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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review and photography byPaul McGee

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review and photograph by Paul McGee

East Side of The Cumberland @ AmericanaFest 2024

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

DEES COCKTAIL LOUNGE

Bob Sumner

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

Amanda Fields

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

Jon Byrd with Paul Niehaus

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

Kimmi Bitter

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

Gabe Lee

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

India Ramey

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

THE VINYL TAP

JP Harris

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

The Watson Twins

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

THE 5 SPOT

Kristina Murray

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

Emily Nenni

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

Jess Nolan

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

THE BOWERY/VAULT

Ben de la Cour

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

JANE’S HIDEAWAY

Caitlin Cannon

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

List of acts that we saw

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

Overview and photography by Declan Culliton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review by Eilís Boland  Photographs by Julie-Ann Rouquette

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

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

Andrew Combs

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

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

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

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

Review and photograph by Declan Culliton

Jake Xerxes Fussell

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

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

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

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

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

Review by Paul McGee Photograph by Declan Culliton

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review and photo by Eilís Boland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review and image by Declan Culliton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review by Paul Mcgee. Photograph by John Melrose

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Report and photos by Eilís Boland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review by Paul McGee

49 Winchester @ the 3Olympia, Dublin – 1st June 2024

Finishing a brief European tour in Dublin is a cause for some celebration according to Isacc Gibson, chief songwriter and lead vocalist with Virginia based six-piece 49 Winchester. It’s been a run of thirteen shows, visiting eight different countries across seventeen days of hard graft. Nothing new to the band of course as they base their growing reputation around a hard work ethic and a strong sense of unity among the members.

Founded as a three-piece back in 2014, the guitar skills of Isaac Gibson, Chase Chafin and Brandon “Bus” Shelton came together as home town friends looking for a creative outlet for their youthful energy. Their debut album started a momentum that carried through to subsequent releases in 2018 and 2020, with additional players Noah Patrick and Dillon Cridin joining the line-up. Their breakthrough came in 2022 and the release of FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE an appropriate album title for the band who then gained a greater profile from supporting Luke Combs on a European tour. A total of sixteen dates in Sept/Oct 2023 started a buzz about the band outside of their American audiences and tonight they get to build upon their growing international profile.

The current line-up comprises founding members Isaac Gibson (vocals, guitar), Bus Shelton (lead guitar), Chase Chafin (bass) with Noah Patrick (pedal steel) and more recent members Tim Hall (piano, organ, keyboards), and Justin Louthian (drums). Over a set that lasts ninety minutes the band produce a high energy sound that covers nineteen songs, including the encore Hillbilly Happy which is due to feature on a new release later this year, LEAVIN’ THIS HOLLER. In total the band play six songs from the forthcoming album and they all sit seamlessly into the signature sound that has been honed over recent years of playing together. If you want a signpost then think along the lines of early Lynyrd Skynyrd crossed with a lead singer that sounds very much from the Chris Stapleton school of impressive vocalists.

The majority of the set is taken from the FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE release and seven songs are featured including the title track, All I Need, Annabel, Damn Darlin’ and the set closer Last Call. Crowd favourite Russell County Line is also included from the same album and it’s always a good sign for the band to see so many in the audience singing along to the words. The set list also includes five songs from the 2020 release III, with Chemistry and Hays, Kansas opening the show and the trio of It's A Shame, Everlasting Lover and Long Hard Life performed also.

There is no doubting the fire within the band, but tonight they are let down by a very muddy sound that results in a distorted mix on the instruments. The pedal steel really struggled to be heard at all, while the drum and bass were very dominant in the overall sound. As a result, a number of the songs suffered from that cruel fate of sounding the same, guitars fighting for space and the rhythm section driving an unchanging beat pattern. The keyboard sound also lost out during certain songs as the musicians strove to deliver their performance dynamic. Much rests on the shoulders of Isaac Gibson, in that he is the sole vocalist and the only member who attempts regular communication with the less than capacity audience. He is a fine vocalist and his energy was certainly something that resonated with the crowd. Hopefully on a return visit the band can solidify even greater support and deliver upon their obvious promise.

Coda: The evening started with the advertised support act Drayton Farley not appearing. No mention was made of his absence and perhaps he had caught an early flight back to America as this was the last date of the European leg of the tour? In any event, we were given local Irish singer Saibh Skelly as a late replacement and she made quite an impression over her short set that included both original songs and cover versions. She spoke about starting out by busking on Grafton Street and building up a strong social media support. Her fine voice and bubbly character endeared her to the crowd and she admitted that she’s “not really country” but had purchased a pair of cowboy boots especially for the performance.

Review and photos by Paul McGee

Carter Sampson @ The Betsey Trotwood - 31st May 2024

Despite a challenging journey from Oklahoma via Denver and Newark, with delayed flights and lost luggage, Carter Sampson's performance at The Betsey is a testament to her resilience. The unique basement setting, nestled within the iconic pub and event venue, adds a touch of intimacy to her set, which is performed to a captivated audience in pin-drop silence. The only sonic distraction is the occasional rumble of the underground trains that run parallel to the venue, adding a unique element to the experience.

It's the opening date of Carson's sixteen-date whistle-stop UK tour, and her set includes selections from her most recent studio recording, GOLD, a dip into her extensive back catalogue of songs, and a couple that bring back cherished childhood memories.

'I almost feel high, despite being completely sober', she jokes, referring to the torturous travel experience getting to the UK before appropriately opening with the confessional Drunk Text. She closes ninety minutes later with Blue River, performed off mic and described as her favourite song ever.  Personal anecdotes like those shared by Carter throughout the evening added a layer of relatability to her performance.

Drawing from the previously mentioned album GOLD, she includes the title track, an ode to her mother, who, despite fifteen rebellious years, remains her best friend and mentor. Also performed is the closing track from that album, There's Always Next Year, described as a pandemic song.

Ten Penny Nail recalls an incident where Townes Van Zandt allegedly barricaded himself – no doubt fuelled by his favourite tipple – into a room in Guy Clark's house after a drunken altercation involving the pair and Guy's wife, Susanna. Hello Darlin', she confesses, was written by Zac Copeland because her own love songs are too complicated; she also includes another Copeland song, Tulsa, and Rattlesnake Kate, both from her 2018 album, LUCKY. The latter, Carter's favourite song to perform, is a thumbs up to the independent wild woman, Katherine Slaughterback, whose claim to fame includes killing one hundred and forty rattlesnakes in one day, among other badass triumphs. Other highlights include Be My Wildwood Flower and Medicine River, the Shel Silverstein-written Queen of The Silver Dollar and, of course, Carter's anthem, Queen of Oklahoma ('I spent eighteen years trying to get out of there but still feel homesick when I'm away').

All in all, this is a riveting and relaxing listening experience from an artist whose material explores a wide range of issues, from deeply personal to observational. The good news is that she announced that she will return to this side again next year with a band.

The evening support act, Sheffield-based Banjo Jen, delivered a highly entertaining set. Her performance included her two most recent singles, Whiskey Feet and Fine Line, showcasing her musical talent and witty storytelling. Her sweet banjo strumming and engaging tales added to the overall enjoyment of the evening.

It was Lonesome Highway's first visit to The Betsey, which greatly supports often lesser-known artists and bands. It's a gem of a pub with three music rooms, great food and refreshments, and friendly staff, and one that I look forward to returning to. A final mention to the promoters Martin and Marion of Black Cat Music Promotions, who continue to provide essential support to roots artists both at home and abroad and gift audiences with memorable evenings like this one.

Review and photos by Declan Culliton

Hurray For The Riff Raff @ The Button Factory, Dublin, 10th May 2024

It’s sixteen years since a young Alynda Segarra first arrived in Ireland. Alongside New Orleans-based fellow vagabonds, christened Hurray For The Riff Raff, Segarra charmed crowds at the back room of Cleere’s Pub in Kilkenny and passers-by on the streets of Galway. Segarra, who identifies as non-binary, continues to front the band, which has gone through numerous line-up changes since those early days.

Subsequent visits back to Ireland have seen them play to increasingly larger audiences, and tonight’s show at The Button Factory was sold out within days of the gig being announced. Their last performance in Ireland was two years ago at Whelan’s when they toured the LIFE ON EARTH album, which drilled into American colonialism and other world issues. This time, the focus is on their most recent project, THE PAST IS ALIVE, arguably their finest and most cohesive record, playing out like memoirs from Segarra’s childhood to the present day.

As the band delves into the new record, Segarra's heavily Brooklyn-accented ‘Go Raibh Maith Agat’ greets the crowd, a personal touch that immediately connects with the audience. They express their pride in the latest project, which they promise to feature in its entirety during the show. Segarra, in a previous interview, described the album as ‘an exercise in memory excavation’, a journey that takes the audience through cherished and deeply personal memories.

The opening song, Alibi, a plea to a hopelessly drug-addicted friend, sets the scene for the fifteen-song full-on show from Segarra and their four-piece backing band.  Happier childhood memories are recalled in Snakeplant, and other stand-out selections from the recent album include Hawkmoon, Vetiver and Colossus of Roads.  This year celebrates the tenth anniversary of their album SMALL TOWN HEROES. Segarra includes The Body Electric from that album, describing it as a game-changing song that directed their songwriting in a more philosophical direction. Also dipping into their back catalogue is a driving delivery of Rhododendron from LIFE ON EARTH and also from that album, Saga, which Segarra explains was written at a time when they were locked into an abusive relationship (‘I don’t want this to be the saga of my life / I just want to be free’). The mid-tempo Hourglass finds Segarra taking a breather and performing the song seated centre stage on a stool, before closing the set with gorgeous deliveries of The World Is Dangerous and, appropriately, with the closing song from the new album, Ogallala. 

Of course, there is more to come, and they close out with a two-song encore. Acknowledging the ongoing support they have received in Ireland for the past sixteen years, Look Out Mama (‘I haven’t played this song in over a year’) is performed acoustically before a roof-raising finale of Segarra’s manifesto and, by now, anthem, Pal’ante. It’s a fitting end to a triumphant return to Dublin by an artist previously described by us at Lonesome Highway some years ago as ‘a young Patti Smith’. That characterisation becomes more and more authentic with each subsequent stage appearance and studio recording.

By way of a footnote, thumbs up to promoters Singular Artists, who, together with the more prominent acts that they promote, continue to support lesser-known roots-based music at affordable prices. Anyone fortunate enough to have attended tonight would have forked out less than the price of three pints in any of the local pubs in Temple Bar, or, indeed, tonight’s venue.

Review and photo by Declan Culliton

Muireann Bradley @ CQAF, Belfast - 7th May 2024

Unless you’ve been hiding under the proverbial stone for the last year, you will be aware of the hype surrounding Donegal seventeen year old, Muireann Bradley (pronounced ‘mwirren’), who started guitar lessons with her father at an early age and diligently worked on her impressive technique during lockdown. Her appearance on Jools Holland’s famous New Year Hootenanny in Dec 2023 catapulted her into the public consciousness in the UK and Ireland, and indeed worldwide, thanks to the reach of YouTube. She has single handedly raised the awareness of guitar finger picking in the country blues, ragtime and folk blues styles, with a three finger technique that leaves other guitar players scratching their heads. 

However, will she live up to the hype tonight? This is her Belfast debut and also her biggest ever audience in the sold out 650 seat capacity marquee at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, in Custom House Square. We needn’t have feared. Despite her obvious trepidation and nervous giggles (‘there’s a wile lot of yous!’) Bradley lost herself in her playing as soon as she picked up her guitar and proceeded to treat the audience to 90 mins of pure gold. The fifteen songs were taken mainly from her debut album I KEPT THESE OLD BLUES and the reverent audience gave her their full attention to the end, which in itself was quite remarkable. Candyman, first recorded by the Reverend Gary Davis in the 1930s, showed her mastery of the Piedmont (N Carolina) style of guitar picking and also introduced us to her clear, true, sweet but powerful voice. Another Rev. Gary Davis song Delia followed soon after, but Muireann explained that she got it from the playing of Roy Bookbinder and Stefan Grossman, which her father introduced to her growing up. There were several Mississippi John Hurt songs, including Richland Woman Blues and the classic Stagolee murder ballad. Elizabeth Cotten, another North Carolinian and hugely influential folk/blues guitar picker and songwriter is clearly a big influence and Muireann played and sang Freight Train and Shake Sugaree with abandon. 

Mostly playing her custom S model guitar built for her by Armagh luthier Ciaran McNally, she also included instrumentals like John Fahey’s version of Buck Dancer’s Choice and Vestapol (which was ‘the first tune she learned on guitar’ - so much for the House of The Rising Sun!). Memphis Minnie provided two tunes, and Dave Van Ronk’s Green Rocky Road provided a welcome change in tempo and style. 

If anyone noticed the utter dichotomy of this young Irish teen singing about brothels, domestic violence, gambling, alcoholism and murder, then it didn’t seem to affect the enthusiasm of the audience - and sure, why would it? Perhaps this is part of her charm. All eyes will be on this talented young woman now to see how her career progresses, but we’ll be seeing more of her, for sure.

Support on the night was from another young Donegal guitar whizz, Eoghan Rainey - is there something in the water up there?! 

Review and photograph by Eilís Boland

The Paper Kites @ Vicar Street, Dublin – 29th April 2024

Melbourne is home to the Paper Kites and the band formed back in 2009 when lead vocalist/guitarist Sam Bentley and keyboardist/guitarist Christina Lacy decided to take their collaborations in music to the next stage. They added the talents of school friends Sam Rasmussen, David Powys and Josh Bentley to the collective and the group now proudly boast a considerable following across the Globe. With six albums and a few EPs to their name the Paper Kites arrive in Dublin to kick-off a European tour that visits nine different countries and eighteen dates over a three week run.

A strong work ethic and years spent building a reputation for quality songwriting and dynamic live performance are clearly evident tonight as the band deliver a hugely impressive set to a sold out Vicar Street. Having a platinum hit in America certainly helps their profile and the 2010 single Bloom was something of a turning point in the band fortunes. In a show that contained eighteen songs the variety of the music is definitely something that separates the Paper Kites out from their peers. Ther classic Americana and Country sound with pedal steel hauntingly played by Matt Dixon is a real highlight and the first half of the show has the musicians weaving their skills into a beautifully delivered texture of gentle sound that is hypnotic and heart-felt.

Sam Bentley admits to writing mainly sad songs and his easy manner and conversation has the audience on his side from the beginning. He quips that usually sad people come to the shows and he has to check in with the crowd every few songs to make sure that they’re doing alright. He also confirms that couples in love come to the shows but often leave wondering if they’re with the right person. His observations are very amusing throughout as is his genuine comments about being in Ireland and playing to a listening audience.

The latest album AT THE ROADHOUSE is given most of the focus with seven songs featured. All are performed with superb nuance by the players and their number is augmented on this tour by musicians Matt Dixon, Hannah Cameron and Chris Panousakis to make an eight-piece touring band. Featured songs from the current album are Till the Flame Turns Blue, Hurts So Good, Green Valley, Good Nights Gone, I Don’t Want To Go That Way, Black and Thunder, and June’s Stolen Car. The latter two songs are featured in the second part of the show and highlight a more rock driven sound that features some superb guitar playing from Dave Powys.

A cover version of the Adrianne Lenker song Anything is also included, and the band also recognise the opening act, English duo Flyte, with an acoustic section that includes a version of Wild Mountain Thyme performed beautifully with six-part harmonies. Other songs from their back catalogue include Between the Houses, Tenenbaum, Arms, Without Your Love and a superb five-part harmony on Paint. The encore comprises a duet For All You Give with Bentley and Lacy singing beautifully together before the full band reappear for the vibrant Electric Indigo.

This show was a resounding success and the sweet melancholy of the music mixed so well with the up-tempo numbers, and all delivered with a thrilling sense of performance dynamic and talent. The sound was superb and really showcased the excellent venue in all its glory. An excellent light show added to the atmosphere and take a bow local promoters Singular Artists for bringing such exciting music to our shores.

Review and live photos by Paul McGee

Mary Gauthier withJaimee Harris @ The Mac, Belfast - 11/04/2024

Mary Gauthier’s special guest, Texan singer-songwriter Jaimee Harris, took to the huge stage in the Downstairs Theatre in the Mac and within the opening minute she owned the room. Wearing her new and spectacularly rhinestone encrusted and embroidered 70s style red suit, and her signature pink heart glasses, she kicked off with her short endearing Opening Act, and from then on she could do no wrong. Only her second time accompanying Mary here touring Ireland, her songs and stories aren’t yet familiar to the whole audience, but she didn’t waste too much time talking, instead she let the songs speak for themselves. Redemption is the theme of Snow White Knuckles, a raw recounting of the horrors of battling addiction (to cocaine and alcohol, in her case). She recounts the story of being thrown into a songwriting project with Dirk Powell (who she had never met before) and the outcome was the next song, A Fair and Dark Haired Lad, which appropriately has a link with Irish folklore. Next came the title song of her most recent album Boomerang Town, followed by the as yet unrecorded Tattoo Zoo, one she ‘imagined’. She closed her short set with Love is Going To Come Again, leaving the enrapt 300 strong audience wishing for more.

Clearly happy with her big welcome back to Belfast, a beaming Mary Gauthier started by reminiscing about the ‘good old days’ when she first came to the city over twenty years ago and how much she always loved playing the Errigle Inn. The stalwarts of the much lamented Real Music Club (and I include myself among this cohort) were feeling quite smug, assuming that she remembered it for the warmth of the audience, however she quickly put us right as she explained that it was because of the wonderful food they served! However, we will forgive her anything, and she went on to give a masterclass in performance, songwriting and humour.

Between the Daylight and the Dark was the first of a selection of songs from across her substantial output of ten albums, starting with DIXIE KITCHEN in 1997. Her partner Jaimee accompanied her on stage on guitar and backing vocals throughout, the chemistry between them undeniable. Not touring a new album this time, but instead she has a book to promote and we were treated to a few readings from the just published SAVED BY A SONG (The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting) which she deftly slotted into the set. One of the anecdotes involved the tradition of the passing on of a guitar, from the late Nanci Griffith (who later became a good friend) in Mary’s early days in Nashville, at a gathering in Harlan Howard’s home. That led nicely into a powerful solo rendition of Griffith’s Ford Econoline from Jaimee Harris. The irony of I Drink, being performed by two openly recovering addicts was not lost on anyone, and Last of the Hobo Kings demonstrated Gauthier’s ability to get into the heart and soul of a character, enabling them to live on forever. One deeply moving song choice was the co-write, with our own Ben Glover, Til I See You Again, a tribute to their mutual friend John Prine. For the inevitable encore (and standing ovation) they performed Amsterdam, recalling Mary’s first time bringing Jaimee to one of her favourite cites - an uplifting end to a wonderful show.

Review and photograph by Eilís Boland

Cinder Well @ The Duncairn - Belfast 22 March 2024

On a wet and windy night, the cosy downstairs venue in the lovely Duncairn Arts Centre (a listed former church building) in North Belfast, was most enticing. A welcoming space, with its sofas, rugs and soft lamp lighting, it has all the atmosphere of a house concert and tonight we were treated to an evening with Cinder Well, the performing name of Amelia Baker’s lo-fi folk project. Californian by birth and raising, Baker has spent the last few years living in County Clare, studying Irish traditional music and subsequently teaching fiddle.

She launches straight away into the opening song Two Hands, Grey Mare from her latest album, CADENCE. ‘Crick in the side of the frozen moon’ she begins and we are immediately transported to a moonlit shore in the West of Ireland and the mythical, mysterious selkie and shadowy ancient forests. Armed only with her rich mellifluous voice and her Strat Squier electric guitar, the songs are bolstered by the presence of Ruth Clinton on fiddle and barely there vocals, the band for tonight. Overgrown finds us still in the forest, where we can almost smell the dank undergrowth, such is the imagery and atmosphere created by her poetic lyricism. Switching now to steel bodied guitar, the inspiration for No Summer, the title track of her 2020 album, hardly needs explanation for this audience! Baker’s quiet presence is quite mesmerising, as she sings of forbidden love, church bells and whiskey in rain soaked Ennis, her home for several years. Explaining that she returned unexpectedly to her Californian home during the pandemic, she delivers the magnificent The Returning, an evocation of being torn between two very different worlds and times, swelling to a powerful chorus - ‘time has taken its toll on me … the returning takes its own time’.

Ruth Clinton explains why she was taking some time to get her fiddle in tune- it lives in her cold house and is not accustomed to the warmth of this building! Clinton performed here previously with her group Landless, who sing traditional songs unaccompanied, and she is one to watch. They continue with more songs from the new album, which was recorded in Venice Beach, including the trancey Crow and the distinctly Celtic flavoured and balladic A Scorched Lament. Next up is a gorgeous a capella duo version of Appalachian musician Roscoe Holcomb’s Wandering Boy, followed by the title track of the new album. Cadence positively oozes heartbreak - ‘your heart is breaking forth/and you know what the pain is for’ Baker repeats, over the droning fiddle and guitar. I Will Close in the Moonlight finds her torn between her Irish and Californian lives, indeed this inspired the very theme of the whole album, ‘but the nightingale comes back to sing/I hope to see you again’.

And then it was over, short and bittersweet. Baker tells us she has moved back to California. Well, we too ‘hope to see you again’, on our wild and windy shores.

Review and photograph by Eilís Boland