining restaurants, bars and event rooms, having been converted to its current status between 2002 and 2004.

Explaining another reason for his particularly tiptop mood Outlaw continues "having played over a hundred dates with my full band over the previous months, it’s a joy to perform on stage with just Molly and this guy from London and perform songs we want to play and the way want to play them." Molly Jensen, a recording artist in her own right and a fellow Californian of Outlaw’s, has been a regular in his touring band over the past few years as a co-singer and equally talented guitarist and the Londoner that Outlaw tongue in cheek refers to is Matt Park, a multi-instrumentalist who adds stunning pedal steel and electric guitar to tonight’s show.  In fact, anyone regretting the absence of a full band on stage is swiftly won over a few songs into the set with note perfect - and vocal perfect – deliveries of It Might Kill Me, Diamond Ring and Angeleno. Very much the revivalist not only in his music but also his style, Outlaw’s is decked out in short sleeved cowboy shirt, red neck scarf, black trousers, cowboy boots and white Stenson. Jensen and Park are also suitably attired, in appearance the trio could have been plucked off the stage from The Grand Ole Opry in the 1960’s.

Featuring material from both his current album Tenderheart and Angeleno, released a few years back, the songs come hard and fast with She’s Playing Hard To Get Rid Of, Tenderheart, Ghost Town, Bottomless Mimosa all getting an airing. Also included are the Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman classic Juanita and Ryan Adam’s Oh My Sweet Carolina, while noting that Adams had recently said some nice things about him. That said its Jesus Take The Wheel (and Drive Me To A Bar) that gets the biggest cheer of the evening, the sentiment seems to particularly strike a chord with the Glasgow audience. His one hour twenty-minute set, interlaced with humorous banter between songs, concludes with Outlaw off stage, in the middle of the audience, guitar in hand and singing his final notes, much to the approval of the surrounding crowd. He could be accused of being chameleon – and most probably would agree himself – but what can’t be denied is his striking vocal, song writing talent, phenomenal stage presence, absolute attention to detail and on the evidence of this evening, his ability to provide a hands down killer display of classic country music.

The support act is Justin Osborne, frontman of South Carolina band SUSTO. Osborne’s solo set in support of Outlaw is most impressive but the full bands performance on the following night – their UK debut – in support of Sam Baker, is on another level. The venue is the quite stunning Mackintosh Church at Queens Cross, the only church in the world designed by the famous Scottish architect and artists Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Impressive as the venue is, playing on an alter to a full house of punters seated elbow to elbow on church pews, is not the ideal environment for a young psychedelic indie folk band. However, they play a blinder even if their sound echoing around the church felt somewhat out of character. Included in their set are Hard Drugs, Cosmic Cowboy and Jah Werx, all from their current album & I’m Fine Today, which continues to earn consistently impressive reviews in the music press. Cigarettes, Whisky and Wine from their debut album together with some newer material also feature.

Sam Baker’s two hour set, which follows, finds the Texan songsmith abandon his familiar acoustic laid back delivery in favour of a more electric and percussion driven sound. Playing electric guitar on this tour and joined on stage by percussionist Mike Meadows, he treats the full house to a journey through his impressive back catalogue with Steel, Iron, Odessa, Broken Fingers, Waves and Angel together with Margaret, Summer Wind and Land Of Doubt from his latest album of the same name. It’s certainly a departure from the previous occasions I had seen him where his delivery was closer to the gentle and delicate studio treatment of the songs. However, the genuine passion and delightful lyrical quality of the songs remain. My colleague Paul Mc Gee’s more detailed review of his set the previous evening at The Naul, Co. Dublin is also on our live review page.

And so concludes another whistle stop trip to the beautiful city of Glasgow and Celtic Connections which continues to be one of the premier music festivals staged in Europe. Great also to meet up with local music loving friends Iain Mac Leod, Paul Hughes, Murray Anderson and Mike Ritchie whose Radio Show hosted every Sunday on Celtic Music Radio was deservedly voted Best Radio Show in the U.K. in a recent Americana UK Readers Poll.   

Review and photographs by Declan Culliton

Sam Baker @ The Seamus Ennis Arts Centre. The Naul - Sat 3rd Feb 2018.

The Seamus Ennis Arts Centre (SEAC) is located at the Naul in North County Dublin and serves the local community well in providing an eclectic mix of live performances, cultural events, exhibitions, sessions, workshops and classes weekly. The room for tonight’s gig has an intimate feel and the small capacity sees few empty seats as Sam Baker makes a welcome return to the Centre.

It has been 5 years since his last visit but the warmth and genuine affection with which he is greeted is testament to his enduring popularity on these shores. His road travelled has been littered with challenges and obstacles to be overcome and in truth many would not have made it through with the same sense of perspective and thoughtful reflection.

His back story has long been the subject of media attention and the manner in which he survived a terrorist bomb in Peru while touring the country. The injuries he suffered would have stopped many in their tracks but his enduring will to move beyond and make something of his life drove Baker to re-learn much of the coping skills of life, plus the ability to play guitar and write songs of beautiful, heart-breakingly honest treatises on life, love and our human condition. His story songs are sharp dissections of everyman and the daily struggles we all face in our lives. Many of his observations are ground in personal experience but his empathy with people and his kindness always shine through to point the way on our spiritual journeys into tomorrow.

Playing electric guitar and with the sensitive and sublime drumming skills of Mike Meadows for accompaniment, we are given two separate sets in which Sam Baker visits all five of his releases to give a very engaging performance across the 20 songs chosen on the night. He has an endearing charm onstage and his funny quips and ramblings on various subjects are greeted with much laughter and smiles among the audience. He even takes a moment to stop the gig in order to sing Happy Birthday to his good friend and colleague Mike Meadows, who we learn is a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, classically trained and much sought after as a session player by a large number of artists.

A couple of cover versions are included by John Stewart (Some Kind Of Love) and Paul Simon (Duncan) in addition to firm favourites like Waves, Broken Fingers, Boxes, Iron, Slots, Isn’t Love Great and Odessa. His latest release is well received and the title track, Land Of Doubt is a poignant look at the state of affairs in America currently.

However, the abiding theme throughout the night is one of forgiveness and no little grace as Sam Baker and Mike Meadows weave around each other with an ease and freedom that brings these poignant tales to real life.  There is a lasting aura of emotion in the room when the gig concludes with the sweet optimism of Go In Peace. 

Go in peace, go in kindness

Go in love, go in faith

Leave the day, the day behind us

Day is done, go in grace

We leave with a sense of having witnessed something fragile and beautiful in the magic created by such sensitive playing and heartfelt performance. 

Review by Paul McGee   Photography by Kaethe Burt-O'Dea

Willy Vlautin @ Whelan’s 29th January 2018

Willy Vlautin has performed at Whelan’s on numerous occasions, whether with his band Richmond Fontaine or as part of different projects, including his current band The Delines. 

This evening’s appearance takes on a somewhat different format with Vlautin promoting his fifth novel, Don’t Skip Out On Me, which has recently been published to very positive reviews. However, far from merely a book reading, this appearance offers so much more than merely a marketing event for the book’s release. In fact, Vlautin only reads two short passages from the novel which documents the ambitions of farm hand Horace Hopper, half Irish and half Paiute Indian, to pursue a career as a professional boxer.

 It’s no surprise that the event is a sell-out, given the fanbase he has developed on these islands as a songwriter, musician and author. Vlautin's first novel The Motel Life ended up as a feature film in 2013 starring Emile Hirsch and Stephen Dorff and the film based on his third book, Lean On Pete will be screened during The Dublin Film in late February.

The format tonight includes Vlautin performing songs and instrumentals, accompanied by Cork maestro David Murphy on pedal steel guitar. In addition to reciting the two passages from the novel, Willy is interviewed on stage by Hot Press commissioning editor, Roisin Dwyer.

The show commences with a track from the instrumental soundtrack - included with the first print edition of the book - titled Horace and The Trophy and is followed by Wake Up Ray and Whitey & Me from Richmond Fontaine’s memorable swansong album, You Can’t Go Back If There’s Nothing To Go Back To. The book’s title, also a track featured on the same album, follows. Vlautin cites the inspiration for material on that album being friends from his teenage years still living at home with their mothers and who never moved on despite being in their 40’s ("Guys I cut the ties with but always end up hooking up with again!").

The stripped-down versions, with only Vlautin’s vocal and acoustic guitar, together with Murphy’s quite stunning pedal steel playing, capture the atmosphere of the songs to perfection and it’s noteworthy that Vlautin comments later in the evening how proud he and his band members are of their final album. When Roisin Dwyer enquires why the band split up he simply replies "we got out while we were ahead and before any of us had to leave."

Having invested three and a half years in writing the novel, which initially contained over six hundred pages, he jokes about having to edit it to just over three hundred pages, a process that resulted in casually discarding eighteen months work in a short period of time. Most impressive throughout the interview is Vlautin’s naked honesty, delivered humorously and attributing his story telling skills and selection of characters ("why can’t the janitor or the car park attendant or the nurse be the main character in a novel") to escapism and his vivid imagination, describing himself as a complete dreamer since childhood.

A follower of professional boxing since his childhood and an avid reader of The Ring magazine, he speaks comically of his near obsession with Welch welterweight, boxer Colin Jones, who fought the undefeated Detroit ‘Ice Man’ Milton Mc Crory in Vlautin’s home town Reno in 1983. Jones was notorious for his gruelling lifestyle pattern of running five miles to and from his work as a gravedigger, before going training in the evenings. Vlautin admits tongue in cheek of "wanting to be Colin Jones, without the running and digging or maybe a James Bond or Sam Shephard just cruising in paradise, wearing shades and looking cool." Instead and in reality, a lot of time was spent in his room listening to Yes, Rush and Japan records and dreaming of starting a band.

Before continuing with a couple of songs written for his current band (The Delines) he recounts how he would listen in awe to Amy Boone singing in the dressing room before she went on stage as a backing vocalist on tour with Richmond Fontaine. Having spent seven months writing songs for her, he eventually convinced her to try them out and to take centre stage as lead singer. Asked if he was comfortable taking a background position with this band he immediately responds "playing in a band where I’m not nervous as shit going on stage is a dream come true!"

On that note he candidly recounts tackling his stage nerves by performing tanked up on beer up to the age of 34. On one occasion he was practically unable to function on stage after a particular bender. Discovering the next morning that one punter had driven sixteen hours to the gig and slept in his car, unable to afford the price of a room, his shame was the wake-up call to get his act together. He also explains how Amy Boone was involved in a bizarre accident two years ago having been struck by an out of control car while walking in a car park, suffering horrific injuries. Her recovery continues to the extent that she is still attempting to walk again, but Vlautin expressed the sincere hope that she would be able to perform material from their forthcoming album on stage later in the year. The Oil Rigs At Night and Colfax Avenue follow, both stand out tracks from The Delines debut album.

Material from earlier Richmond Fontaine albums are also performed. The Boyfriends from We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River and Northline from Winnemucca were regular inclusions in their setlists over the years and they both work equally well stripped back. Vlautin also dedicates "our only poppy song" Post To Wire from the album of the same name to the memory of the late George Byrne "the first mad red-haired Irishman we encountered in Kilkenny on our first trip to Ireland in 2004."

Noting how much he was in awe David Murphy’s pedal steel playing, the atmosphere it created and his fascination with the instrument from his early career he jokes "I love great playing like David’s and not the wild honky tonk playing by some of the wild men at home", before the pair launch into a guitar and pedal steel instrumental duet. The evening ends with A Night In The City and Lets Hit One More Place, two more superb tracks from Richmond Fontaine’s final album.

The Gutter Bookshop in Temple Bar had set up a stall at the merchandise desk and given that the novel was selling like hotcakes Vlautin must have spent at least an hour meeting, greeting and signing copies at the front of the stage.

What a pleasure to observe the genuine warmth and entertainment generated by Vlautin to every person in the room and an endorsement that sometimes the really good guys do get their just rewards in the end.

Review and pictures by Declan Culliton

The Weather Station @ The Grand Social - 28th Jan 2018

The Weathers Station’s last appearance in Ireland was as a two-piece performing at The Kilkenny Roots Festival in 2016. This time around Canadian singer songwriter Tamara Lindeman is accompanied by a full band and delivers a very short but hugely impressive set with material drawn in the main from her current self-titled album and it’s predecessor Loyalty released in 2015. Will Kidman on guitar and keyboards, Ben Whitely on bass and drummer Ian Kehoe provide the perfect rhythm section to compliment Lindeman’s distinctive semi spoken vocal delivery.

Having had to cancel a show  earlier in the tour due to laryngitis the Dublin show had been in some doubt but fortunately Lindeman’s vocals and determination won out ("the ferry was so expensive there was no way we were turning back!"). In fact, her vocals were stunning throughout even if it was obvious she was struggling during her occasional chats between numbers.

Referring to her first visit to Dublin playing support some years ago, she jokingly recalls attempting to navigate to the venue (most probably The Workman’s Club) with the assistance of her tiny Google Maps mobile phone screen, unfortunately driving on the opposite side of the quays to the venue "it possibly took me three hours to arrive at the venue due to the traffic restrictions and congestion!"

She eases her way into the set with Personal Eclipse and Way It Is Way It Could Be from Loyalty before raising the tempo with Free, the excellent You and I (on The Other Side of The World) and the uncompromising Kept It All To Myself, all three from her current album. Her songwriting has always avoided the conventional verse and chorus structure, instead offering short stories put to music, delivered with a vocal refinement that is gentle yet displaying quite a powerful edge. Her latest album suggests an artist growing in confidence as her career develops as is equally evidenced by her live performance this evening. Reinforcing this point, later in the set Lindeman comments that she used to write ‘quiet’ songs up to a few years ago ‘which just isn’t right now there’s so much going on’ before she and the band pump up the volume to deliver at full throttle Floodplain and the highlight of the evening Thirty, their last two songs before leaving the stage. An encore of Tapes finishes a set that lasts only fifty minutes but quite understandable given the circumstances.

Also performed were Don’t Know What To Say (after a few false starts), I Mined, Complicit and Floodplain by an artist with the ability to write candid, personal and dynamic conversational pieces and to execute them with corresponding brilliance.

Ena Brennan’s solo project Dowry performed the opening earlier in the evening. The multi-instrumentalist’s set included a stunning loop pedal assisted violin intro together with some equally experimental and impressive vocal and guitar looped pieces. 

Review and photograph by Declan Culliton

Tradfest @ Printworks, Dublin Castle - 28th Jan 2018

The Printworks at Dublin Castle is an unlikely venue for a live music event. It is used on a regular basis as a Conference Centre where delegates attend business-oriented activities. And whereas the music business is indeed a 'business', the sight of musicians creating art from their reservoir of talent, does not make a natural fit in such a space. There is a sterile feel to the building with the audience not displaying much outward display of enthusiasm for the large room. With many back rows not sold, the stage manager, who is involved in the filming of the show for TG4, asks that any spaces be filled in the front rows, in order to reduce the possibility that the cameras may pick up gaps.

The musicians certainly give their all with strong performances and Irish band, I Draw Slow, start things off with a set of nine songs that display high energy and great musicianship. The natural warmth from lead singer Louise Holden is appealing on all levels and her singing and relaxed communications add much to the performance. Her brother Dave shares harmony vocals and leads his band mates through dexterous work outs and up-tempo arrangements that highlight the fine playing of Adrian Hart on Fiddle, Colm Derham on Banjo and Konrad Lindy on Upright Bass.

The songs are introduced by Louise with stories of their creation and the themes involved; whether murder ballads, apocalyptic doom, drug addiction or mining town working girls! The songs are taken from their 4 releases to date and Apocalypso, Valentine, My Portion and Goldmine are very well received by the home crowd. Hide & Seek is a standout with the fiddle of Adrian Hart really lifting the arrangement and tempo. This band go from strength to strength and long may they continue to build their impressive career.

Martin Harley is a talented guitar player from England who is making an Irish debut and is accompanied by his music partner, American upright bass player Daniel Kimbro, who is also a member of the famous Jerry Douglas band. Harley plays guitar and a Hawaiian lap steel guitar called a Weissenborn. Together, the two artists play a storming set across eight songs, including Trouble, One For The Road, Sweet & Low, Feet Don't Fail Me Now and Nobody's Fault But Mine. On the excellent Dancing On The Rocks the freedom in the playing is quite awesome as the two artists extend into jazz-tinged, free-form soloing and reach great heights in the performance. Kimbro also plays impressively on guitar and his tune, Loyston, is another special moment as the two musicians interplay around the rhythm with solo runs. A very impressive set and I am sure that we have not seen the last of this duo on our shores. They also display a wicked sense of humour during the songs which adds a great dynamic and is the source of much laughter.

And so, to the head lining act of the night, sisters Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer. With 25 recordings between them we are dealing with Country music royalty here and their collective back catalogue is filled with so many high points and stands against any of their contemporaries at the top of the music tree. Their band tonight is comprised of three seasoned musicians, Joe McMahan (guitar), Rick Reed (drums) and Jason Weinheimer (bass) and they perform with great ease across the ten songs that are mainly taken from the recent duet album, Not Dark Yet. This is the first full collaboration between the sisters and the live performance of songs that span from the Louvin Brothers (Every Time You Leave) to The Killers (The List) gives a new perspective on the project they have completed.

Whether the selections all work on the record is open to individual opinion but witnessed in a live setting, a number of the songs take on a greater resonance with Into My Arms (Nick Cave) and the Bob Dylan title track really catching fire with superb harmony singing from both sisters. Their past is something that will always travel with them and the new song, Is It Too Much, refers to the pain suffered by the shocking experience they shared in losing both parents to a violent act of great cruelty.

Allison rocks out with Hurricane/Thunderstorm, a song she wrote about her sister Shelby. Her other song in the set, Alabama Song, is also one of the highlights of this short set and Shelby contributes Where I'm From, another song that references their upbringing in Alabama and the influence of music in the family.

The show ends with I'll Hold Your Head, a song from Shelby's autobiographical album Revelation Road. Again, it deals with their childhood experiences and Shelby gets very emotional in the pre-song introduction, which leads to an uncomfortable few moments for both artist and audience. One can only guess at the pain that must surface at certain points in the lives of these two sisters as they pour themselves into their art in increasingly personal ways and the hug that Allison shares with Shelby at the Song conclusion says it all really; together we are strong and together we can carry on. Honest performance at all points even if the short set left little room to build a real atmosphere in the venue. 

A word for compere on the night, Lonesome Highway founder and all-round excellent person, Stephen Rapid. He introduced each of the three performing acts with typical enthusiasm and matter-of-factness. Never an easy thing when so much is going on around the stage with artist change-overs. Much admired within the Irish music scene, Steve delivered an easy link between acts and maintained a sense of calm among the busy and mobile camera crews and stage technicians.

Review by Paul McGee  Photography by Kaethe Burt-O'Dea

Hayes Carll @ The Oh Yeah Centre Belfast - 25th Jan 2018

You don’t have to be long haired, bearded, denim clad and gravel voiced to make the cut as a genuine outlaw troubadour but it certainly helps. Hayes Carll qualifies with distinction on all fronts but more importantly has the songs and stories to match. Sixteen years into a career that has yielded five albums to date and the Texan remains the most authentic apostle of the late Townes Van Zandt.

Fortunately Carll does not possess the same self-destruct tendencies as his master and even if his vocals do suggest a partiality for good whiskey and tobacco, his reputation for delivering stellar live shows goes before him as evidenced by  tonight’s performance before a large crowd at the OH Yeah Centre in Belfast. There was not a weak moment from his opener the confessional ballad  Good While It Lasted , through  his rousing  Drunken Poets Dream (a co-write with Ray Wylie Hubbard he informs us) and his closer the priceless She Left Me For Jesus ("She says I should find him and I'll know peace at last -If I ever find Jesus, I'm kickin' his ass!").

He entertains the pin drop quiet crowd with tales and songs across his complete back catalogue, while also managing  to include a few new song titles including Times Like These, performed on stage for the first time. Confessing that ‘you can get pulled over by the cops an awful lot when you look a certain way’, he introduces the hilarious Bible On The Dash, advertising the advantages on strategically placing the holy book on your dashboard when crossing certain States in America. It’s a practice used by Carll and the co-writer of that song Corb Lund when they are on what Carll calls their "Outlaws on A Budget" tours.

Introducing Beaumont he describes it as your average South East Texas town, adding that he won a gun in a raffle playing in a bar in the town some years previously. The Magic Kid, he explains, is a co-write with Darrell Scott inspired by a simple card trick performed by his son. It’s a simple yet beautiful song written from the heart. Wild As A Turkey, I’ve Got A Gig, Bad Liver and A Broken Heart all get an airing but the highlight of the evening is a rattling delivery of KMAG YOYO ("Here I am standin' in the desert with a gun, thought of going AWOL but I'm too afraid to run"), not an easy song to perform solo given the speed at which the lyrics are delivered but absolutely nailed on the evening. Jesus and Elvis (written with his partner Allison Moorer) also features, it is a song that was subsequently recorded by Kenny Chesney.

Notwithstanding the ease at which he recounts his tales and delivers his songs, the standard of his guitar playing is wonderful as is his harmonica playing, particularly on the gorgeous Love Is Easy.

Carll’s career will continue to be underpinned by more main stream artists picking up on his songs (Kenny Chesney, Lee Ann Womack, Jim Lauderdale) and deservedly so as he remains to be one of the most intelligent, creative, descriptive writers bar none. Few songwriters nowadays have the ability to successfully mix their art with humour, Carll has the talent to combine both effortlessly.

Eight years since his last visit to Belfast, it’s a pleasure to see him once more in such stellar form and in a super venue among similar music loving folk. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another eight years for his return.

Thumbs up also to Ciara O’Neill who opened the show in style with a collection of songs from her debut album The Ebony Trail and newer material to be included in her next recording.

Review and photograph by Declan Culliton

Malojian @ The Set Theatre Kilkenny - 9th December 2017: A Rollercoaster Records Presentation

"There's so much love in this room," a beaming Wilie Meighan whispered in my ear as he perused the crammed attendance at The Set in Kilkenny, enjoying a rocking performance by Malojian. The date was 15th October 2016 and the occasion was the album launch of This Is Nowhere, the first album to be released on Willie's Rollercoaster Record Label. The majority of those in attendance had probably not heard of Stephen Scullion (aka Malojian) twelve months previously, or at best may have come across his previous incarnation Cat Malojian. Not intent in taking the safe option and celebrating the album launch in a smaller venue, Willie had the confidence and foresight to select The Set as the venue, comfortable that the near 400 capacity venue was the correct location and that the occasion would be suitably supported.  

Willie had previously realised the potential in Stevie Scullion’s Malojian, got on board, put his money where his mouth was and kick started the Malojian journey that continues to go from strength to strength to this day. There was an intense pride in the whole project for Willie and his delight was clear to see as he glanced around the room at the smiling faces, a scene which no doubt meant so much to him. From the moment he introduced the band from the stage that evening as "the greatest fucking band in the country," to the moment at the end of the show, when he was persuaded to return to the stage and accept a cake baked in recognition of his achievement, his euphoria was there for all to witness and enjoy.

Barely fourteen months later and many of the same crowd are gathered at the same venue for another performance by Malojian, this time under entirely different circumstances. We were all aware how ill Willie was over the past months but were shocked to the bones by the tragic news that he lost his fight on 28th November, at the all too young age of 48.

A huge turnout attended his funeral at St. Mary's Cathedral on 30th November, a most dignified yet heart breaking occasion where his great friend Malcolm Noonan spoke so eloquently about Willie, recalling his early days as a bass player with Crawl Babies, his twenty-eight years as head honcho at Rollercoaster Records, his unfaltering loyalty as a friend and so much more. The Malojian show at The Set had been arranged some months ago by Willie and we all in our hearts hoped and expected that Willie would be present at some stage to enjoy the occasion, sadly not to be. In other years it would have been the much-cherished Rollercoaster Christmas Party which Willie arranged each year with various bands performing and the legendary Willie and Dave Holland's disco kicking on to the early hours after the live music ended.

In many ways it was fitting that the occasion had been arranged as it gave so many people the opportunity to gather together and celebrate the very thing that Willie had provided for years in Kilkenny and what he particularly cherished, live music, smiling faces, togetherness and love. All those ingredients were there in abundance on the night. There were tears of course but the overall sense was one of celebration and remembrance. The opening act was Mark McCambridge, the founding member of Belfast band Arborist and an act also very special to Willie. The gentle acoustic delivery was the perfect evening opener and set the scene for what was to follow. In what must have been a difficult personal challenge Stevie Scullion delivered a faultless set, choosing material actually perfectly suited to the occasion, accompanied by an outstanding band of musicians. No thumping drums or screeching guitars this time around but instead some gorgeous strings and keys delivered by Rachel Boyd on violin, David Murphy on pedal steel, Una McCann on accordion, Laura McFadden on cello and Stephen on acoustic guitar and occasional piano. Backing vocals were contributed beautifully by all.

Emotionally explaining that he only knew Willie for three years but reinforcing the impact both musically and personally in that three-year period the first half of the set concentrated in the main on material from his earlier albums including Whittle Me Down, I’ll Be Alright and Lean On Me from This Is Nowhere, Communion Girls and Crease Of Your Smile from Southlands and a note perfect cover of Neil Young’s Out On The Weekend.  Moving yet always tinged with humour, (the piano temporarily dying a death mid song was greeted by a ‘Willie’s in the room’ comment), and the sense of loss always prevailed but was eclipsed by the sense of togetherness and relevance. More recent material featured in the latter half of the evening with the excellent Ambulance Song, witty Beard Song, Damp and Purity Of Your Smile all featuring from Let Your Weirdness Carry You Home his current release on the Rollercoaster Records Label.

However, the most sombre inclusion was the traditional farewell song He Was A Friend Of Mine, immortalised by Bob Dylan and on the lips of everyone in the room. Tear jerking, mournful, sentimental but more than appropriate. I glanced around the room and thought of Willie, in another world looking down and saying to himself "There’s so much love in that room."

Willie Meighan RIP 

Review and live photography by Declan Culliton

John Blek @ The Hot Spot, Greystones - 26th November 2017

A Sunday afternoon gig may seem alien to many people but for me it brought back memories as a young man when such events were weekly occurrences for a number of years with numerous choices of venues in Bray and South County Dublin.

John Blek dropped by to play a late afternoon set in Greystones on his way back to his native Cork having performed the previous evening in The Workman’s Club on Dublin’s Wellington Quay. Joking that the sparse attendance at the wonderful venue brought him back to his early career days as a busker, he proceeded to deliver the perfect afternoon’s entertainment with selections from his back catalogue, his recent album Catharsis Vol.1; a few well selected covers and a couple of new additions intended for his next project. His current album was conceived in an unorthodox manner while he spent over two months earlier in the year hospitalised, having been struck down by a virus. The two positives to emerge from this episode were, first and foremost, his return to the best of health but also the inspiration to create a body of work which over  nine tracks visits mortality, freedom, materialism and survival.

The material on the album is stripped to the bone, often featuring only vocal and acoustic guitar, perfectly suited for the live setting. He begins with the calming Lace, the opening track from the album and follows with The Night and The Liquor from his 2016 release Cut The Light. Salt In The Water, a highlight from his recent album, was inspired by a late night session with a casual Dutch visitor to Cork, who invited Blek back to his boat for a few nightcaps following a gig in Cork. Its delivery is captivating, making as much impact performed live as it does on the studio version. Also featured is Needle and Thread, whose lyrics visit adoration from an individual who lacks the financial means to materially express it. The studio recording includes only vocal and mellotron but with restrictions on the amount of equipment he can physically accommodate on tour, Blek substitutes the mellotron with a more elementary  and compact wind instrument named a Shruti box,  which achieves the desired effect, despite being christened by his disapproving trad-music girlfriend - in unprintable terms.

Compass and No Surrender also from Catharsis Vol.1 are performed with Blek explaining that he unwittingly included the latter in his set at a venue in the North of Ireland to the expected response. His stage banter is relaxed with references to suffering from mid-life crisis when he reached thirty last year (fifteen years too early for that John!) and to the number of musicians that have played in his band; testament to how difficult he must be to work with.

Little Sparrow and the Andy M. Stewart song, Where Are You Tonight? from his 2016 album Cut The Light, also get an airing together with The Barman, The Barfly and Me from his work with his band The Rats; resulting in an observation from the floor about the recurring alcohol theme in many of the songs!

Two new songs Hannah and Blackwater are auditioned to gauge approval for inclusion on his next album, with both very much getting the thumbs up from the floor. They Killed Joe Henry, written by Justin Townes Earle, is up next  before he winds up the afternoon with the timeless Townes Van Zandt classic, Pancho and Lefty, Hand On My Heart from his Rats repertoire, (requested from the floor), and on a more upbeat note, Tim Hardin’s classic love song If I Were A Carpenter.

Driving home I reflected on the quality of music recorded by Irish artists in recent months. The Remedy Club, Malojian, Dovecote, Seamus Fogarty and Ritchie Healy all spring  to mind but the standout album of the year, for me, by our wealth of local talent is definitely Catharsis Vol.1 by John Blek. Get yourself a copy and more to the point take any opportunity you get to see these acts live, you won’t be disappointed.

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

Rhiannon Giddens@ Vicar Street 25th November 2017

Those of us lucky enough to have attended Rhiannon Giddens (above) sold out show at Whelan’s in early April of this year will no doubt recall her pledge to return to play Dublin again in 2017. True to her word she’s back in town this evening at an equally crammed Vicar Street, a further endorsement of the pulling power of the exceptionally talented Giddens and the outstanding band of musicians that travel with her. 

Very much part of her entourage at present is support act Kaia Kater (below), the 22-year-old Canadian virtuoso who studied banjo under the guidance of Rhiannon Giddens. Her set is both technically brilliant but also an indication of the distinction that Kater possesses as a songwriter in her own right. With two albums already under her belt the highlight of her set is the title track from her most recent release Nine Pin. "This is my first time in Ireland and I can’t understand a word anyone is saying but wow you are livelier than the English crowds" she jokes opening her set. Her impressive appearance will no doubt boost sales for her appearance at The Temple Bar Trad Festival in January 2018.

Freedom Highway, released by Rhiannon Giddens earlier this year, is without doubt one of the most politically charged albums of the year, tackling issues such as racism and immigration head on and while there is much pent up anger on the album, Giddens, in the live environment, delivers the material in a non-judgemental yet questioning manner. Early in the set and by way of introducing the albums most powerful song At The Purchasers Option, she speaks openly ("my biggest teacher is history") yet not overly hypercritically about slavery and the motivation for much of the album’s material, bemoaning the fact that ‘there’s still so much negative stuff out there at the moment’.

Capturing the essence of immigration in one sentence "Nobody leaves home without a good reason,"she proceeds to deliver a beautiful acapella style version of Coolings traditional Jazzmen’s classic blues lament Pretty Saro, aided by her sister Lalenja on backing vocals.

Despite the often-depressing topics featured in the core material the night is all about celebration rather than woe. "I’ve been coming to Ireland for ten years now and it’s the first time I’ve played this beautiful venue, don’t get me wrong though, I also love Whelan’s," Giddens adds, before reminding the audience, with a few words of Irish, that her two children attend Gael Scoil in Limerick.

It may only be less than eight months from her last Dublin gig but the setlist is refreshingly varied, having kicked off in fine style with Ola Belle Reed’s Going To Write Me A Letter she ups the tempo even higher with a melody of Fiddle Tune/Pateroller and Black Annie.

Similar to her Whelan’s show her band consist of Carolina Chocolate Drop colleague Hubby Jenkins (guitar, mandolin, banjo and bones), Jason Sypher (bass), James Dick (drums) and the albums co-producer and multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell. An additional two musicians are on stage this evening, a trumpet player and her sister Lalenja as backing vocalist. The family connection is further enhanced when she is joined on stage by her nephew Justin Harrington for the rap chorus on the gangland killing themed song Better Get It Right The First Time from the current album, establishing that rap actually can be sympathetic to folk and blues music.

A classic delivery of Waterboy follows, the traditional song immortalised by singer and human rights activist Odetta, now owned by Giddens whose striking vocal range is on full display before delivering another well-chosen cover Underneath The Harlem Moon written by the pianist and 40’s swing artist Bob Howard. She introduces Come Love Come as her platform to ‘give a voice to the voiceless’ before finishing the main set with a rousing Freedom Highway.

Back on stage for her encore she admits to be about to deviate from her setlist by having to ‘throw one in for my Irish friends’ and lets loose with the lively Gael/Scot instrumental S’iomadh Rud Tha Dhiath Orm before ending what has been an exhilarating nights entertainment and sending the house into raptures with Lonesome Road and Up Above My Head.

A different venue, different setlist and some additional personnel from her show earlier in the year in Whelan’s but the same result. Magnificent!

Review by Declan Culliton  Photography by Ronnie Norton

Take Root Festival @ Groningen, Netherlands - 4th November 2017

Groningen is the largest city in The Netherlands located north of Amsterdam and easily accessible from the airport by train, a journey which takes approximately two hours. Take Root Festival celebrated its twentieth anniversary this year and they certainly pulled out all the stops with a line-up that featured twenty acts appearing on five stages inside the most impressive De Oosterpoort complex.

The festival kicked off at 4pm and finished at 12am and to the credit of the organisers there were no hiccups with each act starting on time and the sound and lighting quality being of the highest quality at each venue. Unfortunately, with the number of acts performing -often three acts were on stage at the same time - hard choices have to be made in deciding which shows to attend, taking into consideration that if you get upfront at any particular set you are likely to be at the back of the following show, given that three thousand punters had purchased a ticket for the sold-out festival.

Lonesome Highway decided to take in full shows of six acts, including the three acts that were staged in the Grote Zaal, a spectacular theatre with tiered seating surrounding a large standing area. The three bands in question were Hurrah For The Riff Raff, Margo Price and Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit. The three other acts we caught on other stages were The Americans, Chuck Prophet and Jesse Dayton.

‘We’re American, but we come in peace’, announces Alynda Segarra as she takes the main stage with her band Hurrah For The Riff Raff.  Segarra and her colleagues are a totally different act both musically and in personnel from the band that played The Kilkenny Roots Festival in 2013. Back then the focus was on Segerra and her side man and fiddle player Yosi Perlstein, with a sound that was a blend of folk with loose country trimmings. Their latest album The Navigator and to a lesser degree 2014's Small Town Heroes took a different direction, hard edged, politically charged and the work of an artist growing into herself and finding her sweet spot. Gone is the diminutive and shy young lady to be replaced by a fiery, super confident artist taking full advantage of her opportunity to play the largest stage at the festival. Her stage presence and delivery are simply wonderful, prowling around the stage, shaking hips, theatrical facial expressions – reminiscent of a young P.J. Harvey - and powerful vocals backed by an equally impressive razor-sharp band. Understandably the setlist in the main featured material from The Navigator, a compelling concept album that finds Segarra reconnecting with her Puerto Rican roots and her early years as a young girl growing up in Brooklyn. It's a passionate and political body of work that acts out even better live than on the excellent album, the material taking on an even more weighty delivery.  Life to Save, Just The Way, Hungry Ghost all feature together with super charged versions of Living In The City and Palante before closing with a pumped up delivery Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark.

Margo Price's is currently being hailed as everything from the saviour of country music to the next Janis Joplin and despite the considerable pressure on her shoulders her performances suggest that she is taking it all in her stride. Taking the stage in a racy costume of shorts with a flowing dress to match and with her trusted five-piece band her set concentrates in the main on her current album American Made with Nowhere Fast, Weakness and A Little Pain all played in quick succession. Matching Alynda Segerra’s earlier performance, she is equally impressive both vocally and works every corner of the stage (and jumps off stage to sing among the audience towards the end of her set), belting out favourites Hands of Time and Hurtin' On The Bottle from her debut album together with Kris Kristofferson’s Me & Bobby Mc Gee.  

Having witnessed Jason Isbell's magical performance in Dublin a week previously it was worth sacrificing some of the other impressive acts on the line up to catch his set once more. He repeated that performance again this evening with his 400 Unit presenting a slightly varied set given his allocated time slot, a shorter set than his Dublin show. Opening with Anxiety and closing with If We Were Vampires his performance was equally well received as the Dublin show with 24 Frames, Cumberland Gap, Cover Me Up and a killer delivery of his Drive By Truckers classic Never Gonna Change all crowd pleasers.

Jesse Dayton also played a blinding set in Dublin last week - to a very small audience it has to be said. Not so this evening where he had the punters in the main foyer venue dancing and rocking from start to finish with a show featuring practically the entire The Revealer album, with lots of anecdotes and tales including the George Jones show that never happened when, as a young boy, he tagged along with his father for one of Jones’s legendary no shows. However, better fortune was to land at his door many years later, striking gold in fact, when film director Rob Zombie commissioned him to write the soundtrack for the film The Devil’s Rejects. The film died a death but the soundtrack was a huge success and Dayton rejoiced ‘the royalty checks keep dropping in my post box’. An artist that has played with Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash his guitar playing is dynamic and with his rocking rhythm section of Chris Rhoades on bass and Kevin Charney on drums they race through Daddy Was A Badass, The Way We Are and crowd favourite I’m At Home Getting Hammered (While She’s Out Getting Nailed) with killer playing and humour in equal measures. As was the case in Dublin Dayton hung around afterward having a drink, mixing and talking with the punters and in no hurry to move on despite having an early morning flight to catch to Spain the next day.

Earlier in the afternoon T-Bone Burnett favourites The Americans had kicked off the festival on the same foyer stage with a full on / in your face set of no nonsense rock and roll promoting their debut album I’ll Be Yours. Front man Patrick Ferris - with looks and style that would grace any Levi’s advertisement – leads the band through a high energy mix of rockabilly and blues with titles such as Nevada, Stowaway and The Right Stuff, all warming up punters as they arrived at De Oosterpoort for what proved to be a hectic eight hours of nonstop entertainment 

Fortunately, we did get to catch some of Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express on the same stage as The Americans had performed earlier in the day. Bad Year For Rock and Roll, Jesus Was A Social Drinker, In The Mausoleum and Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins from his current album of the same name were all delivered with Prophet’s trademark animated stage presence and humour. As we made our way to the main stage to catch the Jason Isbell gig crowd favourite Willy Mays is Up at Bat could be heard blasting away in the background.

Such a shame to have to miss so many other acts and you do wonder why the festival could not have started earlier in the day or preferably the evening before but credit again to the organisers for a smoothly run and wonderful festival with an entry fee of €36, the amount you might pay to see one of those acts at home.

The Line Up -

Hurrah For The Riff Raff / Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit / Margo Price / Chuck Prophet / The Americans / Tift Merritt/ Jim Lauderdale / The Secret Sisters / Baptiste W. Hamon / Jesse Dayton / The Cactus Blossoms/ Cordovas / The Como Mamas/ Joist Dijkema / Andrew Combs / Steve Gunn / Eilen Jewell / Curse of Lono / Sam Outlaw / Levi Parham

Review and photography by Declan Culliton.

Brandy Clark and Jim Lauderdale @ The Sugar Club, Dublin - 2nd November 2017

A lengthy queue has already formed outside The Sugar Club well in advance of door opening time, evidence of the attraction of having two songwriters of the calibre of Brandy Clark and Jim Lauderdale performing on the same stage. The release of Brandy Clark's 2013 album 12 Stories finally brought the Tennessee resident to the attention, as a performer, to the large numbers her song writing richly deserves. Her earlier career was focused more on writing material for others to record including successfully co-writing with Shane Mc Anally and Kacey Musgraves, a combination that produced hits for The Band Perry and Miranda Lambert.  Born and raised in the small logging town Morton, Washington (population 900) may or may not have generated the visionary landscape for Clark, an artist with the ability to create intriguing tales from the everyday mundane run of the mill occurrences.  She followed that debut album in 2016 with Big Day in a Small Town, another insight to the trials, tortures, lives and loves of the neighbours and inhabitants of small town America. Somewhat more heavily produced than its predecessor but Clark's gorgeous accented vocal and fearless writing impacted every bit as impressively as her debut and charted highly in both the U.S. and U.K. Country charts.

Her natural vocal is every bit as effective in a live setting as evidenced by her opening song this evening Hold My Hand, delivered solo acoustic before being joined on stage by her two-piece band. You're left in no doubt after that introduction, and the audience reaction, that the show is going to be something special and to suggest it lives up to expectation is an understatement. Commenting that this is the final night of a tour that started on September 26th she also adds that the reception she's receiving (‘and the Irish whiskey'!) is energising. 'Please sing along if you know the words or better still clap along cause I've no drummer on this tour' she jokes, but in reality the absence of percussion and her acoustic band gives Clark's honeyed vocal the space to blossom with every lyric crystal clear in delivery. That's not to detract from her superb band of Okie Myles Aubrey on acoustic guitar and Vanessa McGowan from Auckland New Zealand on upright bass, both of whose playing is wonderful and both of who add backing vocals creating stunning three-part harmonies throughout the set. Selection from both her albums feature with The Day She Got Divorced evolving into a sing along but also including some cracking guitar picking by Aubrey. ' I think I need to record an album of drinking songs' she teases before launching into a succession of substance abuse songs  Get High, Drinkin' Smokin' Cheatin', When I Get  To Drinkin, You're Drunk, Take A Little Pill and Hungover. The three way harmonies on Drinkin' Smokin' Cheatin' are particularly stunning. Commenting on the legendary drinking of the Irish she comments tongue in cheek ' What we call an alcoholic in the States you guys call a lightweight' adding that the same joke didn't go down as well in Belfast the previous night! Three Kids and No Husband, Big Day in a Small Town, Daughter (‘a good girl gone bad story and the best revenge song I'll ever write') and Stripes finish the set to a richly deserved standing ovation. The three-song encore consists of Carol King's Will You Love Me Tomorrow, a song that inspired Clark to attempt to follow suit, a new song entitled Apologies and the closer Pray To Jesus with the opening lyrics adapted to ‘We live in trailers and apartments too, from California to Dublin’.

Clark is undoubtedly one of the finest female songwriters in country music today with material that can shock, amuse and move in equal measures but what is also evident from this evenings show is her ability to deliver equally (if not to a greater extent) in a live setting with her gorgeous vocal, wonderful stage presence and perfectly suited accompanying musicians.

No stranger to Dublin having performed around the corner at The National Concert Hall with Beth Chapman Neilson in August, opening act Jim Lauderdale is a much loved, admired and charismatic artist, respected equally by industry punters and his peers. A prolific recording artist that seems to record (at least) one album annually he appears on stage immaculately turned out as usual in a colourful Dandy & Rose shirt and wine nudie suit trousers. Kicking off with Three Way Conversation after announcing Dublin as his favourite city to perform, his set includes Sweet Time from his current album London Southern and his Gram Parson / George Jones inspired The King of Broken Hearts.  You Don't Seem To Miss Me is introduced as ' one that I got lucky with', a reference to both Patty Loveless and George Jones recording it before he revisits his current album with the slow burning love ballad I Love You So, delivered with delicate pausing and punctuation to pin drop silence. Also recorded by Patty Loveless and indeed Dave Edmunds and included in the set is Halfway Down. Due to head into the studio in three days’ time he plays a new song from the album, a country ballad titled Rubs Off On Me. Lauderdale also kindly gives Lonesome Highway a generous call out from stage mentioning our ' very talented graphic designer Steve Averill' and also Ronnie Norton's latest radio show Route 650 before finishing with Hole In My Head, one of his co-writes with good friend Buddy Miller.

All in all, a standout evening of quality music from two wonderful artists hugely enjoyed by a large and enthusiastic audience at The Sugar Club.

Review by Declan Culliton  Photography bt Ronnie Norton

Eilen Jewell @ The Sound House, Dublin - 10th Nov 2017

Jewell’s crack band started to play the opening song before she stepped onstage to say “good to see you Dublin, it’s been awhile.” She then led the band through a series of numbers that spanned from the title song of her debut album Boundary County through to several titles from her latest release Down Hearted Blues. The range of music covered was equally diverse from the blues of songs such as the title track of the new album which featured drummer Jason Beek on washboard and guitarist Jerry Miller on Jewell’s acoustic guitar through a solo folk cover of Bob Dylan’s Kingsport Town where the clarity of Jewell’s voice was even more apparent. There was also the honky-tonk of Heartache Boulevard and the 50’s styled rock of I Remember You. She also revealed that a pre-gig preview warned she would be in some kinda trouble if she didn’t play a Loretta Lynn song in the show. “I don’t want to be in trouble in Ireland” she said and duly delivered You Want To Give Me a Lift.

Throughout the set Jewell engaged with the audience telling us about the origins of some of the songs. How she discovered her father’s collection of blues’ albums and noted that if her father had actually given them to her that she would have told him they were tedious. Also, that as a parent, that if you want your kids to like something it would be best to hide it from them! Raised in Ohio she, as a teenager, just wanted to find the quickest way to leave. However she now lives back in Ohio and loves the space the State offers. Some of her songs were inspired by that desert of the location, even though while she said she loved it, it was not a reciprocal relationship. As for musicians from Idaho she reckoned it was down to her and Josh Ritter (but one should not forget the Idaho cowboy Pinto Bennett who flew the flag for the State some years back).

Other songs form tonight’s 24 song set included High Shelf Blues, Santa Fe, Sea Of Tears Hallelujah Band, Wandering Signs, Another Night To Cry and Don’t Leave Poor Me. The latter three all from the new blues album. Theses songs showed the dexterous skill of Miller who was as much at ease with the blues as he was with every other aspect of the band’s roots related sound. Down Hearted Blues allowed upright bassist Shawn Supra to shine with a melodic solo. Both players received ovations for their abilities as did Beek who also took his turn in the spotlight with his rhythmic turn on the vintage washboard for the two acoustic based blues songs.

After her solo spot on the Dylan song Jewell brought the players on again for a crowd pleasing take on the Johnny Kidd and The Pirates classic Shakin’ All Over, a song that was requested by some audience members and of which Jewell noted that they hadn’t played in over 3 years but this being Dublin … well how could she refuse. It was a perfect end to the evening with many of the audience joining in on the chorus and applauding Miller inclusion of selections from other well known guitar riffs in the extended instrumental breaks. The Queen of the Minor Key and her band ruled and she promised to return to Dublin soon. A city she informed us that she had loved, even before visiting, from her love of James Joyce - whose Portrait Of An Artist was the subject of a thesis she had written in her 20s.

For many this was the first visit to The Sound House on Eden Quay and it proved to be a venue that should be added to the list of those suited to hosting Roots/Americana music. 

Review by Stephen Rapid  Photography by Kaethe Burt-O'Dea

Jesse Dayton@ Whelans, Dublin - October 30th 2017

Walking out onto the stage in the upstairs venue in Whelans Jesse Dayton, surveying the small seated audience, joked that while last night’s audience was a full house that night’s was closer to a dysfunctional family reunion. He joked that he had played to more people in his back room. However that didn’t effect the night’s performance one iota. The trio played like they were in front of a stadium crowd; except with a level of intimacy that such a (large venue) situation wouldn’t have provided. The set was a mix of cool covers mixed with a selection from his most recent album The Revealer. These included set and album opener Daddy Was A Badass, The Way We Are, I’m At Home Gettin’ Hammered (While She’s Out Gettin’ Nailed) and Possum Ran Over My Grave which showed off his vocal prowess as he tok on the mantle of the titular George Jones. He then told a tale of seeing “No Show” Jones. Wherein at the age of 7 on a second attempt to see the legend the man himself arrived on stage in what Dayton described as a “country pimp suit.” With drink in hand he proceeded to fall comatose on the stage. Dayton was then told by his father that “that was country.” I’m At Home Gettin’ Hammered (While She’s Out Gettin’ Nailed) was a song that first appeared on the Banjo and Sullivan album that Dayton released as the work of the fictitious duo who featured in the Rob Zombie directed film The Devil’s Rejects.

Throughout the show Dayton was also a genial and humourous master of ceremonies, telling tall Texas tales and stories that related to the songs and to his own life and experiences. There was story of his Nanny who was born in 1897 and who introduced him to many things including Cajun and Zydeco music, as well as Texas blues platers like Lightin’ Hopkins; or how when all his contemporaries were trying to ape Stevie Ray Vaughan his role model at the time was Jerry Reed on Hee Haw. What is readily apparent throughout the gig is Dayton’s talent and fitness on guitar. He blends many different styles together to create something exciting and endlessly entertaining. When your dealing with a trio, in the classic, send you have to rely on the bedrock talent of the rhythm section and Chris Rhoades and Kevin Charney on bass and drums respectively provide the kind of support that any soloist would require. In other words both are very talent and versatile players themselves. Tonight, being Halloween. both have painted their faces in the spirit of the occasion. Again it is the “show” aspect of show business that they understand and underscore.

There is little doubting the influence that George Jones had on Jesse Dayton. Not only are they native Texans but Jones’ delivery and songs of heartbreak are imbedded in Dayton’s DNA. He sang us The Grand Tour during the set before encoring with White Lightenin'. A solid, rocking’ version that ending the evening on a high. An evening that should have been packed, that would have been a great night out for many roots music fans. It was however a starting point that will hopefully see him return and that the word will have spread to a degree where he creates a decent crowd to reward his time in Ireland.

 Review by Stephen Rapid   Photography by Kaethe Burt O'Dea

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit @ The Olympia Dublin 27th October 2017

"But I sobered up and got off that stuff, forever this time" sings Jason Isbell mid-way through a thrilling one hour forty five minute set at The Olympia Theatre. The words and sentiment are from Cover Up, the opening track on his breakthrough album Southeastern, and don’t go unnoticed by large numbers in the audience, generating a warm response. The autobiographical song speaks of a life changing turning point for Isbell and not coincidentally the beginning of his ascension to his rightful position as the stand out songwriter of his generation. He’s travelled quite a journey from his initial introduction to Dublin audiences at a crammed Whelan’s eleven years ago as the young wildman in  Drive By Truckers, complete with a bottle of Jack Daniels on hand and an attitude to match. Further drunken escapes in Dublin, as recalled by him this evening, include ending up in a drunk woman’s apartment with keyboard player and cohort Derry De Borja, having been locked out of their hotel and seriously fearing they might not get out of the apartment alive. Water under the bridge now for the sober and extremely fit looking Isbell who takes the stage this evening with his loyal and trusted comrades (whom he individually introduces on four occasions during the performance), Jimbo Hart (bass), Chad Gamble (drums), Sadler Vaden (guitar) and Derry De Borja (keyboards).

He’s back in town barely six months after his last visit to Dublin where he performed at Bord Gais Theatre on stage with John Prine and his wife Amanda Shires. The anticipation at the Olympia this evening is palpable with Isbell on a purple patch with his current album The Nashville Sound striking gold on the Billboard Country at No.1 and No.4 in the Billboard Top 200 album charts. No mean achievement given some of the politically charged content on the album which would normally alienate the somewhat conservative Country music market.

Kicking off the evening’s entertainment is North Carolina’s Tift Merritt, an artist not unknown in Ireland having performed a number of times previously. Notwithstanding that, she is noticeably moved by the positive reaction to her set only a couple of songs in, with pin drop silence during her deliveries and requests shouts from early on. ‘I really can’t believe you actually know some of my songs, I’m moving here’ she jokes. Switching between acoustic guitar, electric guitar and piano her set includes her signature songs Stray Papers, Good Hearted Man and Travelling Alone. Responding to a request from the audience she performs Another Country on piano, introducing the song with the comment that ‘it’s terrible being an American today, you all know what I’m talking about’. Closing her thirty five minute set with The Feel of The World from her See You On The Moon album, I find myself scratching my head to recall a support act, particularly performing solo, that has earned such a positive audience response from a Dublin audience in recent years.

Twenty minutes later and Isbell is on stage with his crack 400 Unit and from the opener Anxiety  from his latest album, to his memorable final encore of Tom Petty’s American Girl you’re left in no doubt that you’re witnessing a musician and band at the top of their game. Great sound, striking stage lighting and a band that certainly live up to their billing by performing very much as a unit, note perfect and collectively as tight as you could imagine. Isbell, to his credit, never plays the same set list at successive shows, varying both the content and the order so the element of surprise always remains, unlike other artists who robotically follow the same listing show after show. Last of My Kind, Tupelo, White Man’s World and a cracking Cumberland Gap from Nashville Sound all feature together with the gorgeous If We Were Vampires. 24 Frames and Something More Than Free from the album of the same name also get an airing. Stockholm and Travelling Alone from Southeastern are also included with Isbell explaining  that unknowingly both himself and Tift Merritt both recorded songs titled Travelling Alone around the same time and noting that she had played her rendition earlier. Decoration Day, his classic from the Drive By Trucker days, is recognisable from the first few chords and the closing number and another Trucker’s anthem Never Gonna Change brings the house down, extended by a couples of minutes compliments of a sizzling guitar duel between Isbell and Sadler Vaden. Elephant is possibly the most striking and painful song in Isbell’s catalogue and is played as the first of two encores.  Leading in to it on acoustic guitar before being joined by De Borja on keyboards Isbell’s delivery is goose bumps inducing and further evidence of an artist that has the talent to create both uplifting and heart wrenching material. The final number as previously mentioned is appropriately Tom Petty’s American Girl and with the calibre of musicians on stage it’s no surprise that they absolutely nail it.

Ten minutes after the stage has been vacated and the stewards are trying to clear the venue you can sense that a huge number of punters are stunned by what they have just witnessed and the expression ‘gig of the year’ seems to echo around the hall. Gig of the year. Who am I to argue?

 After all the man is absolutely on fire!

Review and photos by Declan Culliton

Mark Olson @ Whelan’s, Dublin - 24th October 2017

Nearly three years previously at the same venue Mark Olson took to the stage accompanied by his wife Ingunn Ringvold and performed a set mostly comprising material from his album Good-Bye Lizelle, released earlier that year. Quite experimental by his standards, the album was recorded using non-mainstream instrumentation, full of Eastern and Asian influences and suggested a new departure for Olson.

Three years and one album later the pair return to the same venue and the advancement is quite noticeable in many ways. Olson’s latest album Spokeswoman Of The Bright Sun does not abandon the worldly feel of its predecessor but instead blends flawlessly with his talent as an inventive songwriter and creator of so many distinct songs.  It also retains the cottage industry feel of Lizelle with both his and Ringvold’s personalities firmly stamped on it. 

What has not changed is their interesting choice of instruments and the distinctive sounds they create as a two piece, whether it be a combination of Olson’s trusted Fender and Ringvold’s echoing Djembe drum or the sonic bonding of his Appalachian Dulcimer and her harpsichord sounding Armenian Qanon. Their chemistry on stage is sincere and uplifting, two people on stage quite obviously cherishing what they are doing and managing to create a house concert atmosphere in the room.

The set comprises of sixteen songs in total, six taken from his current album, three from Lizelle, six from his Jayhawk days and one from his career changing classic The Salvation Blues, recorded ten years ago. Introducing material from the current album, Olson points out early in the evening that it is genuinely his most favourite of all his work adding "Ingunn and I have a really good thing going at the moment." Their stage banter is gentle and relaxed, Ringberg explaining the lush floral landscape on the current album cover- photographed at their desert home in Joshua Tree - and how that greenery only occurs rarely and for a very short time while Olson recalled how he blocked up all the windows in their house and barricaded himself indoors in advance of the recent eclipse with dread of blindness on venturing out of the house, a sentiment not embraced by his wife who, ignoring the warning signs, boldly ventured outdoors and returned unscathed.

Seminole Valley Tea Sipper Society, Dear Elisabeth from that album feature early in the set with Olson on guitar and Ringberg on percussion before she switches to Qanon on the album’s title track, creating a delightful sound that falls somewhere between harpsichord and sitar. The selection of Jayhawks material is a reminder of the quality of Olson’s writing for the band with favourites Blue, Clouds, Over My Shoulder, Pray For Me and a particularly impressive remodel of Two Angels all featuring.

Somewhat apprehensively and solemnly he announces that the second last song is challenging to perform and that its "important I get this one right." The song in question is You Are All from his current album and you got the impression that his concern was not in a technical sense but that the song is dedicated to his wife and that the delivery is valuable to him.

Clifton Bridge from The Salvation Blues closes the show, ("We Came Here To Live, There’s A Hope In Our Hearts"), a touching and timeless melody and sentiment, fittingly written when Olson was recovering from rock bottom and about to rebuild a career that thankfully has gone from strength to strength since then. He is an artist that has certainly proven throughout his career that there is much to be gained by following your instincts and not merely settling for the easy option when navigating the numerous sign posts met along the journey. This leg of that journey unquestionably finds Olson as creative and vital as at any other stage of that musical pilgrimage.

Earlier in the evening the most impressive Wexford duo The Remedy Club played a storming and very well received opening set featuring material from their debut album Lovers, Legends and Lost Causes, released only two weeks ago. The duo consists of Aileen Mythen (vocals and percussion) and KJ Mc Evoy (guitar and vocals) and their combination of gorgeous harmony vocals, slick guitar playing and striking stage presence shone brightly on Big Ol’Fancy, Last Song, When Tom Waits Up, Bottom of the Hill and their current single Come On. Certainly an act worth checking out and further reassurance of the wealth of local talent that we are blessed with at present.

Full marks and a big shout out to local promoter Ray Rooney who continues to bring in a host of excellent artists that we may otherwise not get the opportunity to enjoy.

Review and photography by Declan Culliton and Paul Mc Gee

Ulster American Folk Park 26th Annual Bluegrass Festival - Omagh Sep1-3 2017

Richard Hurst and his team at National Museums NI near Omagh, Co Tyrone have pulled off yet another successful and enjoyable festival of Bluegrass despite the constraints of reduced budgets and sometimes inclement weather. It’s not for no reason that the festival was nominated for an International Bluegrass Music Award for Bluegrass Event Of The Year in 2017.

Utilising the park’s ready made sets of historic American and Irish homesteads, barns, shops and even a replica famine ship, the artists get to play in a variety of indoor and outdoor locations. Most of the stages have an excellent sound system installed for the occasion.

The main stage is a semi-open tented area, close to the bar and food stalls.

Regulars know by now that they can bring their own seating and set themselves up there for the day. The unique joy of this festival is being able to wander through the woods, corn fields and paddocks en route to finding another interesting act from Ireland, the UK, Europe and the Americas.

Wellies and an umbrella are sometimes needed, but this doesn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds that turn up in their thousands every year.

Robirohi returned here from Estonia for the umpteenth time - and they are beloved by the locals. They mostly perform traditional and modern bluegrass covers in English, but this year one of their surprises was an Emmylou Harris song sung in Estonian. They closed out one of their sets with the gospel standard Get Down On Your Knees And Pray - which they did, literally.

Another Friday night highlight was the Sligo string band Old Hannah, who are going from strength to strength. Not bluegrass, no, but they are purveyors of mostly original material in the folk/country/swing realm. 

Flats and Sharps came in for the weekend from Cornwall - they performed six sets over the three days, always at breakneck speed. Each of the five band members are expert players and unusually they play mostly original material. 

Saturday provides a choice of six stages throughout the park, and the clever programming allows one to see most of the acts at least once. 

The Clew Bay Critters were paying their first visit from their Wesport base and impressed with their mix of gentle bluegrass, old time and gypsy jazz - perfect for a sunny(ish) afternoon gig while the punters relaxed on their deck chairs and picnicked.

Richie Foley & Paddy Kiernan are well known throughout the country among fans of the genre, and have played in various combos over recent years. This was my first time seeing them play extended sets together and they were one of my highlights. Paddy (Dublin) plays banjo, including a six-string model, while Richie is equally impressive on both bouzouki and mandolin. Their huge repertoire covered traditional bluegrass and old time tunes, original tunes and even modern covers like Springsteen’s I’m on Fire.

The undoubted highlight of the weekend was the return of one of the living legends of bluegrass, Dale Ann Bradley and her band. She was in fine form and her voice was stronger than ever. She and her band were clearly delighted to be back, and this time she had her son, John Fitzgerald Bradley, on bass. The band’s repertoire is so vast that they played an almost completely different set on each of the three occasions when they played (to very appreciative audiences). Dale Ann lived up to her reputation (five time IBMA Female Bluegrass Performer of the year) with her effortless, clear and pure vocals. And they didn’t just play the usual bluegrass standards and Dale Ann’s own compositions - they covered songs from other genres, for example an 80s hit song by the Gin Blossoms Until I Hear it From You. Dobroist Matt Leadbetter showed that he’s not just a mean dobro player when he took the lead vocals on a Reno and Smiley number. Mike Sumner on banjo is also a multiple award winning player (Winfield, Kansas, Merlefest) and Tennessean Scott Powers impressed on mandolin. There’s a strong gospel influence here and Dale Ann is not afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve. She admitted to getting “choked up sometimes when you’ve lived these songs”. She wasn’t the only one.

Particularly moving was her rendition of the Kenny Rogers song The Stranger, which was covered by Kenny and Dolly. Their cover of U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For was a complete surprise but it really worked!

The night was ended on high octane by the ever popular RackHouse Pilfer, who played a blistering set. They cleverly weave bluegrass with rock and roll into something indefinable but always very well received, even by the musical purists. There was disappointment all round, however, when they confirmed the rumour that they were to disband (or ‘take a sabbatical’) in two weeks time. Ironically, this coincides with the release of their new rockier album on vinyl and cd. Let’s hope we see them back again in the future.

Unfortunately I missed one of the popular Saturday events - the McLecture. This year, Dale Ann Bradley was interviewed by Frank Galligan, and sources report that it was a superb and moving experience.

Sunday dawned with more of the same wonderful musical offerings around the park, and although the drizzle arrived, this didn’t stop the families and music fans from turning up and making the most of the day.

Vancouver’s Viper Central were, for this reviewer,  another of the standout acts of the weekend. Despite the fact that they were at the end of a long European tour, and had to have a substitute bass player drafted in for the weekend, they were nothing short of superb in the many sets that they performed. Kathleen Nisbet’s vocals and fiddle playing were matched by the inspired Steve Charles’ flatpicking, and by Chris’s banjo playing. Each of the three of them were more than competent at taking the lead on vocals, although Kathleen’s rich and powerful voice is up there with the best of female vocalists of the genre - could it be something to do with her Irish heritage?! Look out for a review of their latest recording on this website in the near future.

The new addition of some outdoor games and themed photo opportunities was an inspired move and went down very well with children and ‘bigger kids’ alike.

The not-so-secret weapon of this annual festival just has to be mentioned - Frank Galligan. Frank is the best MC in these islands, full stop. His good humour and stories are matched by his deep understanding, knowledge and love of the music and of the characters that populate it, (and his sartorial elegance is equally renowned!)

The day was rounded off by the Spirit Of Bluegrass concert in the appropriate location that is the Mountjoy Meeting House. I just had time to sample a smidgeon of Robirohi’s set, in the atmospheric historic venue as the sun went down, and I was certainly envious of those who got to enjoy the sold out event, capped by the Dale Ann Bradley Band doing what they love best.

There were several more bands playing over the festival but unfortunately I didn’t get around to experiencing them all. And there’s a parallel programme of visits to local schools, nursing homes and churches that only the lucky local residents get to experience. Do put the festival in your diary for 2018.

Report by Eilís Boland  Photography by Ronnie Norton (except Clew Bay Critters from their website)

Marty Stuart & The Fabulous Superlatives @The Olympia, Dublin 12 oct 2017

Marty Stuart led his Fabulous Superlatives onto the Olympia stage to warm applause and great expectations; Expectations that were met in spades. The 22 song set was an expanded version of the one he played earlier this year at C2C in the 3 Arena and it was a masterclass in how country music should be delivered in 2017. The music touched on many different points in Marty’s four decade plus career, from hits such as Tempted, The Whiskey Ain’t Working and the closing Hillbilly Rock which is a song that could be said to sum up their ethos. As usual Marty was dressed in black with a long jacket and flared leather trousers. The band were attired in their blue sequinned, embroidered Manuel suits - which picked up the lighting and sparkled, as did the band.

Stuart said he’d played in bands since the age of 9 and this was the best he’s ever played with. Something that tonight’s show clearly underlined. Highlights were Kenny Vaughan’s sensitive and dynamic playing that saw him move from Rickenbacker to Telecaster to twin-necked 6 and 12 string Gibson (shades of Jimmy Page) to a Martin acoustic. His skill was breath-taking at times. It should be noted too that Stuart is no slouch and the note for note guitar duets the pair delivered were testament to that. However this band is perfectly balanced and Vaughan and Stuart allowed each other the space to play together with one taking the rhythm role if the other was playing lead. Chris Scruggs is an equally adept musician who plays a Fender Telecaster bass as well as an upright bass in the band. In his own work he also plays guitar and pedal steel amongst other instruments. Harry Stinson is a perfect example of the kind of drummer who understands how to drive the music without ever overpowering it, as so many these days do and he has subtlety and sensitivity in his playing.

All are strong singers in their own right and each took time at the microphone. Vaughan played Country Music Got A Hold Of Me and Nice Like That while Scruggs delivered Got the Bull By the Horns. Stinson played his showpiece, Woody Guthrie’s Pretty Boy Floyd, where he held the note on the word Oklahoma for an impressively long time to great applause. Of course they were able to provide stunning harmonies on the acoustic songs where around a single mic they excelled at three and four part close harmonies. During the set the band left the stage and Stuart told of his difficulties in writing a sing about his friend, neighbour, former bandleader and (for a brief period) father-in-law, Johnny Cash. The resulting song which finally came to him, Dark Bird, was a highlight. Also in this solo set he played a version of Orange Blossom Special that focussed on his mandolin playing dexterity. 

Another stand-out was their version of El Paso, a song they had originally agreed to perform as tribute when the legendary Grady Martin was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Stuart noted that after he had agreed to do the song he realised  just how long and complex it was but well, they are The Fabulous Superlatives and they could perform it as indeed they proved they could. Another tribute was Mama Tried at the request of an audience member. Stuart told of his being asked to preach at Haggard’s funeral and related what a loss Merle Haggard’s death was to him personally and to the world. Humorously he dedicated the song to an acquaintance, Rooster, whom he described as a real knucklehead who decided to start drinking again to honour Haggard’s passing and then decided he was going to jump a train to go to Hag’s California funeral only to discover the train was in fact only going to another part of the town!

There was a focus on the latest album, Way Out West, which Stuart said was the equivalent of spending 21 days on Willie Nelson’s tour bus. New songs included Air Mail Special, Whole Lot of Highway and the instrumentals Mojave and Torpedo. Other songs played included a great version of Endless Sleep written originally in 1958 Jody Reynolds and a hit for him as well as Marty Wilde in the UK. It was, Stuart said, one of the story songs that got him into country music. He is still there, but far from being stuck in a time warp. He and The Fabulous Superlatives keep the genre (in its many forms) vital and very much alive. Stuart promises to be back with the band next year and many of those who were there will be back again too.

Review by Steve Rapid   Edited by Sandy Harsch  Photographed by Kaethe Burt-O'Dea

Michael McDermott @ the DC Club, Dublin - Sun 1st Oct 2017

Sunday night at the DC Club and Michael McDermott is making a final stop on his European tour. His affiliation with and affection for Ireland are an integral part of his upbringing and he tells some terrific tales of growing up in an Irish-American household with some of that good old catholic guilt and religion circling the extended family members.

Not that it’s a case of running down old tradition and thrashing the past; this gifted artist takes these experiences and hones them into finely crafted songs that play out like short-stories in front of your eyes. He is a very lyrical writer and the words conjure up neighbourhoods and characters that we can all recognise and feel part of, with a sense that we have somehow known them already.

Michael McDermott has been an accomplished song-writer since his first recording back in the early 1990’s and has gone on to release close to 20 albums, either as a solo performer or with his band, The Westies. It is true to say that he has experienced both excess and hard times in the life he has lived.

He is a passionate performer, giving a great deal of energy and honesty to his vignettes on life and love. His stories from the stage tell of drug addiction and robbery, leading to some time spent in prison. This living life on the edge has shaped him and he speaks from a place of self-awareness and maturity about the journey taken.

The set tonight draws from all parts of his career, from A Wall I Must Climb, (released as a single in 1991) all the way through to Willie Rain, a song written for his daughter who was born in 2010. Indeed, these are personal songs and Shadow In The Window is about his father and the relationship they had over many years, defined by a degree of indifference. Ending with the lines "Now there’s a shadow in the window that’s missing; I’m having a hard time letting go – I love you …" Both poignant and powerful to witness live on keyboards.

He played a number of songs from the last album Willow Springs (2016) and Butterfly is a look back to his years as a junkie and the passing of an old friend. Solo acoustic versions of These Last Few Days and Getaway Car are mixed with earlier songs like Trains, A Deal With the Devil, The Great American Novel and No.49 while a new song, I Know A Thing Or Two About Being Knocked Down, is a quick-fire semi-rap that shows all the lyricism and verbal dexterity that his razor-like intelligence can conjure.

Many of the songs contain a naked honesty and if he sometimes uses the stage as a cathartic means to expel his demons, playing acoustic guitar, harmonica and keyboards like this; well, it’s certainly a trip worth taking. As Michael himself sings in the song I Know a Place;

"Yeah sometimes, you feed the darkness, Yeah sometimes, you heed the darkness,Yeah sometimes, you need the darkness in order to ever see the light."

At all points there is a deep humanity and humility at play and the attentive crowd pick up on every part of this compelling performance.

A word also for the opening act, Beki Hemingway who was a very welcome surprise. Living in Gorey, Co. Wexford by way of Denver, she appeared with her husband, Randy Kirkman on guitar and delivered a set of seven songs that highlighted her superb voice and vocal tone. A very engaging performer and someone to watch over the coming months as she tries to rebuild a career that she had stepped away from for a period of 10 years. She has a new release out now titled Whins and Weather and a number of the songs tonight are taken from it – watch this space … 

Review by Paul McGee  Photography by Kaethe Burt O'Dea

AMA Music Festival, Nashville - September 12th -17th 2017

With approximately 300 acts performing this year at The AMA’s, pre-scheduling your intended wish list is essential, notwithstanding that you’re likely to be thrown a few curve balls at the festival with additional events being announced, often at less than a days’ notice. The festival organisers have in recent years developed an incredibly user-friendly app which can be downloaded to an iPhone, listing artists, scheduled showcases, venues and other events, helping enormously with the selection process but also highlighting the numerous unavoidable clashes given the sheer volume of events taking place at various venues throughout the city.

While managing to squeeze in over fifty shows at the festival, I’ve bitten the bullet to select fifteen particular highlights in three categories.

  

J.P. Harris

There’s no show like a J.P. show and East Nashville’s most loved and most tattooed master of all things honky tonk played a blinder at his showcase at The Mercy Lounge. Not wasting a second of his forty-five-minute slot, he launched into material from his forthcoming album, yet to be named, which he’d spent the past few weeks recording in the studio. Hard Road, I Only Drink Alone, Lady in the Spotlight and South Oklahoma all registered as being up to his usual standard. Favourites Two For The Road and Maria also got an airing and with backing vocalists Kristina Murray and The Watson Twins on stage and accompanied by pedal steel, guitar, bass and drums, he transformed the room into a virtual Texas Dance Hall three songs in. You also have to love any artist who name calls his mother on stage and dedicates a song to her together with introducing her to his brethren after the show. A masterclass set from one of today’s finest ambassadors of traditional country music.

Zephaniah OHora

If J.P. Harris is the master he has a more than worthy apprentice in Zephaniah OHora. Hailing from Brooklyn, a location not renowned for fiddles, pedal steel guitars or nudie suits, his debut album This Highway has turned a lot of heads with nods in the direction of Ray Price, Ernest Tubb and Red Simpson.  On stage directly after J.P. Harris may have been daunting but OHora took full advantage of the warmed-up cowboys and cowgirls and gave them lots to dance about. His backing band The 18 Wheelers were vice tight and O Hora’s main asset, his baritone vocal, was used to full effect to deliver classic country tracks from his opening Way Down In My Soul to the title track from his debut album which closed his set. High Class Girl From the Country, Take Your Love Out Of Town and I Can’t Let Go also featured. He looked the part, sounded equally impressive and is riding on one of the best albums of the year. Watch this country space!

Lilly Mae

A musical child prodigy, Lilly Mae Rische has been performing with her family since childhood and is Jack White’s regular stage side person with her exquisite fiddle playing and unique style. Her recent album Forever and Then Some, released on Jack White’s Third Man Record Label, earned her appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Conan O’Brien Presents. An eagerly anticipated festival showcase for me, she more than lived up to expectation as Mae and her band, which included bother Frank on guitar and sister Amber on mandolin, delivered a faultless set. The venue was Jack White’s Third Man Records and the delightfully quirky and impressive room featured a striking lighting arrangement. Drenched in blue light Mae oozed class and stage presence, launching into Over The Hills and Through The Wood, Honest and True and Honky Tonks and Taverns from the album, switching from fiddle to guitar between numbers. Not just a prolific fiddle and guitar player, her song writing, vocal delivery, superb band and, it has to be said, wonderful fashion style, ticked a box as one of the festival highlights. She also possesses a lovely personality and a smile that could light up any room. Some people have it all.

Whitney Rose

Whitney Rose is yet another in the stream of quality female artists than Canada has produced in recent years.  Kathleen Edwards, Lindi Ortega, Lori Yates and Sierra Noble all come to mind and Rose most certainly has the formula to follow in their footsteps. Perfecting a South Texas sound rather than that of her native country and in many ways reminiscent of what Kacy Musgraves has been doing (with a bit more edge possibly), she mixes twang perfectly with a bit of rockabilly on the side and has the songs, the appearance and the band to get noticed. By coincidence I got to see her twice in the same day both at The Yee Haw Tent and later at The Mercy Lounge. Her set was drawn in the main from her current release South Texas Suite with a few numbers from Rule 62, an album she is about to release in the coming weeks. My Boots, Bluebonnets For My Baby and How ‘Bout A Hand For The Band all worked even better live than the studio versions giving the impression of an artist still honing her skills and determined to get noticed. Quite comfortable behind her acoustic Gibson guitar or with only a microphone in hand she’s blessed with a sultry twang and a young backing band that have no doubt covered a lot of road miles with her, given how tight their playing was.

Joshua Hedley

Taking the stage at Third Man records immediately after a dynamic set By Lilly Hiatt might be nerve wracking for most artists but Joshua Hedley took it in his stride, reminding the audience on a few occasions that what they were listening to was pure country music, no compromise. True to his word, dressed in a sparkling nudie suit and accompanied by a five-piece band including Jeremy Fetzer on guitar and the ever-smiling Eddie Lange on pedal steel he was, for me, the surprise package of the festival, delivering a set that had mid 60’s Merle Haggard stamped all over it. With a smooth baritone vocal, effortless fiddle playing by Hedley and some dreamy pedal steel and guitar playing by his band, this was pure honky tonk at his best. Hedley is yet another artist that is very much part of the East Nashville music co-op and has previously worked on stage with Justin Townes Earle and Jonny Fritz, served his time playing at Roberts Western World on Broadway and given that he’s not yet  25 years old, it’s not surprisingly he has been signed to Third Man Records. I’ll be first in line to pick up his debut album when it sees the light of day!

 

Drive By Truckers

Cannery Row was the venue for Drive By Truckers, one of the leading lights in what we define as Americana music, and was heaving in anticipation of their first ever showcase appearance at The AMA’s. Once in a while an act play a setlist that you could have penned yourself and this, for me, was one of those gigs. Including Marry Me, Surrender Under Protest, Hell No, I Ain’t Happy hit the spot but the inclusion of World of Hurt (quite poignant given the political turmoil in the States at present and seldom performed live) was the icing on the cake. Having seen the Truckers perform live on many occasions, including a number of times where they were so loud that some of the songs were unrecognisable, this evening performance was the best I’ve seen them. Patterson Hood was passionate, politically charged and in fine form and unafraid to ostracise some of his core following by speaking emotionally about the worrying degree of racism currently pertaining in America. Perfect setlist, sound and vantage position upfront and with Hood and Cooley in sparkling form resulted in yet another festival highlight. Overplaying their forty-five-minute set by an additional ten minutes was the perfect end to a great day’s music.

Aaron Lee Tasjan

A favourite performer at the festival, Aaron Lee Tasjan seems to appear at every venue whether playing with his band, solo or on stage with others. Somehow, he managed to play thirteen times in three days and we were fortunate to catch his showcase in the Yee Haw Tent on the Saturday afternoon. With his unique and individualistic fashion sense - he appeared on stage decked out in a white suit, white hat and black and white snakeskin shoes – you just knew his show was going to be full on entertainment, and he did not disappoint.  Kicking off with Hard Life and Memphis Rain from his 2016 album Silver Tears, his set not only accentuated his song writing skills but also his ass kicking guitar work. A twin guitar onslaught from Lee Tasjan and his side man Brian Wright (more from him later) on Ready To Die brought the house (tent) down. One of the best received gigs of the week by an artist that has it all with lots to spare. A modest and approachable young man he also hung around chatting and chewing the breeze before heading on to his next appointment.

Lilly Hiatt

Twelve months ago, Lilly Hiatt’s appearances at the AMA’s featured in the main material from her then current album Royal Blue, a mix of country, roots with just about the correct dosage of twang. This year’s sets found her ramping up a number of notches and featuring material – the whole album bar one track – from her 2017 release Trinity Lane, most definitely one of the standout albums of the year. Going down a more traditional rock path it’s songs are personal, honest and self-cleansing in equal doses and rock like hell with riffs and hooks to die for.  Kicking off the Thursday evening showcase sets at Third Man Records she manages to cram in ten of the eleven tracks on the album and no doubt have played the entire album given an additional five minutes. Highlights, of which there were many, included All Kinds Of People, I Wanna Go Home, Different I Guess and the monster track The Night David Bowie Died. Hats off to her killer young band whose enthusiasm mirrored that of Hiatt.

Los Colognes

The 5 Spot in East Nashville is the venue where most local artists cut their teeth on the path to bigger venues. It’s also a bar where you’re likely to be rubbing shoulders with as many musicians as local residents or tourists. Their weekly $2 Dollar Tuesday, hosted by Derek Hoke, offers two-dollar entry (free with festival wristband), $2 beers and $2 food. Nashville based Los Colognes were billed to perform Neil Young’s classic album Tonight’s The Night in its entirety. After two opening slots by the excellent Michaela Anne – classic young country vocalist, landing somewhere between Ashley Munroe and Zoe Muth, well worth checking out – and Derek Hoke, we were treated to a stunning performance by Los Colognes transforming what can be a quite depressing album into a celebratory evening. As expected given the venue, they were joined on stage by Margo Price (on her way home from performing at The Grand Olde Opry), Lilly Hiatt and Caitlin Rose whose delivery of Borrowed Tune silenced the room within twenty seconds.  An unexpected treasure of an evening in my favourite East Nashville hangout.

Brian Wright

Multi-instrumentalist and an artist that came to my attention at last year’s festival when he played in Aaron Lee Tasjan’s band, Texas born East Nashville resident Brian Wright played one of the rockiest and most enjoyable shows of the festival at the backyard of The Fond Object Record Store in glorious sunshine to an adoring crowd. I have to admit that I’ve come to his solo work late only picking up his 2013 album Rattle Their Chains in recent months. Mixing soul, blues and good old-fashioned rock with killer guitar licks and a backing band that included John Latham and Aaron Lee Tasjan was the perfect formula for a no-nonsense performance. Ending his set offstage and finishing his solo with guitar pointed skyward surrounded by an audience of all ages was a fitting image to a fun filled and head down rocking set.

Hayes Caryll

Not so many years back The Station Inn was surrounded by gravel surfaced car parks in a location primed for development known as The Gulch. Within five years the iconic venue has become dwarfed and overshadowed on all sides by high rise condominiums and commercial developments. The owners have stoically resisted the option of selling out the site which has been the hub for bluegrass in Music City for decades. Internally it’s a throwback to former decades as if time has stood still and it’s the venue for a terrific show by Austin troubadour Hayes Caryll, not his first appearance at The AMA’s, but his first time to play the hallowed venue. With a 175 seating capacity and possibly in a position to accommodate another 50 standing, it’s essential to get along early as it’s one of the few venues at the festival that invariably attracts large numbers. With this in mind we arrived ten minutes before the doors opened and positioned ourselves upfront for the impressive support act Caitlin Canty, who admitted to being light headed by both the opportunity to play the venue and to appear before Hayes Caryll.  You know exactly what to expect from a Hayes Caryll show, brilliant tales transformed into song, passionate delivery with lots of humour on the side and this evenings set delivered on all fronts with the inclusion of Drunken Poets Dream, Drive (written with Jim Lauderdale), Magic Kid (dedicated and written for his son) and the hilarious Bible on The Dash (a co-write with Corb Lund).  A particular highlight was his inclusion of a recently written song titled Wild Pointy Finger, which he went to great lengths to explain is not a euphemism for genitalia!

Emily Barker

One of the most versatile and diligent female artists on the circuit Australian born UK resident Emily Barker played a short lunch time set at Alley Taps, the same venue that she launched her album (yet to be released at that time) Sweet Kind of Blue at last year’s festival.  Recorded in Sam Phillips Studio in Memphis the album found Barker visiting her soul roots and was subsequently released earlier this year to glowing reviews. Barker has flirted with UK folk, roots and country soul ventures over the years together with writing the theme music for the TV drama Wallander and she has the ability to excel in whatever direction she chooses. With the voice of an angel and aided by a crack backing band, Barker treated us to a sampler of tracks from the album including the title track and the stunning Sister Goodbye, possibly the most beautiful song she’s written. The only regret was that her set had to wind up after four songs but waiting in the wings to perform were Mary Gauthier, Gretchen Peters, Shannon Mc Nally and The Orphan Brigade (featuring our own Ben Glover), which softened the blow somewhat!

Andrew Combs

Having had the opportunity to see Combs play at the festival the past number of years its noticeable how he has grown as an artist over those years both in his song writing and live performances. His latest album Canyons Of My Mind, released in Europe on the Loose label, is one of the most striking releases of the year. Our good friends at Loose Tom Bridgewater and Julia Grant hosted a lunchtime party titled The Loose Lounge featuring a number of acts on their label and giving me the first of two opportunities to witness Combs live. Facilitated by Americana UK the venue was attended in the main by UK and Irish punters and Combs, having performed to an audience that annoyingly talked through his set the previous day at The Thompson Hotel, opened up by noting how great it is to play to audiences from countries that come to gigs to actually listen to music. Playing solo emphasised his exquisite vocal and his short set was played to pin drop silence. His showcase performance took place two days later at The Mercy Lounge where he delivered a knockout set with his full band featuring mostly material from the current album with Dirty Rain, Heart Of Wonder and his anti-Trump masterpiece Bourgeois King hitting the spot.

Courtney Marie Andrews

An artist very much in the ascendancy and likely to make a major impact going forward, Courtney Marie Andrews was one of the most talked about artists playing the festival. Similar to Andrew Combs she is on the Loose label and the impact of her current album Honest Life, released in Europe by Loose, has resulted in it being rereleased in the States. She also featured in the Loose Lounge party performing three numbers solo which not only highlighted her stunning vocal but also her splendid guitar skills. Her main gig was at The City Winery where she performed at an all-female evening which also included sets by Erin Rae, Dori Freeman, Brandy Clark and Kasey Chambers. Understandably the majority of her standout set was drawn from Honest Life with Rookie Dreaming, Table For One and a rousing delivery of How Quickly Your Heart Mends all reinforcing exactly how special this young lady is. Material from her forthcoming album, to be recorded in the coming weeks, suggested a fuller and more country soul feel than Honest Life.

Dori Freeman

On the same bill as Andrews was Dori Freeman, a young lady from Galax Virginia. At last year’s festival Freeman was given the grave yard shift, performing solo prior to Rodney Crowell’s slot, and battling against an audience that did their best to talk over her performance. The City Winery is a seated and very much a listening room and Freeman, accompanied by a percussionist, took full advantage to deliver a gorgeous set visiting both her self-titled album and her sophomore album Letters Never Read, due for release later in the year.  Her song writing is simple, stripped back and personal, perfectly suited to her acoustic delivery with the emphasis on her natural crystal clear vocal. If I Could Make You My Own from the new album and Go On Lovin’ from her debut album were simply divine from an artist who is as authentic and natural as it comes. Who needs backing musicians when you possess a vocal that can silence a room seconds into your first song.

Our flight back home to Dublin from Nashvilla included a stopover at Chicago and ironically, or perhaps fittingly, as we queued to board who should be standing beside us but Pat Sansone of Wilco (he performed a number of times at the festival), giving their song Via Chicago a  complete new meaning!

 

List of acts/shows attended:

Michaela Ann, Derek Hoke, Sally & George, Los Colognes, Lilly Hiatt (twice), Margo Price, Caitlin Rose, Caitlin Canty, Hayes Caryll, Blair Crimmons & The Hookers, Emily Barker, Shannon Mc Nally, Mary Gauthier, The Orphan Brigade, The Deslondes, JD McPherson, The Texas Gentlemen (twice), Joshua Hedley, Lillie Mae, Drive By Truckers, Andrew Combs (twice), Courtney Marie Andrews (twice), Gill Landry, Joana Serrat, The Americans,Vikesh Kapoor, Kasey Chambers,Tyler Childers, Lindi Ortega, Carter Sampson, Kaitlin Butts, Travis Linville, Erin Rae, Dori Freeman, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Deep Dark Woods, Mark O' Connor Band, Reckless Kelly, The Secret Sisters, Whitney Rose (twice), Doug Seeger’s, JP Harris, Zephaniah O Hora, Brian Wright, Hugh Masterson, Band of Heathens (twice), The Wild Reed’s, Wild Ponies, Teddy & The Tough Riders, The Smoking Flowers (twice).The War & Treaty, Big Star Tribute Band (Chris Stamey, Django Haskins, Jody Stephens, Mike Mills, Millie McGuire, Mitch Easter, Pat Sansone)

Reviews and photography by Declan Culliton

Jess Klein @ the DC Club, Dublin - Sept 24th 2017

Sunday night and Dublin city has settled into a weekend wind-down. At the DC Club we are looking forward to the return of the very talented Jess Klein to our shores after a 5-year absence. If you ever need a way to chase away the weekend blues then live music can always provide an answer and in the company of Jess Klein there is no better sanctuary.

Blessed with an emotive and powerful voice, Jess plays a set that includes a number of new songs from her next album, including My Own Beating Heart, Back To My Green, Blair Mountain and Ginny. It is always a risk to include new material that is unfamiliar to an audience but Jess has such a natural stage presence that she has no difficulty integrating the songs into the body of the overall performance.

A very adept guitar player, she displays some lovely touches during old favourites such as Riverview, Travellin’ Woman, Soda Water, Shonalee and Little White Dove. Sadly, the audience is small in number but the honesty and insight of the performance has everyone lapping up each note and nuance. Tougher Than I Seem is another new song and seems to frame the arc of her career across nine excellent and highly recommended releases. The journey of a professional musician is never a smooth road and Jess has seen all sides of an industry that can often be more cruel than kind. However, irrespective of timing and getting the right breaks, talent will always find an outlet and there is a sense of being in the presence of real craft as we witness her many gifts.  

Ireland is an old song that is an obvious inclusion for her only Irish date. There follows a spoken word reading, titled Chicken Soup, that chronicles the life of her Grandmother in her coming to America and raising a family with dignity and pride. The catalyst for this was an attack on a Jewish Cemetery where a number of graves were vandalised, including her grandparents, and the poem is aimed at the perpetrators of such evil actions. It is a really moving performance and honours the struggle that her grandparents had in building a new life and providing a legacy for those who come after.

Mike June joins Jess onstage for the final six numbers and his lead acoustic playing is quite something as he weaves patterns around the fine rhythm playing of Jess. The encore is a poignant version of Beautiful Child, written for her Father and is followed by a real rock-out version of Atlantic City to mark the recent birthday of the Boss.

Jess Klein walks a quiet road when it comes to media recognition. Where others may get the attention and plaudits, she displays an admirable ability to manage her own career and works hard to keep a presence that is away from the shadows and looking into the light. Her wistful delivery and vocal tone blend together with her guitar to capture the listener in acknowledging such an accomplished talent. She is worthy of greater recognition and such artists need to be acknowledged, celebrated and given greater support. Hopefully she can return in the not too distant future when a proper string of Irish dates can be offered to her.

Now married to her fellow travelling musician, Mike June, she joins him on stage during his opening set and sings back-up vocals on a few numbers. Mike played a fine support set of songs from his catalogue, including Election Day, I’ve Got the Darkness, Cotton Fields, Poor Man’s Bible and Hard Times.  He has a confident stage presence and is a fine musician; a perfect foil for Jess and an interesting talent in his own right.    

Review by Paul McGee  Photograph by Paul Dolan