Husband and wife team, Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish completed their five-date Irish tour in fine style at The Workman’s Cellar in Dublin. Commenting on the venue, Michael remarks wackily that the venue reminds him of the bordello styled night club, Lillies Bordello, since closed, that he frequented back in the day with the late promoter Derek Nally and where they rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous.
A day after Michael’s birthday, which they celebrated in the West of Ireland, the couple are in chipper form, even if Lou does remind Michael that “you somehow managed to pour a full pint of Guinness over me last night.”
Drawing from their extensive back catalogue, their ninety-minute set includes early career work selections, their 2020 album, COUNTRY DARKNESS, and Michael’s 2022 solo album THE STRUGGLE. His emphasis on the latter is a source of light-hearted banter between the pair.
An evening of super harmonies and duets, slick guitar work, electric piano, and the customary spirited repartee between them follows. They kick off with Unhappily Ever After from their 2013 record, THE RECONCILIATION? and finish in fine style with two encores, 100,000 Words from their 2011 album, HOW DO YOU PLEAD? and Endless Wandering Stars, from Michael’s solo album, GOD SHAPED HOLE, dating back to 1999.
In between, they perform sixteen songs, including the Tom T Hall-inspired Going Back To Memphis, Friday Night, Tulip Hotel, and Eugene. Lou recounts that the latter brings back memories and not particularly happy ones when she ended up suffering in silence in hospital during their successful tour of The States while Michael and their daughter spent time on the beach. (“Well, it was California,” Michael recalls, tongue in cheek).
Jolene’s Story, written from the protagonist's perspective in the Dolly Parton song, is followed by I Felt The Chill, which they included in the COUNTRY DARKNESS album. That album was a collection of songs recorded by Elvis Costello and featured Steve Nieve's keyboard playing. Lou impressively takes those piano parts on I’ll Wear It Proudly and Either Side Of The Same Town and they also perform the Jim Lauderdale co-written, I Lost You, also from those recordings.
Other highlights include the defiant No Matter What Tammy Said and an impressive rendition of the Joe Henry/Loudon Wainwright 111 written, You Can’t Fail Me Now. Michael describes the previously mentioned THE STRUGGLE as his “miserable pandemic album” and performs a couple of songs from the album, The Hardest Thing Of All and The Weight Of The World. He explains that the second of the two was written from a black policeman’s perspective and derived from Donald Trump’s infamous charade when he had Black Lives Matter protestors cleared from the streets at The White House to have a photo shot of him holding up a bible, which was upside down.
A show by My Darling Clementine is invariably not just a musical experience and tonight’s performance is no exception. Alongside their extensive back catalogue, skilled playing and harmonious vocals, they also include an element of free and easy humour, and that combination makes for the perfect evening’s entertainment. However, a word of warning. If you have booked front-row seats, do not arrive late or midway through their set, or the frivolous banter may be at your expense.
Review and photography by Declan Culliton