ALFI at The Duncairn, Belfast 8 June 2019

It was definitely a first for me. When have you experienced the combination of 5-string banjo, Irish harp and uilleann pipes playing together? A fascinating new trio of young Irish musicians have come together to become Alfi and their mission is to combine Old Time American music with Irish traditional music. Touring in support of their first EP, Alfi hit the stage in Belfast’s sublime venue The Duncairn Centre and treated the audience to a delightful night of tunes and songs. 

In a unique take on the Appalachian favourite ‘Cluck Old Hen’, led by Alannah Thornburgh on harp, Fiachra Meek lent his powerful vocals and gave his own twist to the original lyrics - mentions of ‘cash in hand’ confirmed that this bird had definitely moved to Ireland! 

More fun was induced by BedTime Stories, a curious song which Fiachra had sung to him in his childhood by his grandfather, Bill Meek. “This little piggy ate too much clover, He lay down and died” might be considered a little dark for some children but the audience tonight lapped it up.

Ryan McAuley is a gifted banjo player in both clawhammer and bluegrass styles. He explained that Old Time music was traditionally played on banjo and fiddle, but Alfi have adapted it and use the combination of banjo, flute and harp. They demonstrated this on instrumentals such as Josie-O, a slow fiddle tune from Tennessee featuring Ryan’s hauntingly beautiful clawhammer playing, and in songs such as Strictly Lean, Strictly Fat. 

All three are virtuoso musicians and music graduates - examples of the new breed of young Irish musicians who are starting to assert themselves on the live scene. With Alannah’s harp and Fiachra’s uilleann pipes and flute, their sound is still dominated by the Irish tradition. We were treated to traditional Irish tunes both old and new, the provenance of those tunes being explained by Fiachra with the zeal of an archivist. They gave us John McSherry’s The Fair Wind (appropriately for a Belfast audience) and O’Carolan’s Mr James Betagh.

Overall I, for one, would like to see Ryan taking them slowly but surely deeper into the Old Time sound. I’ll be watching their progress with interest. 

In the meantime, check out on their 5 track EP Wolves in The Woods and try to catch them live.

Review and photograph by Eilís Boland

JD Wilkes @The Grand Social, Dublin - 31st May 2019

Musician, author, illustrator, cartoonist, film director and all-round Southern culture aficionado (Colonel) JD Wilkes played a rare solo set in Dublin, thanks to sympathetic music promoters Ubangi Stomps. Wilkes is on a European tour with his band the Legendary Shack Shakers and took the time out to pay a visit to Dublin. Normally he’s a consummate frontman with the band, but even when stationed on a chair centre stage, he is a self-contained ball of energy. Seated in front of two banners, made by his sister, Wilkes begins his show with an inquiry as to “how’s everyone doing?” Gob Iron Stomp is the opening salvo and it underscore once more just how good a harmonica player he is. Nor is his banjo playing any less accomplished, equally full of inherent punk attitude, a testament to his understanding of the techniques of early banjo picking. He jokingly referred to the banjo as the “hillbilly birth control device.”

Over the next hour or so Wilkes plays a selection of self-written songs from both his solo and band back catalogue. Included is the tale from his most recent release Will I See You One Day In God’s Glory Land. Tennessee Dog Attack was inspired by a news item he heard on a brief TV segment that stood out for him as something out of the norm in that type of broadcast. He also included a couple of songs he had written and recorded with Charlie Stamper, alongside some classic material like I’ll Fly Away, Coo-Coo Bird, Jack Of Diamonds and the Bob Wills associated Liza Jane. Between songs throughout the show he talked about such diverse topics as the similarities between Kentucky and The Emerald Isle, The Andy Griffith Show, role playing teenagers who wanted to be Victorian vampires and how he was kicked out of his role playing group who were into Dungeons & Dragons. The influence of his grandfather and getting some banjo lessons from Lee Sexton, a banjo player who predated bluegrass and who had a very individual style, also featured in his narrative. He recalled how he’d tried to track the man down with no luck for several years, until one day it dawned open him to perhaps just try and ring enquiries to see if he was listed. Wilkes soon found himself speaking to the man himself. Asking if he still gave banjo lessons he was told to” come on over.” Which he gladly did, as he was when he was given the opportunity when a young man, to meet some of the elder statesmen of the blues, such as Junior Wells, from whom he got some valuable tips and advice.

The combination of his voice, banjo and harmonica as well as good-natured chat, is that of an artist steeped in the traditions and folk lore of the South. Wilkes both enraptured and entertained the audience who, after the main set, called Wilkes back to the stage for a final encore.  The perfect finale to an evening shared with a man whose undoubted talents should be so much better known and lauded. No doubt everyone fortunate to have attended will eagerly await the next visit from JD Wilkes either solo or fronting his equally talented band.

Review by Stephen Rapid

The Sadies @ Set Theatre, Kilkenny Roots Festival - 5th May 2019

The Canadian quartet, now in their 25th year, brought their high octane brand of turbo twang to Ireland for a series of dates as part of their current European tour. This was their second time to play at the Kilkenny Roots Festival since their initial visit in 2007. Mike Belitsky, Sean Dean, Dallas Good and Travis Good delivered a set which, by my count, featured some 24 songs in an hour! At this stage in their career they seem to have a telepathic group ability musically. One song ran straight into the next in a seamless soundtrack of intertwined twin guitars and solid core rhythm. The brothers wore their customary Nudie-inspired suits which were as sharp as their playing. 

Dallas played a Telecaster and Travis a Gretsch. Two vital components of their overall sound. Travis switched to fiddle on a couple of occasions such as their full throttle take on the traditional song Pretty Polly. It was a fast and furious set that alternated their surf/desert instrumentals and their own song writing that showcased the brothers strong and compelling harmony singing. The group through rarely took their foot off the gas which was perhaps the best way to deliver a show to a partisan and perhaps lubricated audience. It was one however that lacked some of the diversity and subtlety of their recorded work. But, as noted, that hardly mattered in the context of an evening that was fun on all fronts for the majority of the packed audience.

There were no introductions to the songs or a visible set list on stage so it was not that easy to always identify the titles but they played songs from various stages of their many albums which included such songs as Cheat, Anna Leigh, Uncle Larry’s Breakdown as well as songs form the last album Northern Passages (2017). However titles hardly mattered in this display of skilled psychedelic/rockabilly/surf/country/fevered folk. After an hour they left the stage but the thunderous applause brought them back and our host Dallas announced they would play an 8 song encore - which they duly did before finally leaving the stage and the audience sated and with the hope that it won’t be as long before The Sadies again return to our shores to entice us with their unique musical vision and visual presence.

Review by Stephen Rapid Photography by Kaethe Burt O’Dea

Kilkenny Roots Festival - May 2019

This was the 22ndFestival and one that continues in the tradition of quality artists, from the Friday kick off, through to the wind-up party on the Monday evening. It’s amazing that the sense of community and the spirit of the gathering has not become something bigger and out of control over the years. The true essence of the Festival lies with the organising committee all the way through to the volunteers and the business people of this magical city who come together in unison to ensure that everything works seamlessly, year after year. 

From the humble beginnings back in 1998 and the steady hand of both Tom Stapleton and John Cleere on the rudder, over the intervening years, the sense of pride in a job well done is matched only by the outpouring of love & affection that greets each new year as it comes around. 

As always, Rollercoaster Records is something of a spiritual hub for the Festival with much activity around collecting tickets, swapping tickets for gigs over the few days, buying music to support the shop and just hanging out to chat or listen to the in-store sets that are run in the afternoons. Not only do Dave Holland, Garrett Kehoe, Roisin Erin Knopek and team, provide plenty of information with a smile from the store but they also play pivotal roles in the sound at many of the gigs, manning the mixing desk at the Set Theatre or elsewhere. Super heroes all…!!

Starting off with William the Conqueror on Friday night and a rousing set, played with great élan and energy, by this trio from Cornwall whoare making great waves at the moment with their vibrant sound and good-time stage presence. Catching up with old friends in Cleere’s Bar is an essential first night ritual and the chance to meet new friends is never far away as the rendezvous from other gigs takes place amongst stories of what was missed and who was just sensational…

Day two ramps up the activity and Michael McDermott at Ryan’s Bar delivers a set that is compelling, honest and packed full of wonderful songs; all performed with total conviction and skill by an artist who is surely on the cusp of something great. Solo gig of the weekend for me. My wife, Donna, attends a clashing gig at the Set Theatre which features Jason Lytle (Granddaddy) and Malojian, in what is a tribute to the late, great Willie Meighan, whose presence is never far away from the collective consciousness. Her appraisal of the show was that time stood still as both artists performed beautifully.

Alejandro Escovedo played later (much later) with the Don Antonio Band from Italy and he really knocked it out of the park with a performance that cracked with raw energy and a punk ethic that suited the mood perfectly for the audience, who just wanted to dance and party the night away.

Sunday was my highlight with a sublime set in the afternoon from The Delines, Amy Boone fronting a 5-piece band which featured David Murphy from Cork guesting on pedal steel guitar. A rousing performance from Patty Griffin followed that evening and a closing gig from the Sadies that had everyone bouncing around to their high energy songs and machine gun guitar rhythms. So much great music to savour. 

Monday was a day of coming down from the highs of the previous days and no better way to do this than experience the stripped down, gentle sound of Dori Freeman,who played a lunchtime set at the Pumphouse. Songs that are delivered with an easy charm, deceptive in their simplicity but still very well received by the audience. A closing party gig at Billy Byrne’s was the real icing on the cake with a localcover band, the Backyard Band, really impressing over a set that saw everyone dancing on the floor and enjoying the dying embers of a weekend that will live long in the memory as the Summer kicks in and the bigger Festivals take centre stage. However big they are, there will only ever be one Kilkenny Roots Festival! Until the next time….

Many of the above-mentioned gigs have been reviewed in greater depth in this collective report by my talented colleagues, Declan Culliton and Stephen Rapid. 

One of the shows that they did not touch upon was Patty Griffin and my thoughts around her performance centre on her wonderful gift to take an emotion and run with it until we all feel part of a common experience. She sings from her boots and whether you enjoy the vocal gymnastics that her soulful blues delivers; you have to sit in awe of her power to raise the feeling of joy and recognition among the audience. Her show centres very much around the new release, the eponymous Patty Griffin, and while she plays 10 tracks from the release out of the 16 performed, it is her Gospel tinged renditions of Move Up, Standing and Heavenly Day, that really capture the imagination in their delivery and resonance. 

Patty divides opinion on the night concerning her vocal delivery and maybe it was down to the sound in the theatre; from my position she sang with a wonderful intensity and gave everything to the performance which was beautifully elevated by the wonderful talents of both David Pulkingham (guitars, piano) and Conrad Choucroun (drums, percussion, bass, guitar, piano). Such stunning interplay between the players was a joy and the band highlight for me on the weekend

Review by Paul McGee

Well, it’s come and gone again, another memorable Kilkenny Roots Festival and a time for reflection. Once more we were treated to a full on and action packed few days of incredible music and merriment, among friends, old and new.  

Organiser John Cleere and his merry committee men have the well-seasoned recipe for not only keeping the punters happy, but also insuring that the performers are drawn into the whole vibrancy and enjoyment of the weekend. The additional goodie on the menu this year was a brunch and interview with Allan Jones of Uncut fame (and Melody Maker for those of my vintage). He regaled us with tales of interviews - very few orthodox or with happy endings – with legends like John Martyn and Van Morrison. He also marvelled at the joys of being granted a whole weekend to review a fourteen CD Bob Dylan boxset for Uncut! 

The musical highlights were countless. John Perry on stage with Alejandro Escovedo and Don Antonio Band, blasting out Another Girl, Another Planet, will remain in my memory bank for some time. Smiling faces and bleeding ears exiting Langton’s after a blistering set of Neil Young covers by Psychedelic Pill. Tears and laughter in equal parts were the order of the day at The Set, courtesy of Malojian and Jason Lytle, recalling memories of shows arranged by Willie Meighan at the same venue.  The long overdue return of The Sadies was never going to disappoint and U. K’s dynamic live act William The Conqueror at Cleere’s brought the house down. Patty Griffin and her sensational two-piece band were idyllic early evening listening at The Watergate. Two jaw dropping sets from psychedelic art rockers Susto at Kytelers.  A simply glowing Amy Boone fronting The Delines was a joy to behold after her traumatic few years recovering from injury. The ‘special gig’ at Billy Byrne’s offered the perfect late Monday afternoon ‘come down’ of classic tunes and dodgy dancing. It also afforded the organisers and their many helpers the opportunity to wind down and congratulate themselves on another festival expertly delivered. However, it’s seldom only all about the bigger events. John Murry accompanied by Ger Moloney on accordion delivering a few songs to about fifteen people in Paris Texas on Monday night was the perfect curtain closer for me to another extraordinary weekend. See you all again next year.

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

Michael McDermott @Kilkenny Roots Festival - 4th & 5th May 2019

Seeing Chicago singer songwriter Michael McDermott in Kilkenny brought home the reason he has received such accolades as those given to him by best selling author Stephen King who proclaimed him “one of the best songwriters in the world and possibly the greatest undiscovered rock ’n’ roll talent of the last 20 years." The rock ’n’ roll aspect of his career was still in evidence by his overall stance and attitude, even though he was accompanied only by his own guitar, harmonica and piano, on all of which he proves himself an effective instrumentalist. He played three times in Kilkenny firstly in Ryans, then a short set in Rollercoaster Records and finally, the next day, in Cleere’s. Both of the venue gigs were sold out and he garnered a strong reaction from the audience who were both laughing and crying in response to his songs and stories. 

McDermott performed songs from Orphans his current album including Tell Tale Heart, Full Moon Goodbye as well as choices from his previous releases including the badman tale of Getaway Car, Folksinger, Butterfly and Shadow In The Window all from the excellent Willow Springs (2016). The latter song is a heartfelt song about his relationship with his own “Irish through and through” father that is both part exhortation and exorcism. Out From Under (2018) album he included Knocked Down and the moving song detailing certain human conditions The World Will Break Your Heart. Most of these songs come from a very real, very hard place where McDermott documents his existence as an alcoholic and drug addict. Something that he has now put behind him although he knows full well that that particular set of demons have always to be kept at bay.

There is a quality to McDermott’s voice that is impassioned, pained and perfect in both the live and recorded setting. At this point all his appearances have been in a solo capacity but those in the know are aware that when he appears with his band he can take it up another notch or two. Another aspect of McDermott’s live show is the telling of the situations behind the songs swell as two very amusing tales of his meeting at an in the round songwriter session with Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. One best heard in person and not spoiled by revealing here. There was also a recounting of a recent attempt from McDermott to help a fellow addict in a desperate time that ends with a laugh and shows that McDermott has not lost his sense of humour or humanity.

Michael McDermott deserves to gain better recognition for his talent and music. These shows in Kilkenny point to the fact that the tide may be turning for him from his first Dublin dates to a handful of listeners to these small but sold out shows. Check him out at the earliest opportunity as I doubt you will be disappointed.

Review by Stephen Rapid Photography by Kaethe Burt O’Dea

Josh Rouse and Grant Lee Phillips @ Whelan’s, Dublin - 30th April 2019.

It feels strange to walk into Whelan’s and not see Joe Nicholson at the ticket window. Since his recent death, the music community of Dublin has been in shock at the news of his passing and I was not looking forward to my first visit back to the venue since his burial.

But, if there was to be an appropriate tribute paid to Joe, then the capacity crowd at tonight’s show would be it. He would have been so pleased to see a full house and the respect with which the audience listened to each artist as they played solo sets of stripped-down song arrangements was most appropriate. Also, the absence of any mobile phones held in the air for infuriatingly long periods of time was another happy occurrence. Maybe Joe was looking down on us after all…

The evening started with Josh Rouse playing a set of 12 songs, all from a seated position, which took away somewhat from his stage presence. However, the quality of the songs cannot be in doubt and his easy presence, confident story telling and sense of humour go a long way to bringing the audience along with him for what was a very enjoyable ride.

A single guitar can seem a little skinny after the first few songs but Josh has a deft touch on the instrument and plays some extended solos over the rhythm as he gets the audience to participate on singing the choruses. His latest release, Love In The Modern Age, is featured and three songs are included from the album, the title track, followed by Businessman and Salton Sea. The opening and closing songs from the set were taken from his 2003 album, ironically titled 1972 (the year he was born) and the opening song (1972) and the closing, Comeback (Light Therapy), were both performed to an enthusiastic reception. He also played a great version of Love Vibration from the same album later in the set.

In between, we were given It’s The Nightime, Sad Eyes and Winter In The Hamptons (Nashville release), Quiet Town and Summertime (Subtitulo release), Dressed Up Like Nebraska (debut release) and Lemon Tree (El Turista release). So, he covered a lot of ground in 50 minutes, with six of his albums revisited in this intimate fashion. A fine performance.

After a short break we were joined by Grant Lee Phillips for his set and he performed a selection of songs also from across his career with as much engaging presence as Josh Rouse and plenty of personality. Grant Lee performs in a style that is more energetic and his rhythmic playing drives the songs along as he sings in that sweet voice that has lost none of its presence over the years. 

His latest release, Witherskins, is featured and the first two numbers, Walk in Circles and Something’s Gotta Give are taken from this album. Smoke and Sparks (The Narrows), Mona Lisa & Lily-A-Passion (Virginia Creeper), Dream in Colour (Strangelet), Strangest Thing (Little Moon), all follow as he builds up a real momentum.

The Grant Lee Buffalo catalogue is also visited with Mockingbirds, Jupiter & Teardrop, Honey Don’t Think and we also get a new song, Leave a Light On - superb in every way.

The encore is three songs shared by the two artists and the performance vibe between them is very strong, leaving me wondering if they should have worked out a way to play more together during the overall two hours of performance. 

A cover of the Church song, Under The Milky Way, kicks things off before Empire State, (a song they wrote together), is performed and the final cherry on the cake is a version of Boys Don’t Cry, the Cure song that works just perfectly on the night.  

Credit to Aiken Promotions for bringing this duo to our city and a big thanks to the enduring talents of the two artists who gave stellar performances to a packed audience that was clearly delighted with the events of the evening.

Review by Paul McGee Photography by Kaethe Burt O’Dea

Rachael Yamagata @ Whelan’s, Dublin - April 26th 2019.

It has been a few years since this very talented artist last played in Ireland. However, a crowded room of admirers at the upstairs venue in Whelan’s gave Rachael a great welcome and the honesty and warmth in her performance had everyone wrapped up in the joy of what turned out to be a special evening. 

Clive Barnes played a support set to his usual excellent standards and his easy story telling had the room well warmed up for the main act, which Clive was instrumental in bringing back to Ireland. His performance on Highway 61 was a real tour de force and not only is he a superb guitar player but he can also perform in the varied roles of booking agent, driver, tour manager and roadie, added to his impressive CV.

Rachael Yamagata has been compared to many famous names over the years, with both Bonnie Raitt and Norah Jones mentioned, but the old saying that ‘comparison is the thief of joy’ springs to mind as being quite apposite.

Rachael has a very confident stage presence and an instant likeability factor, as she tells stories of her life and experiences as a professional musician. Tonight, she visits six of her releases, including her latest, Porch Songs, and her ability on both keyboard and guitar is complemented perfectly by a voice that is very, very special; full of character and depth and the power of her delivery in a live setting is quite compelling. Add in the use of visual media and a backdrop of videos and nature scenes, changing in a slide-show format, to colour the performance, and the impact builds layers to the overall experience.

Early songs like Meet Me By The Water and I Want You, are filled with vulnerability and the strength to endure, despite disappointments and expectations in others. Old favourites like Dealbreaker, The Way It Seems To Go, Elephants and Heavyweight are greeted like the old friends that they are; filled with hard won insight into the human condition and the crack in all of us. Hers is the territory of the vagaries of love, both lost and found; enjoyed and endured; sacrificed and survived - left to fight another day, renewed and rewired.

She talks about not being known for her upbeat songs, but her performance of Saturday Morning is quite a treat and the wonderful video that accompanies Let Me Be Your Girl (Allison Janney giving an acting master class in emotions) is superbly integrated, as Rachael sings over a backing track and brings a smile to everyone’s face. Indeed, over 90 minutes and 16 songs, the night just seemed to fly by, as the audience embraced the superb performance.

Rachael speaks of the challenges facing her country at present, indeed the entire planet, and delivers a wonderful cover of the Rufus Wainwright song, Going To A Town. Written in 2007 for his Release The Stars album, the words resonate as if written for the current times with lines “You took advantage of a world that loved you well; I'm going to a town that has already been burnt down; I'm so tired of you, America”. 

Her final song is a real show highlight with the raw emotion of You Won’t Let Me, hitting hard and raising goose bumps, in a deeply soulful delivery which is mesmerising in its conviction and yearning. When you can move people to this extent then there is only one thing left to do – celebrate the unique essence of music to touch a common chord in us all and to extend a big group hug. Gig of the year for me by a mile.

Review and photo by Paul McGee

John Gorka @ Bi Urban, Dublin - April 16th 2019.

Tonight, saw a very special house concert, held in the beautiful setting of a new studio for social creativity in the heart of Stoneybatter, Dublin. The venue is softly lit and the intimate space is just perfect for the crowd that settles into a quietly compelling performance by Contemporary Folk legend John Gorka. 

John is finishing off a European tour and is in Dublin to visit his son, Joe, who is studying at Trinity College. This was a hastily arranged gig and the relatively short notice does not take away from the experience of getting up close and personal with an artist who has been producing music of a consistently high quality over the last 30 years.

Visiting his back catalogue with an easy grace, John plays 2 sets, taking requests and also featuring his latest release, True In Time, from which he plays 4 songs. His stage presence is very relaxed and his great sense of humour comes over very strongly during the between-song introductions and stories that surround many of the songs played.

With 14 records to your name you could be forgiven for not remembering every song in the back catalogue but John displays an impressive recall by visiting no less than 7 of his past releases over the evening. In fact, it is his debut, back in 1987, which is given most attention with 4 songs featured; Like My Watch, Love Is Our Cross To Bear, Branching Out and I Saw a Stranger With Your Hair.

Other highlights included Blue Chalk, Wisheries, Good Noise, Unblindfold the Referee, Land of the Bottom Line, and Writing in the Margins. An unrecorded song, Particle & Wave, is also very well received and we are treated to tales of his growing up in New Jersey, living in Pennsylvania and moving to Minnesota. There is a Prince cover, When Doves Cry, stripped down and slowed in tempo in order to bring out the essence of the arrangement and the words; the mark of a true craftsman.  Of the new material, Tattooed, Arroyo Seco, Nazarene Guitar and True In Time fit right in and sound like they are old friends already.

John asks his son Joe to play 2 numbers and we are introduced to a confident performer with a very interesting vocal gift, not unlike his father’s warm baritone. Joe sings a John Mayer song (Waiting For the World To Change) and a Passenger song (Let Her Go). 

John Gorka is a versatile writer with plenty of humour and insight running through his words and music. Lauded as one of the finest songwriters of the 1990’s he has not lost his gift to deliver serious content in a deceptively light hearted manner and his finely-honed communication skills make this a night to remember and also one of wishing he will return more often to our shores.

Review by Paul McGee Photograph by Kaethe Burt O’Dea

Amber Cross @ The Stables Mullingar 11th April 2019

‘’I just need to wait a minute until my heart stops racing before I start’’. The opening comment from a nervous Amber Cross before launching into Pack of Lies, the first track from her current album Savage On The Downhill and also her first song of the evening. Those nerves swiftly dissipate within a few minutes, calmed by the rousing response by the audience to the opening number of her stunning one- and three-quarter hour set. Cross had just spent over two days on planes, boats and trains on her journey from California before arriving in Mullingar for the first date of her tour. Seated on a low stool with her husband and musical partner James at her side, she continues to explain how a tour of Ireland has been a dream of hersfor many years. It’s not an idle throw away comment either, the sense of exuberance is evident in both her commentary and body language throughout the gig. 

Savage On The Downhill, her third album, was recorded and released in 2017. Cross was planning a tour to promote the album on its release, however, discovering unexpectedly that she was pregnant drew a halt to all that.  The prospect of touring with a baby was considered, but upon her sons birth the practicalities outweighed the somewhat naive intention. Fast forward two and a half years and she finally gets to tour the album with husband, son and mother in tow, the upshot being that we get to enjoy the opening night of the tour. Gifted with the ability not only to create wonderful songs, all from personal experience, Cross also possesses a quite unique and indeed striking vocal technique. It’s natural, beautifully accented and instantly recognisable, much in a similar vein to artists such as Iris DeMent and possibly Nanci Grittith.

Personal thoughts put to words and developed into songs, pretty well summarises her style in simple terms. The twelve tracks that play out on the current album were constructed by Cross in reaction to what most would consider every day occurrences. A simple phone call, a conversation with a companion, a remembered school friend, throwaway events for most. Much of the material from the album is performed this evening. What’s particularly enlightening is her introductions to each song, with the background and origin all explained prior to delivering the songs. We hear of her childhood friend and their innocent capering in the yard after church in Black - Eyed Susan. Mementos collected and stored containing lifelong memories are presented in Things I Saved. The bizarre episode of a ten-year-old boy driving a train unfolds in Tracey Joe. The first song she wrote Leaving Againalso features as does the moving Trinity Gold Mine. The latter, Cross explains, was written about a casual acquaintance, who told her his backstory as a young boy obliged by his parents to work with them in the mines gold digging, at the expense of a normal childhood.  

The equally emotionally delivered Echoes,was written following an encounter with friends who, unexpectedly to Cross, informed her that they were counting down the days until their son reaching eighteen, to divorce as soon as he came of age. Savage On The Downhill, we’re told, was the song she was building the album around. Producer Ray Bonneville encouraged her to re-write the title song and subsequently a darker edge emerged. ‘’One of my musical heroes Tim O’Brien played fiddle on the recording of the song Storms Of Scarcity’’ we’re told, by way of introduction to that song.

Notwithstanding the quality of the material and her vocal delivery, the depth of their playing is another standout. Both play acoustic guitar with James adding support vocals and switching to mandolin on Storms Of Scarcity andSelma. 

I’ve no doubt a shorter set was planned but with the encouragement of the crowd and a positively beaming Cross, additional songs were demanded and delivered, before she encored with Bare Patches On The Lawn, a song prompted by a telephone conversation with her mother, who starts every telephone conversation with a weather related comment. ‘She must be Irish’ is heckled from the audience to which Cross replies that she actually has Irish blood!

A worthy mention is also due for local support duo The Good Strangers. A male / female duo, both possessing exceptional vocal ability, they performed impressive material recently recorded by them. With two voices and one guitar, songs All I Want and Give Me A Reason - about to be released as a single - were hugely impressive. Certainly, a band to keep an eye on.

All in all, an exceptional evening’s entertainment in an equally atmospheric and splendid venue. Promoter Peter Doran has been putting gigs on at The Stables since November last. It’s heartening to see a young promoter bringing quality music to a live audience and all the more, getting people out on a Thursday night in great numbers to support the artists.

Final word about Amber Cross. In a somewhat over saturated market, it takes something exceptional to stand out among the crowd. She’s gifted with the capacity to bring personal stories to life, put them to music and deliver them with passionate self-assured vocals. Don’t miss the chance to see her on her current tour if you get the chance. Hopefully she’ll be back in Ireland in the near future to enchant us once again.

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

Kerry Fearon, Ags Connolly & Leo Rondeau @ DC Club, Dublin - 7th April 2019

The small turnout for these three under-the-radar but talented performers raised the question about whether there is an audience in Dublin for more hardline country. Or if it is simply a lack of awareness from a potential audience for such an evening. Is it a lack of promotion, the lack of radio support or simply a lack of an interested music supporter prepared to go out on a Sunday evening? All pertinent questions to the state of live roots/country music in the capital.

However, the small turnout didn’t seem to affect the commitment of the three artists taking the stage. The show opened with singer and radio/TV personality Kerry Fearon accompanied by Ags Connolly on guitar and occasional vocals. Her opening set featured a selection of songs that Fearon expressed a liking for and they included San Antone Rose, Today I Started Loving You Again, To Ramona, Chase Wild Horses (a song which she introduced by explaining that the Kim Richey song touched her with its lyrics which she was able to relate to her own family). Elizabeth Cook’s Mama’s Prayers was another song that had a personal significance. There was a duet on the traditional Red River Valley which both Fearon and Connolly had included on separate albums. Fearon thanked her tour mates for the opportunity to play these Irish dates together and despite obvious nerves she acquitted herself well. It will be interesting to see how she develops her singing career with original or less well known songs. 

Leo Rondeau was up next to play some songs from his latest album Right On Time. There was a wryness to his songs that look at his own family history and also to the nature of the relationships he has had over time. Rondeau grew up in North Dakota surrounded by country music. He is now based in Nashville having moved there from Austin, Texas. There was a certain amount of humour amid the tales of mishap and misadventure. He opened his segment with two songs from the album - the title track and If You Don’t Love Me. Other topics he discussed included driverless trucks, the tale of pool playing Dwayne Felkin and a song that listed the various inherent problems his family had in a song that laidout the limited possibilities he might face, concluding that “It doesn’t look good for me”. He said that he found the audiences here to be very polite as he was used to a lot of noise and seeing dancers in front of him when he plays with his honky tonk band in the States. He had started out being “all into lyrics and shit” but that it was more fun “to make people dance.” Now he tries to combine both. It would be fun to see Rondeau with a band but as solo performer he emphasised his more lyrical side with some great lines and a voice to match. 

Next up was possibly England’s finest country singer (certainly one of them) Ags Connolly who was playing for his second time in Dublin. He delivered some songs from his just recorded new album which would be out once he is able to sort out the complexities and practicalities of that. Hopefully it won’t take too long as these songs, in this raw state, sounded well up there with his best and again emphasising just how committed a singer Connolly is. Something that has little to do with his nationality and more to do with an innate love and understanding of traditional country music and writing song that fit that context. 

As well as the new material he included such favourites as I Saw James Hand, about whom he told us was a personal hero and a person Connolly had met and befriended in Austin, although he noted had met him in a drunken stupor one night that there was no recognition on Hand’s part. In contrast a few days later they met again and Hand, as he was sober, greeted him. Hand was on his way to a gig, having checking himself out of the hospital to do so! Connolly also spoke of the fact that he travels to Austin less these days after a romance there had broken down. Humorously remarking that that was often the lot of country singers. ”Brimming with positivity” he later joked about the content of his own songs before finishing his set with an appropriate example in I Hope You’re Unhappy. 

The evening concluded in fine style with Rondeau joining Connolly for a well matched duet on Wille Nelson’s, Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain. Earlier Rondeau had, with a female companion danced a Texas Two Step in front of the stage at Connolly’s behest. One hopes that both, or either, of these traveling troubadours will return - but with a more substantial audience to appreciate the respective talents, as did the small audience present tonight.

Review by Stephen Rapid Photography by Kaethe Burt O’Dea

The Brother Brothers @ Whelan’s, Dublin - 26th March 2019

The Brother Brothers,identical twins Adam and David Moss, played their debut Irish gigs in Donegal and in Dublin this week, as part of their current European tour. The Whelan’s show was an impressive debut played to a small but attentive audience. After thanking us for being there, they opened the show with Mary Ann,the first track from their new album Some People I Know and showed not only faultless sibling harmonies but also intuitive instrumental skills. David played a vintage archtop Epiphone electric guitar and cello and Adam played violin. Seated while playing cello, David also delivered subtle and mesmerising harmonies, while Adam played mainly violin and sang, while also adding guitar on a couple of the songs.

Their music is acoustic but compelling and complete. They also displayed a brotherly humour that covered quips about being Jewish, the excellence of Guinness in Ireland, football (the Ireland v Georgia match was on that night and might explain the smallish audience) and not least, the delight of being in Ireland. They had eaten Chinese food since arriving and told us that this was a step-up from the mac and cheese meal offered them in the UK and the complete lack of vegetables in that rudimentary fast food diet. 

The unwritten set list was drawn from their Tugboats EP together with the recently released album. The humorous Notary Publicand title song from the EP both stood out in particular. Red And Gold, In The Night Time, The Gambler and Banjo Song followed and coincidently, we were told the banjo that they recorded on the latter song was currently out of action, and was therefore played on guitar. They also performed some outside material including their friend Joanna Sternberg’s I Will Be With You and Peter Rowan’s Angel Island, both taken from the album. Also included was a Delmore Brothers song, explaining that they were not a bluegrass band but had been booked to play The Bluegrass Jamboree in Germany. The booking seemed to come about because they played fiddle and they subsequently had to learn a number of bluegrass tunes to fit into their set. They had, Adam added, played some bluegrass privately but not on stage so much. However, they acquitted themselves with aplomb and also displayed elements of old time in their music. Yet they still maintained a contemporary edge, with one particular song intriguingly veering into psychedelic territory!

Many of the songs touched on deeper issues such as the manner in which their neighbourhood in Brooklyn was being bought by rich investors, forcing out the people who made the area so special. They grew up in Illinois and explained how that State had once been wealthy as a water transport hub until the arrival of the railroads had forced many businesses into bankruptcy. That they weren’t fans of their president was also expressed in passing. However, the perennial theme of love wasn’t excluded, as they closed the show with a two-song encore, the final of which was a version of Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You. Their rendition did both the song and the brothers proud and showed that the intimacy of their music is capable of finding many new fans.

Review by Stephen Rapid Photographs by Kaethe Burt O’Dea

Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi @ The Sugar Club, Dublin - March 5th 2019.

It’s a rainy night in Dublin as the long queue on the street tries to shelter from a steady drizzle. By the time the doors are opened the cold and damp has settled into many and the respite of the warm interior turns into a scramble for seats and an optimum view. 

The Sugar Club has been a music venue since 1999 and was previously the Irish Film Theatre. With tiered seating and a stage that boasts plush red curtains as a backdrop, it is an intimate space and just perfect for tonight’s performance, given by a duo whose musical paths crossed 4 years ago, but who have only found time to collaborate properly in the recent past. 

There is an album due in May, There Is No Other, which has been partly inspired as a reaction to the present absence of fellowship in the Western ‘developed’ World and the urge to separate out people and nations as being ‘other’. By indulging this habit, the excuse to subjugate and wage war on these people is given free licence.

The concert is presented by the Music Network as part of the 2019 programme and the pairing of these two talents is something of a master stroke. The music spans many different genres and time periods, with the richness of the interplay between both artists a joy to witness. Their understanding of the song dynamic is just beautifully observed as they interpret and colour the arrangements and the song melodies. It’s an eclectic and giddy mix of music that draws from many cultures; African and Islamic rhythms sit with Mediterranean and Celtic tunes, played on an array of banjos and drum/percussion instruments.

Rhiannon Giddens is very well established and respected in international circles and her superb musicianship on banjo and fiddle is only matched by her peerless vocal delivery across a range of songs that touched on Blues, Folk, Gospel and deep influences from our collective history.

Indeed, there is a sense of Irish traditional rhythms and airs interwoven through the songs and one can just imagine the impact that mass emigration brought to America, going back the centuries, as all the indigenous music of different nations grew into what we hear today and what carries on the old ways, while honouring those who have gone before. 

Rhiannon sings historical music and the dark shroud of the slave trade is always going to resonate strongly and have a big influence on her muse. Her writing speaks to the ancestors who endured so much pain and torture in order to establish better opportunity for the generations that followed. She honours their struggle with impassioned vocals on songs like 10,000 and At The Purchaser's Option. Her recent project, ‘Songs of Our Native Daughters’ is a collaboration that brings together fellow roots musicians Allison Russell, Amythyst Kiah and Leyla McCalla who tell forgotten stories of the African diaspora in North America. 

Francesco Turrisi plays an impressive range of instruments, from the imperious Una Corda piano to piano accordion, the Oud and across a range of percussive tambourines, bodhran-like talking drums and more. He is innovative, intuitive and his improvisational skills produce delicate soundscapes which colour the songs with just the right palette. 

Francesco plays two instrumental piano pieces and his beautiful playing is reminiscent of the top contemporary artists who create ambient soundscapes. He also gives brief history lessons on the different percussive styles that are used on his seven frame drum instruments that range from all corners of the globe. There is also mention of Contra Dance music, the history of minstrelsy and black banjo music, Trance Dance rituals from Italy that assist in healing and old tunes from 1855 that are reinterpreted into compelling performance.

The traditional song, Wayfaring Stranger, is sung with such ache and longing and the pure resonance of the vocal performance is quite breath taking. Rhiannon has such a clear tone and powerful delivery and never more so than on Factory Girl, a traditional Irish song she adapted to reflect the horror of the 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh where over 1,000 people died with thousands more injured. 

Little Margaret, Spiritual, He Will See You Through and There Is No Other are all performed with great delivery and dexterity on a range of instruments, while Pretty Saro is sung acapella as part of an encore that also includes Molly Brannigan; highlighting some superb scat singing from Rhiannon as she weaves her way through the Irish refrain of  ‘Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra’ sung at increasing speed,  then spun into a Gospel tinged peak, before returning to the ‘Too-ra-loo-ra-li’ ending that has the audience cheering wildly.

Rhiannon speaks of everything repeating itself and how it all comes round again; nothing is really new. The emigration of the Irish in past times is like a mirror to the present Global shift of people from troubled lands that are suffering terrible hardship. We could all use a little grace and tenderness in these dark times and tonight we are given a wealth of musical treasures to cherish. The creative art of music is a healing balm when it is performed with this much honesty, passion and skill. 

Review by Paul McGee Photography by Ronnie Norton

Colter Wall @Whelan’s, Dublin - Tuesday 12th March 2019

This was a sell-out concert which had a quite diverse audience in terms of both age and gender and made one wonder why this concert had that level of appeal when other equally worthwhile Americana/Country artists (who often appear in the smaller upstairs venue) can only garner a handful of fans. Something to ponder for the future I feel.

Whatever the reason this was a highly entertaining evening which was opened by fellow Saskatchewan country artist Belle Paine. She had recorded a duet with Wall on the song Caroline fromhis Imaginary Appalachia album and indeed joined him during his set to do the same again. Paine is a storyteller and each song was prefaced byits background and the genesis of the lyrics. Often, they were songs that related to her own family like Laila Sady Johnson Wasn’t Beaten By No Train, which detailed the night her Grandmother’s truck was hit by a train (she survived without a scratch) and songs that recountedrelationship turmoil like Rock Bottom. These were delivered in a strong clear voice that held the room. Accompanied only by her acoustic guitar she most certainly made some new friends. 

She was joined, later in the set, by her husband and fellow singer/songwriter Blake Berglund for a couple of numbers,including their take on Alan Jackson’s Mercury Blues. The songs were mainly from her most recent album Malice, Mercy, Grief and Wrath but also included a captivating version of Long Black Veil, a classic love/murder balled written by Marijohn Wilkin and Danny Dill.

ColterWall took to the stage solo and the folk singer side of his music was apparent with his deep baritone voice and Martin guitar. He evoked a time and place that for many in the audience exists only in films, books, photographs and songs. He is tapping into a legacy that runs back to such strong storytellers as Ian Tyson, Don Edwards and more recent performers like fellow Canadian Corb Lund and Montana’s Wylie and the Wild West. A musical linage that runs back to artists like Wilf Carter and Marty Robbins and beyond,as these songs were often adaptions of much older tunes. 

He opened with one such ballad titled Old Paint.Credited in some sources to Woody Guthrie, the song actually has older antecedents.This was followed by “a song about change” The Trains Are GoneandJohn Beyers (Camaro Song),one of several taken from his most recent album SongsOf The Plains. Any notion thatthe lyrics and theme on the album were something of a passing phase were dismissed, as the new songs that he played were about Sam Colt and Fred Remington and practising throwing Houlihan’s(a cowboy roping method) with similar Western/Rodeo content. 

His long time band, all of whom were nuanced players, were Patrick Lyons on Dobro and pedal steel - standing out by largely taking the lead instrument role. The rhythm section of Jason Simpson on bass and Solly Levine on drums were subtle and in sync with the tempo and mood of each song. This was topped off by Jake Groves’ contribution on harmonica, an instrument which added a definite flavour and campfire feel to the proceedings. 

Along with his own songs he also covered a Ramblin’ Jack Elliott song and Hoyle Nix’s Big Balls In Cowtown. All of these went down well with the audience who were attentive throughout as Wall gave some detail to some of the songs they played. He seemed a little shy at times and limitedthe chat in favour of playingmore songs. At the end of the show rather than leave the stage for an encore and then after a while coming back, they played the penultimate song and then the encore, Ray Wylie Hubbard’s Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother with Belle Plaine and Blake Berglund joining in for the rousing chorus. Then they were gone leaving the audience wanting more and the feeling that Colter Wall will be back before too long to evoke a time and place that still exists and is lauded in song.

Review by Stephen Rapid Photography by Kaethe Burt O’Dea

C2C Festival @3 Arena, Dublin - Saturday 9th March 2019

The C2C Festival has always engendered a certain amount of controversy in certain quarters. The CMA (Country Music Association) has to be applauded for offering the audiences in Ireland and the UK the opportunity to see a wide variety of acts currently trading under “Country Music” umbrella. It has given the more traditionally minded amongst us the opportunity to see such artists as Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam and Marty Stuart.

It is debatable that this mixed billing is totally successful though, the line-up each night strives for some cohesion. In that light ,the only night of interest to Lonesome Highway was the Saturday night bill of Chris Stapleton, Lyle Lovett, Ashley McBryde and Drake White.

The timing of the event meant that White and his band had finished their set when this writer arrived at the venue. Ashley McBryde opened her set with her three-piece band, before performing a set of songs solo. She plays a lot of dates as an opening act in the US as a solo artist and she held the audience well given the size and nature of the venue. She formed a bond with the female section of the audience especially. Not one for the glitz and glamour of the party frock, McBryde in jeans and t-shirt, showed herself to be a real and sassy singer with a powerful voice and a set of songs to match. Once her band returned to the stage she brought the show to a close with songs from her recent album Girl Going Nowhere. After telling us tales of the ironic nature of the title and how her album was the biggest selling debut album last year, she made a sizeable impact on the audience and received substantial applause that bodes well for a return.

After a break the next act was the undeniable classy Lyle Lovett and His Quasi Cowboy Band. These were a skilled group of 8 musicians with a long association playing with Lovett. He thanked the CMA for bringing them over for these show as it would be difficult for many promoters to accommodate bringing so many musicians as a part of one act to Europe in normal circumstances, as well the fact the Lovett has not released a new album for some time.

These craftsmen included Victor Krauss on upright bass, Russ Kunkel (drums), Jim Cox (piano), Keith Sewell (mandolin and acoustic guitar), Luka Bulla (fiddle), Dean Parks (pedal steel), Ray Herndon (guitar) and the wonderful Francine Reed (vocals). The latter making a big impact with the audience when Lovett left the stage allowing Reed to sing an old Ida Cox song Wild Women Don’t Have The Blues.

Other songs included in the set were That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas), My Baby Don’t Tolerate, Pants Is Overrated, If I Had A Boat, Church, Here I Am which has that wonderful lyrical questioning that is indicative of Lovett’s interesting lyrical themes: “Given that true intellectual and emotional compatibility are at the very least difficult, if not impossible to come by, we could always opt for the more temporal gratification of sheer physical attraction.”

However, this may not have been an ideal venue for Lovett given the amount of audience talking that was to be heard during his set. None the less, for many, his set was the highlight of the evening proving again that his blend of country, jazz, gospel and more is very special indeed. The final song, by “one of his songwriting heroes,” was a uptempo version of Townes van Zandt’s White Freight Liner Blues which had various members of band singing a verse. It was a perfect closing number of what was an undoubted highlight of the C2C events to date.

Headliner Chris Stapleton was greeted by wild applause and the range of age and gender of his fans was telling. Around us were several women singing every word of his songs. They were having a good time. However, this reviewer found the sound somewhat muddy and overloud overall. The bass drum was dominating the sound of the first few numbers making it difficult to hear the guitar or vocals clearly. More effective was a set of songs played on his acoustic guitar. Stapleton’s opening slot at a previous C2C event was in some ways more effective. Here, with a longer set length, the songs began to blend into each other as the tempo and sound was very similar. Stapleton’s heavily pregnant wife Morgane joined the trio at several times in the set to add harmony vocals though they were also, at times, hard to discern in the mix.

The material was drawn largely from his threealbums and including Parachute which is built around a memorable stand -out guitar riff, Tennessee Whiskey and Traveller all taken from his million selling album of that name. I have enjoyed all Stapleton albums but, in truth, found this live experience less effective. The live trio of Stapleton, bassist J.T. Cure and drummer Derek Mixon (his usual live band who also play on the albums) have an obvious rapport but it lacked a little light and shade that might have been helped by the addition of a couple more players. However,this mattered little to his many fans in the 3 Arena this night who loved every minute of Stapleton’s distinctive vocals and fluent guitar playing.

The evening did little to change the conundrum of trying to be all things to all people and trying to define the contradictions of the traditional and the contemporary. However hopefully everybody who attended went away having found something they sought from the event.

Review by Stephen Rapid All photography by Ronnie Norton.

Hayseed Dixie @The Empire, Belfast - Sat 2nd March 2019

When the Hayseed Dixie caravan rolled back into Belfast for their gig in the The Empire on Saturday March 2nd, Lonesome Highway had the pleasure of hanging out with them for a few hours. Despite their public image of mayhem and madness, they are actually a bunch of serious multiinstrumentalists with backgrounds in country, bluegrass and rock music. 

John Wheeler (aka Barley Scotch) is the mastermind behind the whole concept - one he devised 19 years ago with several other Nashville based musicians, and he has since been rightly credited with creating a new genre called ‘RockGrass’. Although they are best known for their breakneck bluegrass covers of AC/DC and other classic rock bands, John has also written original songs for their 15 studio albums. He ‘tries not to stand on a soap box politically’, but scratch the surface and you find he’s a deep thinker, intelligent, politically and socially aware - hence our interview ranged well beyond music to the state of the world (including of course the dreaded topic of Brexit). Although initially the band did well in the US, they tend to concentrate their touring these days in Europe, because it is more financially viable on the club circuit which they inhabit. As a prolific songwriter, John has another album’s worth of material ready to record but this time he’s road testing a few of them so that they can evolve naturally, until the band can organise some studio time. Always ready for a new challenge, John recorded a whole album of songs in Norwegian, just for the heck of it!

Jake Byers (aka Bakesnake) on acoustic bass is the next longest standing member of the band. He moved from his native Florida to Nashville in the 90s where he toured with several country bands and played many sessions. He has now found his niche with this band, and takes full part in his stage persona, hamming it up with the best of them. He credits their sound engineer with getting the huge sound out of the bass, which Jake plays with skill and complete abandon.

Surprisingly, Hippy Joe Hymas hails from Essex, where he’s been immersed in music “since the cot”. He started off playing guitar in metals bands as a teenager, but then he got turned on to bluegrass when he heard the Dillards, and never looked back. He is a monster on the mandolin, but also plays guitar, banjo and bass. When he’s not touring with Hayseed Dixie, he’s home in Essex teaching music. Well known to Irish audiences, Tim Carter has been the band’s resident banjo player for the last five years. Tim and brother Danny are NC natives but they now live in Nashville where Tim runs his TreeHouse studio. As well as their Carter Brothers Band, which is a musical fusion of their love of both rock and bluegrass, Tim has played banjo with well known artists like Alison Brown and  Hank Williams III. He’s hoping to bring his band on the road soon and Ireland is one of his favourite places to play. Keep and eye on Lonesome Highway for news of that tour and for a review of Tim’s latest solo album, Wishes.

The sold out audience in the Empire (a lovely historic venue which started life as a Victorian theatre, was then used as a church in the 50s, until it was restored to its former glory in the 90s) left one in no doubt as to the continuing popularity of Hayseed Dixie. The loyal fans covered a wide age spectrum - from their 20’s to at least their 60’s - and all were up for the good natured fun which was emanating from the stage. The performance was full on, with no holds barred. The band demonstrated tremendous physical energy with hardly a gap between songs for the almost 2 hour set. The only breaks were for some testifying call and responses from John to the audience, who duly responded enthusiastically en masse - they knew the score. The AC/DC and Motörhead covers were greeted with the most enthusiasm, as also was the exhilarating version of Bohemian Rhapsody, complete with Hippy John Hymas’s unbelievable mandolin breaks and Tim Carter’s falsetto. Also particularly welcomed were the original songs Corn Liquor andPoop In A Jar, as well as Toto’s Eye Of The Tiger. And off the caravan rolled to continue their punishing six week tour of Ireland, England and mainland Europe. Never fear, they’ll be back in your area soon.

Review and photograph by Eilís Boland

Americana Fest UK @ Hackney, London - 29th/30th January 2019

Americana Fest UK was staged over three days in Hackney, London. Kicking off on Tuesday 29thJanuary, the festival included two nights of live showcases from a range of acts both local and international and closed with the Awards Show at The Hackney Empire on the final night.

Lonesome Highway descended on a cold, wintery Hackney via Stansted Airport mid-morning Tuesday and spent two action packed days, meeting old and new friends and listening to some quality music courtesy of quite a range of acts, all wedged into that increasingly populated Americana pigeon hole. As has been the case in The States, the Americana brand in the U.K. has given many artists, previously difficult to categorise, a musical community and an outlet to have their music exposed to a wider audience. The various sets at this year’s festival were staged across five venues, all within walking distance and presenting six acts each evening, all allocated thirty-five-minute slots.

Our first port of call was Night Tales to collect wrist bands and catch some live music. The venue is located beneath railway arches and describes itself as a Bohemia Palace, which is fairly spot on. It’s a mixture of an outdoor garden area, with covered and uncovered sections and a comfortable music room. With the air temperature barely above freezing in the outdoor area and indeed also in the music room, the most impressive Rachel Baiman and her two-piece band warmed the crowd up with a set mostly taken from her excellent 2017 album Shame. Rachel had performed a memorable set at Kilkenny Roots last year when she was touring with Molly Tuttle and it was a pleasure to catch up again with the bubbly and engaging young Chicago born multi-instrumentalist. Her show had not originally been listed in the programme, nor had Grammy Winner and former Old Crow Medicine Show dignitary Chance McCoy, who took the stage next. We had intended moving venues at that time but McCoy had us rooted to the spot with his rootsy mix of folk and indie. He’s scheduled to release his debut solo album later this year which will be very much on the Lonesome Highway radar. 

With two overseas acts under our belts it was time for a change of scenery and an artist from closer to home. Well, Glasgow to be exact, where Martha L. Healy hails from. She has turned quite a lot of heads with her current release Keep The Flame Alight, with comparisons to Gretchen Peters and Nanci Griffith. Recorded in Nashville the album continues to garner very positive reviews and her set at Paper Dress Vintage was well attended. A really quirky and interesting venue, the shop doubles as a vintage clothing boutique during the day and bar/music venue in the evening. Forty-five minutes later after a quick dash through the driving rain and sleet and we were back at Night Tales for the appearance of Caroline Spence. Another young artist that has impressed us in recent years she performed with an accompanying guitarist and played a particularly impressive set, despite the distraction of the many "talkers" in the room, an annoying feature that in fairness, rarely raised its head at other showcases we attended over the few days.

Previous winners of The Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent Competition,London band TheTreetop Flyers, were the attraction across the road at Oslo, another impressive venue on the circuit. Their self-titled third album hit the Lonesome Highway spot last year and their set certainly did it justice. Kicking in somewhere between folk and indie the material sounds as impressive from stage as it does on album from a razor-sharp live band. One of the most eagerly anticipated artists playing in Hackney was Carson McHone. The young lady from Austin Texas has been signed by the Loose label and had the European release of her brilliant album Carousel a few weeks previously. The album had been out in The States since the autumn and featured highly in our Best of 2018 listings. Playing solo and to a large crowd, the diminutive McHone silenced the crowd at Oslo to pin drop levels one song into her set and proceeded to complete one of the festival performance highlights with standout tracks from the album,including Sad, Drugs and Maybe They’re Just Really Good Friends. Quick dash back to Night Tales to catch another of our favourites, Birds of Chicago, for the second half of their set. Performing as a three-piece Alison and J.T. are joined on stage by their partner in crime, the multi-instrumentalist Steve Dawson and bring the house down with their signature mix of roots and gospel delights. Such is the party atmosphere at Night Tales that plans to venture to some of the other venues dissipate and the decision is made to stay put for the final two acts scheduled. First up for the ten thirty slot are fiddle driven and, in your face, Noble Jacks, who have been building up a head of steam in recent years with their energetic shows. Tonight’s no exception and if the temperature was at zero a few hours previously, it’s risen noticeably by the energy and feet shuffling that they manage to generate. Often outspoken about many of the sub genres muscling in under the ‘country’ heading, it was more out of curiosity than burning desire that had me up front for the final act of the evening, Gangstagrass. A bluegrass and hip-hop fusion who claim to aim for the lovers of both Ralph Stanley and Jay- Z, they certainly know how to throw a party with bursts of raging fiddle followed by frontman Producer Ranch’s machine gun vocals. They don’t manage to win me over entirely but to their credit they are electric in the live setting.

An interview with Carson McHone commenced day two’s musical adventures. Facilitated by Tom Bridgewater of the Loose Record Label, thirty minutes passed in a flash chatting to the engaging and articulate McHone, hearing of her career to date and her ambitions and hopes for the future. Her enthusiasm was admirable and I’ve no doubt she has the skillset to firmly establish herself as a leading light in Americana music going forward. A pit stop for food meant missing The Blue Highways set but feedback on them was very positive. With so much music on offer hard choices had to be made and it was decided to hang out for the rest of the evening at Oslo and take in the five acts programmed for the night. Michaela Anne, an artist well known to Lonesome Highway, was the first of the night. We have been well impressed by her appearances at Americana Fest in Nashville over the years and also seeing her play guitar and backing vocals with both Sam Outlaw and J.P. Harris. On this occasion, she played with a pick-up band and included material from her debut album, together with a recent co-write with Sam Outlaw. After a few sound problems at first, she got firmly into her stride doing what she does best, belting out traditional country. Sam Morrow has been making a lot of waves over the past six months and he’s currently on a U.K. tour with his band. His first two albums had him earmarked as a potential breakthrough Americana artist but his more recent album, Concrete And Mud, and his performance in Hackney gave the vibe of an artist heading down a more southern rock sideroad, with a lot of thumbs up to 70’s bands Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Marshall Tucker Band. Looking and sounding the part, it was good, old fashioned rock and roll. 

Ethan Johns is rightly hailed as musical royalty in the U.K. given his production work with everyone from Ryan Adams to Paul Mc Cartney, but he’s also an exceptionally good musician, writer and gatherer of crack musicians to share a stage with him. His band The Black-Eyed Dogs varies in personnel, dependant on peoples work commitments. I had not seen him perform live before and his thirty-five minutes on stage was the highlight of the festival for me. More a jam session than a structured set, the final twelve minutes was a blistering Crazy Horse like rendition of Gillian Welch’s Revelator, with John’s and Chris Hillman’s guitar onslaughts and Jeremy’s Stacey’s drumming a joy to behold!

Ethan Johns has produced the new William The Conqueror album, Bleeding On The Track, to be released later in the month, so it was fitting that the three piece should follow Johns’ set with a triumphant one of their own. The band, fronted by Ruarri Joseph, often find shelter under the Americana umbrella but their sound travels far beyond such a simple description. Blues, traditional rock and 70’s New York punk sounds all combined to create another festival highlight. They play Kilkenny Roots in May, another opportunity to see a band that improve every time I see them play. With only one set left before the shutters came down at Oslo, who better to bring the curtain down but Bennett Wilson Poole. What started as weekend jams for these gents last year has elevated them to one of the most enjoyed live acts on the U.K. and Ireland circuit and their debut album was far from shabby too! Sweet harmonies, jangling guitars, thumping drums and pulsing bass guitar, but most of all the biggest smiling faces treated us to another celebration of what we all love about live music. Ask Me Anything, Wilson’s General Store, That Thing Called Love etc, etc never sounded better and a spectacular end to a couple of fun filled days that reallybrought the house down.

There were so many other acts that we would have loved to catch in addition to the Awards Show the following evening, which we missed. Such a pleasure to meet with so many of our festival-going friends from U.K., Germany, Spain, Ireland and The States together with the many musicians, PR folk, record label and radio people and indeed musicians,which continue to make this musical merry go round such an endless and thrilling journey. A great introduction to an exceptionally well organised festival that most certainly will be in our diary for next year and hopefully many years to follow.

Review and photos by Declan Culiton

TradFest 2019 Final Concert @ Dublin Castle - 27th January 2019

The final concert of this year’s TradFest featured three acoustic acts all of whom were all on form. The opening act was Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards who are essentially a string quartet playing roots and Americana music. The line up of two fiddles, upright bass and cello was used effectively to play such diverse directions as cajun and Appalachian tunes that were all delivered with a sense of fun alongside the obvious instrumental skills. All four also featured on vocals as the song required. One song was, we were informed, about procreation and prophylactics. They also mentioned that things were little weird in their country right now! But that was balanced with a query as to what the members of the audience felt was their most romantic album choice. They wanted to discuss this at the merchandising table after their performance and it seems that there were may who wanted to express their choices and talk to the band.

Next up was Teddy Thompson. He was appearing solo and in that capacity showed himself to be a fine guitarist as well, as a powerful singer and off the cuff raconteur. Choosing a selection of songs from albums that were prefaced with some humorous comment he noted that he was not exactly a traditional artist but he was, none-the-less, glad to be appearing in “this antiseptic ballroom.” A lot of the songs seemed from his pointed comments to deal with failed relationships. Songs about “not getting the one you want” or of attempts to “stick it” to the one you did have at one point. He has a new album ready for release later in the year and features a new song from that. His final song was “as upbeat as my beat gets” he joked before leaving the stage to much applause.

Headliner Jerry Douglas came stage full of upbeat anecdotes but was cut short by some technical problems with his Dobro. That was sorted relatively quickly and he told us that his last visit to Dublin was with Alison Krauss and that was “amazing” and he hoped this would be too. He opened with a song from the man who inspired him, namely Josh Graves, before moving on to some of his other favourite bluegrass players. Such as Jimi Hendrix’s version of Hey Joe which Douglas sang in a voice suited to the song. This was followed by a medley of tunes that he noted had been, in part, inspired by the likes of Davy Spillane and Moving Hearts. Other writers who he performed versions of their songs were Paul Simon and Chick Corea. He related again that he had always loved being in Ireland. He finished his set with an uptempo instrumental before being called back for an encore and deciding that a slow song would be best as he didn’t want anyone driving home too fast after an uptempo song, so he played his version of Both Sides Now. He then suggested that we could turn to our significant other and say “wasn’t that a nice concert.”

Review by Stephen Rapid  Photography by Kaethe Burt O'Dea

The Remedy Club @ The Hot Spot, Greystones - Sun 27th Jan 2019

The Remedy Club have been local favourites on the Irish music scene for a number of years now. Over this time, both Aileen Mythen and KJ McEvoy have achieved quite a reputation for their music, which was enhanced with the release of the critically acclaimed Lovers, Legends & Lost Causes album in 2017. 

Their live performances have always drawn plenty of interest and their stage presence is fused with an energy and musicality that delivers real quality. This gig at the Hot Spot in Greystones was further evidence of their combined talents and was also a fundraiser for an upcoming trip to Nashville where they are due to record their follow up album.

The full room at the venue was very encouraging, given that the gig was an early one with a 5.00pm start, and the age spread among the audience is proof that their terrific music reaches all ears and all ages. Focusing mainly on their debut release, the duo performs nine of the songs that appeared on the album with I Miss You, Big Ol’ Fancy, When Tom Waits Up and Bottom Of The Hill receiving a warm reaction.

There are always a few cover versions included in their set list and this evening we are treated to Heartbreak Hotel and I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry. Taking on both Elvis and Hank Williams could lead to self-sabotage but not when Aileen and KJ are at the controls. Both deliver performances that are completely convincing and vibrant; whether its Aileen impressing on vocals and percussion or KJ thrilling with his superb mastery of the guitar and his inventive soloing on top of the rhythms created.

A rendition of the old blues standard, It Hurts Me Too, is a stand out and the encore includes a song with support act Conor O’Donnell (guitar) & Robin Kelly (upright bass), followed by a great performance from Aileen on This Is Love, an appropriate sentiment on which to end the show.

Conor O’Donnell opened the evening and included a number of songs from his debut release, Come On In. The album was recorded with producers Garvan Gallagher and Gavin Glass at Orphan Records. Conor is a very assured singer and his Roots/Americana sound is very appealing with plenty of interesting songs, performed with a quiet confidence throughout his set.

The Hot Spot continues to be a very important venue and their motto of ‘keeping live music alive’ is one that deserves full support in order to keep giving local acts the opportunity to bring their music to an audience. Congratulations to Ailbhe on all her hard work and promotion of live music in the Greystones area. It is only a short journey on the Dart from Dublin city centre and deserves all the support you can give it.

And, to finish on support, it is not too late to assist The Remedy Club in their efforts to crowdfund the next album. There are plenty of interesting offers/options to attract your support and full details are available at https://fundit.ie/project/the-remedy-club---new-album.

Review and photograph by Paul McGee

Dori Freeman St Michans Church, Dublin 24th Jan 2019 / TradFest

This was Dori Freeman’s first time to play in Ireland and as her grandmother’s name was Dooley that connection made this trip to Ireland special for her. The impressive setting of St Michan’s may have been slightly nerve wracking at first but she soon settled in and played an 18 song set full of recorded tracks from her two albums and a selection of those which seemed right for the moment. She was ably accompanied by her husband Nick Falk on a small but versatile drum kind as well as banjo and excellent harmony vocals. She was wearing the white Manuel-style jacket she wore on the cover of her last album Letters Never Read. She started the set with that album’s opening song If I Could Make You My Own before playing some new songs from her upcoming third album. In this setting of acoustic guitar, percussion and vocals the immediate impression was of a slightly more country sounding direction than previously. 

Falk noted that they didn’t play bluegrass but were partial to some old time and gospel songs. A number of which they included in the performance. Which also included a Doc Watson song You Must Come In At The Door, another cover was the song Pretty Little Martha as well as their take on the Louvin Brother’s song Today. They had, she explained, something of a penchant for sad songs in their set. However, that said, it was still a warm and uplifting evening even if the hard back pews were a little uncomfortable on the rear and back.

You Say from her debut self-titled album was she told us was her most played song on Spotify (over 2 million plays) with all the attendant lack of royalties that come from streaming services. Freeman has a clear and engaging voice that was well suited the venue acoustics and the sound was good through the evening. She had recorded a song on the second album that was written by her grandfather Willard Greyheart titled Erin & Zorry’s Sneakin Bitin’ Dog which was a tale of an inhospitable mutt. He was hale and hearty and she had just recorded an album with him that she noted had titled out “real well.” It was due out shortly and sound like one to watch out for. As does her third album also due out later this year. Another old song included in the set and on her last album was Yonder Comes A Sucker an early Jim Reeves song that is not without a sense of tongue-in-cheekness. She also played Merle Haggard’s The Worst Is Yet To Come. The encore was a Baptist tune “one that you can dance to” titled Heavenly Sunlight. That seems an appropriate ending to the evening of music in a church. Even if as Falk noted that it was the fist one he’d been in where they were giving a free beer at the door on your way in! 

The evening opened with a short set from noted musician, broadcaster and compere Niall Toner with a his current four piece band. That included upright bass, dobro, mandolin, banjo and guitar. They played a number of Toner’s compositions including Lock & Key, Railroad Dreams and William Smith Monroe. Toner gave the fine band their head with a couple of fiery instrumentals. Toner has been at the forefront of homegrown bluegrass in Ireland for many a year and shows no signs of slowing down as he continues to spread the word.

NB: Both artists can also be seen playing at this years Kilkenny Roots Festival over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Review by Stephen Rapid   Photography by Kaethe Burt O'Dea

The Delines @ Liberty Hall, Dublin - 25th January 2019

‘I can’t wait to be like I used to be, Oh let’s be us again’ Amy Boone sings on the closing encore this evening. Written from a different context on the song Let’s Be Us Again from The Delines recently released album The Imperial, the lyrics also sum up the torturous road Boone has travelled in recent years and – against all the odds – her remarkable recovery. 

Willy Vlautin has become a household name as an accomplished novelist of late, with his tales of the marginalised and real-life characters down on their luck, trying to survive, often with little hope. Amy Boone, the frontperson in The Delines, could be a character plucked from a Vlautin novel, given her extraordinary past four years. Originally a member of The Damnations, where she played piano, bass, wurlitzer together with lead vocals, Vlautin was so impressed by her vocals that he invited her to accompany Richmond Fontaine on tour promoting their 2011 album The High Country.

In the process of disbanding Richmond Fontaine, Vlautin was convinced that Boone’s emotive vocals were the ideal vehicle to continue bringing his stories to life, and duly formed The Delines, also bringing long-time RF drummer Sean Oldham along for the ride.  Their debut album Colfax was released in 2014, a departure from RF’s core sound, it ventured more in the direction of country soul and was particularly well received by the music press. A European tour followed together with the release of a limited addition CD Scenic Sessions, only available for purchase at their gigs at that time. The band began working on their next album in 2016 but were abruptly halted when Boone was involved in an horrific accident, when struck by a car while walking in a car park, resulting in two severely fractured legs and leaving her in an incapacitated state for over two years. The completion of the album was put on hold while she dealt with multiple procedures, in an effort to restore her mobility. In the final stages of her recovery the finishing touches to the album, The Imperial, were completed and a tour of Ireland and the U.K. was arranged on the album’s release.

Liberty Hall in Dublin was the fourth show of the tour and was, to say the least, a resounding success. Despite Boone’s traumatic past few years which has resulted in mobility difficulties, her performance was outstanding, displaying a confidence in both her vocals and stage presence so far removed from her previous appearance in Dublin, where by her own admission, she was as nervous as a kitten on stage! The completion of the album and the subsequent positive reaction from audiences on the tour appears to have liberated and energised Boone and her vocal performance from the opener and album title track The Imperial, to the final encore and appropriately named Let’s Be Us Again, are simply breath-taking.

Inevitable – and in many ways unfair – comparisons are made between Richmond Fontaine and The Delines. In reality they could hardly be further apart, the only common denominator being Vlautin’s prodigious writing.  Boone’s vocal capability this evening recalls the classic chanteuse Dusty Springfield and indeed Bobby Gentry. Big statement perhaps, but her delivery of the aforementioned The Imperial, Oil Rigs At Night and He Don’t Burn For Me, to name check only three songs, are simply gorgeous. Credit also to the sound engineer, with each instrument and vocal crystal clear throughout the set, whether it be Boone’s vocals, Freddie Trujillo’s bass, Vlautin’s guitar, Sean Oldham’s drums and in particular, Cory Gray on keyboards and trumpet. The added bonus for the show was the addition of our own David Murphy, guesting on pedal steel, as he often does  when Willy Vlautin is in town.  

Colfax may have been a hard act to follow but their presentations of That Old Haunted Place, Cheer Up Charley, Holly The Hustle and Where Are You Sonny reinforce just how worthy a successor the current album is. Straying somewhat more deeply into country soul, its raises the band to altogether loftier heights than previously, not only in their delivery but also the quality of the song writing. Favourites from Colfax are also included, I Won’t Slip Up, The Oil Rigs At Night and the title track, together with Gold Dreaming from Scenic Sessions. 

The Delines were, understandably, considered to be Willy Vlautin’s band and it’s noticeable and commendable how he – and the other band members - have deliberately taken  a background role as simply  band members,  allowing and encouraging Boone to take centre stage and Vlautin’s satisfaction is all too obvious during the performance, a beaming smile across his face at the audiences reaction from the onset. Vlautin’s writing and characters seldom have happy endings. Fortunately, Amy Boone’s horror tale is in many ways the reverse. It’s a triumph in the wake of extreme misfortune and it was a pleasure to join her and the band in a celebration of that this evening. It’s not often you leave a show with memories that linger for days and leave you yearning for more. Fortunately, The Delines return for two more dates at Kilkenny Roots in May. I’m reminded of the beaming grin across Vlautin’s face at the end of the show and expect most punters attending the show left with a similar expression.

Review by Declan Culliton  Photographs by Kaethe Burt O'Dea