This was the perfect antidote to the January blues. An early evening gig in the intimate surroundings of Little Whelan’s to banish the cold weather in Dublin city. Both of the headline performers are very familiar with Ireland and have visited our shores on many prior occasions. Of course Covid drove a coach and horses through a lot of tour plans for musicians the world over and neither Kevin nor Jude were able to dodge the lockdowns and loss of income over recent years. However, free to travel again and open to sharing their plentiful gifts with those fortunate enough to catch this current European tour, tonight sees the end of a ten-day continuous run of shows before a few well-earned days off and then forward to Scotland, England and the Netherlands.
Jude Johnstone may be a new name to many in the audience but those folks who already know her music relish the chance to see her perform up close and personal. It was certainly a performance not to be missed. As a songwriter Jude is considered among the very best within the higher echelons of performing artists and whereas she will profess to not being really a live performer, she exudes an easy charm and a winning personality when telling her tales behind her career and the songs that have been covered by top line acts such as Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Stevie Nicks, Bette Midler, Trisha Yearwood, Don Henley and many others.
Jude does not name drop on stage but rather, at the promptings of Kevin Montgomery, she regales the rapt audience with her stories and the one that features Johnny Cash is both hilarious and humbling in that he ended up naming his Unchained album after Jude’s featured song (The album received a Grammy for Best Country Album in 1996). Her set is limited to just nine songs and Kevin sits in on a few of the numbers to add counterpoint male vocal. Her body of work is so extensive that it’s impossible to please everybody of course, and we all have our own favourites. Tonight she chooses five songs from her debut album COMING OF AGE which dates back to 2002. Her performances of Cry Wolf, Hearts In Armour, Unchained, The Nightingale and Wounded Heart are all superbly delivered, with her voice a perfect mix of hard-earned wisdom and a knowing sorrow. Deep Water and On A Good Day are performed from her second album (2005) and On That Train from QUIET GIRL (2011) and New York Morning from BLUE LIGHT (2007) are also included. Such nuance in the vocal delivery, such empathy and grace, you know she means every word she sings. It was such a privilege to be able to hear her perform again. Class is permanent, lest we ever forget.
As Jude steps aside and makes her way to the front bar in order to meet her new admirers who queue to purchase actual CDs (remember them), Kevin Mongomery steps into the spotlight to take us all down an easy ride through his back catalogue which is both extensive and filled with wonderful songs. His gift lies in capturing insights into our fragile lives, our broken relationships and he also pays tribute to those who have gone before. His vocal tone is something that has always separated Kevin out from the pack and his honeyed delivery has not diminished in any way since the last time I listened to him perform in a live setting.
Tonight he is joined by the fine talents of both Johnny MacKinnon on keyboards/vocals, together with Michael Scott Boudreaux on Fender guitar/vocals. Johnny is from Carradale, a small fishing village in Kintyre, and his subtle playing and easy touch is a real addition to the songs. Michael is from a small town in Louisiana and has been writing with Kevin for a few years now. There is a new album in the works and the virtuoso playing of Michael tonight only whets the appetite for what lies in store. His light touch on the guitar and his fluid playing style is most impressive, in a less-is-more dynamic. He leaves no doubt that all traces of ego have already been left aside in favour of serving the songs, something that some players never really learn in their whole careers.
Kevin also generously gives the stage to Michael to perform three of his songs from a debut EP that includes Good Thing (co-written with Kevin), Acadiana Woman and, a favourite with the audience on the night, Beer and Gasoline.
Across a catalogue of releases that date back to 1993, Kevin has consistently proven his gift with a melody and a tune over a number of critically acclaimed studio recordings and live albums. He has played with some of the elite musicians on the American Country/Roots circuit and beyond. His ability to capture a feeling is a very special part of the great songwriting book and something that gains him automatic entry. Tonight we are treated royally as Kevin visits his iconic ANOTHER LONG STORY album (2001) and Let’s All Go To California, I Wish I Were Blind (Springsteen cover), Your Kind Of Love, and Another Long Story are given everything in the performance. Both Tennessee Girl and Cherokee City are included from the 2003 release 2.30am and a cover version of the Jimmy Webb song Adios fits perfectly into the sense of the evening as Kevin professes himself as a big fan of the singer-songwriter.
In 2007 Kevin released an album titled TRUE and it included a song to his beautiful daughter. It was called Nothing and the heart-breaking reality of infant death is captured in such raw, poignant and honest expression to take your breath away. He performs the song in honour of his daughter’s memory and every word is beautifully constructed. To perform this song take courage and fortitude and in sharing it ,Kevin approaches a sense of peace.
A Spanish couple had flown in especially to catch Kevin play live in Dublin and their request for Fireworks from the SOME COMFORT album (2012) is duly respected as he finds his way into the song that is performed with a real passion by both supporting musicians, given that they never played it live before. Bien necho..! Kevin had opened the set tonight with a song from the same album and the performance of The Greatest Love That Never Was really kicked everything off in fine style, while introducing the subtle guitar of Michael Scott Boudreaux.
A new song, I Hate Flowers, is given a debut and already sounds like a crowd favourite (watch this space) and Kevin also pays a heart-felt tribute to his famous father, Bob Montgomery, and the special talent that he passed on from father to son. Bob played in a duo with Buddy Holly (called Buddy and Bob), and he subsequently went on to write Heartbeat, Love’s Made a Fool of You, and Wishing, for Holly and the Crickets. Another song from that time, Flower Of My Heart was performed in a Flatt/Scruggs bluegrass style that was really infectious.
We are also treated to Fear Nothing as the final song of the evening, the title track of his 1993 debut and an iconic song that always elicits the most cathartic singing from an audience on any given night with the refrain ‘ Yeah, yes you are something, Fear nothing.’ Kevin remarks that if he were writing the song today he would council “Fear Everything” but his comment is somewhat tongue-in-cheek given that the hope and optimism in the words is all about grabbing at life and not letting go of the moment. Overall, it was a truly inspiring evening, spent in the company of true artists that are dedicated to their craft. It was a privilege and it sets the bar very high for the rest of the music year and the calendar of events in Dublin city.
Review and photographs by Paul McGee