Jackson Browne @ Vicar Street, June 2017

"Legend" is a word that gets misused regularly in connection with artists who have spent relatively little time basking in the midday sun of the media glare. Not the case when you consider Jackson Browne and his expansive career that has covered 5 decades of musical highs in tandem with his ideals and involvement in conservationist and political activities. Arriving back in Ireland after an absence of 7 years, he thanks the capacity crowd for making him feel so welcome on his return, together with his band of sublime players who have travelled for this sold out 4-night residency at the always impressive Vicar Street venue.

We are looking at musicians with massive experience and consummate talents and a backing singer that can lift the song arrangements to a new height when she is given flight. Accompanying Jackson are long-time bandmates Val McCallum (guitar), Mauricio Lewak (Drums), Jeff Young (keyboards), Bob Glaub (bass), Alethea Mills (Vocals) and the acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz (guitar, lap steel, pedal steel). In a word, stunning.

Night One: The first night is laced with songs that please everyone, young and old, with a first set taken mainly from more recent releases and the second set focused on old favourites. Jackson is in great spirits and communicates with ease between songs as he responds to audience requests. He has a keen sense of humour and the little boy still shines brightly from his eyes as he recalls stories from his past and explains the origins of songs played. There were 21 songs in total, including the cover song Walls & Doors (Carlos Varela), A Child In These Hills, I’ll Do Anything, Fountain Of Sorrow and a nightly encore of Take It Easy, the song that in some ways started his career all those years ago in 1970’s California. 

The seasoned touch brought to each song is just a joy to witness as the band play off each other in a knowing fashion that brings smiles all around. Twin guitarists Leisz and McCallum really shine when colouring the arrangements with dextrous solos and subtle touches while the inventive paying of Glaub & Lewak propel everything along with a rhythm and groove that is really impressive. Jeff Young adds rich keyboard swells in addition to providing high harmonies with Jackson on most songs. Jackson is singing really well and his performance on Late For The Sky is one of the best I have witnessed over the years of seeing him play live.

Night Two: We are treated to another set of 21 songs but on this occasion, there are 9 changes to the previous night, many as a result of audience requests. If anything, he runs the risk of letting the audience dictate too much and his changing mood to the numerous requests can lead to a few moments of confusion among the band members. In the main however he pulls it all off with consummate ease; after all, he is playing to a ‘home crowd’ and can do no wrong! My Stunning Mystery Companion, Something Fine, Our Lady Of The Well, Farther On and Lawyers, Guns & Money (Warren Zevon) all get a rousing reaction.

Sky Blue & Black is a real show stopper tonight and the reggae lilt of the Little Steven song I Am A Patriot has everyone wishing for a more rock driven direction with up-tempo material. As Jackson says there are moments when he can sense a crowd thinking "enough of this sensitive shit"…

When it comes to nailing the personal with a universal perspective then nobody comes close; he just hones his craft to produce beautiful words that mirror our own experience in the continuous struggle to walk this road of life with Everyman.

Night Three: Tonight 20 songs are performed and although there will be many cross-overs from the basic set there is still room for new renditions with 5 songs not played on previous nights. There is a particularly poignant tribute to his old friend Valerie Carter who passed away recently with the inclusion of Love Needs A Heart and That Girl Could Sing bringing a touchingly strong performance from all involved. Each night has seen Just Say Yeah and Long Way Around open the show and Doctor My Eyes, Your Bright Baby Blues, Boulevard and Somebody’s Baby are also ever-presents. The somewhat dubious pairing of Rosie and Red Neck Friend as back-to-back songs leave some in the audience smiling with a wry resignation, but the joy of hearing Barricades Of Heaven, Sky Blue and Black, Shape Of A Heart and Running On Empty all played in succession, as the performance built to its climax, more than made up for any dip in tempo previously.

Night Four: And those of us who have been ever-present are in the end stages of conflicting emotions as this richly indulgent experience winds down and we say goodbye to one of the icons in defining the musical map of so many who have been touched by his muse for so many years. Tonight sees 18 songs performed as the second set is shortened due to pressure in catching a ferry to England for the next part of the tour. This is a disappointment to the vociferous crowd who are, by a distance, the most noisy and boisterous of the four nights – uncomfortably so to many who paid good money to listen to the artist himself and not the inane conversations of those who repeatedly try to shout/talk above the songs…

Call It A Loan, The Pretender, For Everyman and I’m Alive are all played with power and majesty while Before The Deluge moves everyone to sing along with a special feeling of unison. A cover version of the Warren Zevon song Carmelita is a very welcome surprise as the set winds down.

The great song traveller is someone that Jackson referred to on his debut album and spoke about how his eyes were opened to the view. Well, he has become that very same great song traveller and has graced us with his humanism and empathetic perspective on our journey through this mortal coil.

He has been the ‘older brother’ for a generation of youth growing into maturity in the 1970’s; verbalising our doubts and fears as we matured into adulthood. Younger fans may see him as a knowing uncle who dispenses sage advice and wisdom. His more strident days of taking overt political stances during the show seem to be behind him now and we are seeing a more circumspect performer who wants to let his beautiful melodies and words do all his talking.

We can look back to realise that he is indeed the muse for so many lives that have followed his path of striving to care for our fellow man and trying to do the right thing by the planet we live upon.

It was a privilege!

Note: For those who want to see the full set lists on each evening, go to www.setist.fm where you will be rewarded!

Review: Paul McGee

Photography: Vincent Lennon & Paul McGee 

Static Roots Festival @ Oberhausen, Germany 9th/10th June 2017

Oberhausen is the location for The Static Roots Music Festival, being held for the second year in succession and is based on the river Emscher in the Ruhr area of Germany. It is a twenty-minute train journey from Dusseldorf and the town has a population of 210,000 people.

The festival promoter is Dietmar Leibecke who has been a regular attendee at The Kilkenny Roots Festival and now a popular member of the Kilkenny Roots Community. It therefore came as no surprise that many of the festival visitors were musical loving acquaintances of his; having flown from Dublin and various U.K. destinations to attend the festival.

The chosen venue was Zentrum Alterberg in Oberhausen. Constructed in 1853 the building is one of the oldest metal processing factories in Oberhausen and functioned as a zinc manufacturing facility until 1981. In its current life the facility is used to host cabaret, cinema, private parties and music events. Perfectly sized to cater for this particular festival the building also has the advantage of an external area, tree lined and semi seated, for punters and artists to mingle plus get some fresh air and refreshments between acts.

The success of any festival is all about knowing your audience when considering your line up and in this regard Static Roots got the mix absolutely spot on. With the large contingent of visitors travelling from Ireland and the U.K., a number of the carefully selected acts invited to play were guaranteed to hit the spot and the inclusion of one of Germany’s top roots bands and a few possibly less known but well researched artists worked an absolute treat. However, acts alone don’t guarantee a bonanza and the organisers had the foresight to engage Winnipeg radio presenter Jeff Robson as master of ceremonies. His knowledge of the artists and school masterly yet diplomatic introductions were an added bonus, ensuring that patrons were whisked indoors as the artists were about to take the stage which resulted in the acts performing to respectful and attentive crowds.

In addition, the sound engineer, although having limited time for sound checks, seemed to get the sound right for all the acts and an impressive stage lighting and perfectly sized music room all contributed to a hassle free and most comfortable two days of festivities. The torrential rain that fell on Friday morning and early afternoon also conveniently stopped a few hours before the festival opened on Friday evening and gave way to some glorious sunshine that evening and all throughout the following day.

So, what about the acts.  Friday evening saw David Corley, playing for the first time in Germany, open the festival having completed a quite extensive tour of Ireland over the previous two weeks. Accompanied throughout the tour by his trusted stage mate and producer Chris Brown, the U.S.  singer songwriter had availed of the services of some seasoned local musicians on his dates in Ireland. Joining him on stage at Static Roots were Brian Hassett (bass) and Cian Heffernan (drums), who both also featured later in their day jobs as members of John Blek & The Rats. Playing a selection of material from his breakthrough debut 2015 album Available Light and his most recent release Zero Moon, Corley’s mixture of upbeat and more often downbeat tales of struggle, agony and rehabilitation was the perfect start to the festival. Sharing guitar and keyboard with Chris Brown, particular highlights were the title track of his latest album Zero Moon and the six minute plus epic Desert Mission also from the same album. Gregor Beresford (Barenaked Ladies, The Bourbon Tabernacle), who played on all Corley’s studio work, took over drumming duties for a couple of songs and favourites such as Available Light and The Calm Revolution were also included in a perfect start to the evening.

 Visitors to Lonesome Highway will be quite aware of this writer's regard for the following act, Peter Bruntnell. His appearances at the Kilkenny Roots Festival (playing four times over that weekend) with his trusted band were memorable and expectations were understandably high for a repeat performance at Static Roots.  Bruntnell and his band (Dave Little, Peter Noone, Mike Clews) are perfectly suited to a large stage and they delivered a faultless set, rocking out to the maximum on Peak Operational Condition, Yuri Gagarin, Where The Snakes Hang Out and Mr.Sunshine from his 2016 classic album Nos Da Comrade and finishing their blistering set with favourites Have You Seen That Girl Again and By The Time My Head Gets To Phoenix.

John Blek and The Rats appearance was one of nine dates scheduled for their latest tour of Germany. They have established a loyal following in Germany in recent few years and well deserved on the basis of their closing slot. Concentrating on much of the material from their album Borders, their stage act is polished, visually striking, technically impressive both in the quality of the playing by The Rats and their ability to provide strong harmonies to charismatic lead man John Blek’s vocals. Funeral Home, Dead Friends and Dance With The Devil, all particularly strong songs on the album, seemed to even step up a gear into overdrive in their live show.

Starting musical proceedings early Saturday afternoon was Beirut born UK resident Nadine Khouri. Joined on stage by a stunning young violin player from Poland named Basia Bartz and slick drummer Jake Long, her style visited dark places often inhabited by P.J.Harvey and Angel Olson, yet at times her sound also brought to mind the more haunting offerings of Jesse Sykes. Playing material from her recent album The Salted Air the singular stand out delivery was Shake It Like a Shaman with its driven, almost robotic, rhythm. Particularly impressive was the dazzling violin work by Bartz who at one stage, while giving the impression of playing with her teeth Hendrix style, somehow managed to deliver a haunting string sound vocally manipulated, not exactly sure how, but wonderfully atmospheric.  Finishing her set with "one more sad song" Khouri played the Leonard Cohen classic Bird On A Wire.

Canadian singer songwriter Jack Marks has been recording for almost ten years now. Very much the travelling troubadour type artist with an exceptional ability to create landscapes and mental images with a minimal few words. His story telling delivery is very much in the same vein as John Prine to the extent that on certain songs you’d be forgiven for assuming they were Prine covers. Playing as a three piece with Alistair Christi on bass and his wife Leslie-Ann on stand-up drums, you could actually sense the audience straining to catch his every singing word from opener Hardware Store to his closing song Greasy Maggie.  Including Heartbreak, Used To Be An Outlaw, and Isabelle from his most recent album Wicked Moon, he was the perfect mid-afternoon entertainer and you could literally hear a pin drop throughout his set.

Erin Rae and the Meanwhiles was an act that I was particularly looking forward to, having seen the young Nashville resident appear briefly at a Margo Price interview show with NPR in Nashville last September. Her debut album Soon Enough made quite an impression on Lonesome Highway last year featuring in a number of our end of year best lists. Playing the first date of her European tour she was accompanied on guitar by Jerry Bernhardt and Dominic Billett on drums and occasional keyboards (both of who played in Andrews Combs Band at Kilkenny Roots), each also adding delightful harmonies. Rae excelled with a set that included Minolta, Pretty Thing (inspired by her childhood obsession of all things relating to the Great Depression), Soon Enough and Clean Slate from her album, together with Playing Old Games, released as a single by Clubhouse records in the U.K. last year. Apologising for having to retune her old trusted acoustic guitar (a 1970’s model given to her by her father), she also introduced some material from her forthcoming album to be released over the next twelve months, Goodnight Sorry For Coming being particularly impressive. The combination of Rae’s exquisite breezy vocals and the flawless playing of her band was bordering on the hypnotic by times and you got a most definite sense from the manner in which her set was received that Rae is a young lady with the songs, vocals and stage presence to make quite a name for herself. Simply divine.

The only act to perform solo at the festival was Kent born artist David Ford. His early musical path began with Indie band Easyworld and his solo career has seen him support Elvis Costello, KT Tunstall and Suzanne Vega. Unfortunately, I was only able to catch the last few songs of his set but strong vocals and confident stage presence were obvious and he certainly made his mark judging by the reception he received when finishing his show.

German band Torpus & The Art Directors were a totally unknown quantity for me prior to the festival but most certainly left a lasting impression after their action packed, high energy and full on set. With immediate comparisons to Wilco coming to mind – and what’s wrong with that – band leader Sonke Torpus had both locals and visitors eating out of his hands from the word go. Comparisons with Arcade Fire had been offered by people familiar with their sound prior to them taking the stage, which accurately described their delivery and energy, though personally I found their sound more Americana than Indie and none the worse for that. Their set featured material from their latest album The Dawn Chorus, well worth checking out on the strength of their live performance.

A more suitable act could hardly have been lined up to close the festival than Danny and the Champions of the World.  With possibly half the attendance being Champs devotees it was always going to be a celebration and more akin to a hometown gig than an away fixture. In football jargon if away goals counted double the result was sealed after only a few songs into their set. Transforming the venue effectively to a dance floor, the band gave the impression of enjoying themselves in equal measure to ourselves. Fast being acknowledged as The Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes of the Euro circuit they rattled out crowd pleasers effortlessly with their customary good humour, high octane delivery, exquisite guitar, bass, keyboards and pedal steel playing with the occasional ripping sax solo and Danny Wilson’s sweet soulful vocals. Gotta Get Things Right, Clear Water, Thinking About My Friend, Just Be Yourself, (Never Stop Building) That Old Space Rocket, Stay True all had the venue hopping before they slowed things down with the sing along encore of Henry The Van that sent a buzzing and sweat soaked audience out the doors smiling from ear to ear.

All in all, an enthralling action packed and fun festival with opportunities to renew old acquaintances, meet new like-minded music lovers and mingle with the artists in a friendly hassle-free environment. Thumbs up to all at Static Roots for managing to create, in only their second hosting, a boutique festival that seemed more like a private party from start to finish!

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

MerleFest 2017

Merlefest is consistently named in Top 10 lists when it comes to roots music events in the US, and I was lucky enough, after several years absence, to pay a return visit to the festival, which was celebrating its thirty year anniversary.

The festival started in 1988 as a one off tribute to Doc Watson’s son Merle, who had been tragically killed in a tractor accident. Those veterans from the first festival still tell stories about playing on the back of a flat bed truck. That first event was such a success that it has been developed over the years to where it now welcomes almost 100,000 attendees over four days. Wilkes Community College (nestling in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in southern Appalachia) continues to be the festival location, and the college benefits financially from the event. 

The music encompasses what Doc described as ‘traditional plus’ – anything from bluegrass, old time, folk, blues, rock and beyond. Merlefest prides itself as being a family friendly event, and therefore alcohol and drugs are not allowed on campus. Those who struggle with this policy will be  relieved to know that you can indulge in your choice of poison once you get outside the grounds! I did find this policy somewhat restrictive initially, but I have to acknowledge that the atmosphere throughout the huge festival campus is the safest and most welcoming that I have experienced anywhere. 

Day One (at last):

This is the easiest day to negotiate because there are only three stages in operation.

Jack Lawrence is revered by the festival regulars, being Doc Watson’s side man for most of the years after Merle’s passing, but also recognised as a solo performer in his own right. Therefore it was only fitting that he was one of the artists to open the proceedings on the Cabin Stage. He is one of the smoothest finger pickers out there, and is no mean singer either. He invited his son Adam to guest with him again this year - I predict we’ll be hearing more from this young man.

Mountain Heart then played a set on the adjacent (permanent) Watson Main Stage. While they are technically proficient, I felt they were somewhat lacking in soul - I wonder if this could be because they don’t feature a banjo?!

The same could never be said of the Del McCoury Band, who unfortunately only had one set here this year. What an incredible performance they put on! What other band do you know that has the confidence to ask for and fulfil requests from their huge back catalogue while they’re in the middle of their set? 

They’re one of the hardest working bands in bluegrass, despite Del’s 78 years. He shows no sign of slowing down, luckily. I was pleased to note that Ronnie is developing a singing voice that is almost as good as his father’s. Del continues to sing tragic songs with that big smile on his face – he can’t help himself because he’s clearly enjoying himself so much.

Next up were a North Carolina duo that are by now quite familiar to European and especially Irish audiences – Mandolin Orange. However, this time Andrew and Emily were joined by their full band – drums, bass and electric guitar. Any fears I had that they might have lost their essence with these additions were completely allayed from the opening song. Still gorgeously restrained, their three part harmonies were exquisite. They amazingly had lost none of that musical intimacy that is one of their hallmarks. An all original set, including some old timey instrumentals, was finished with the achingly beautiful ‘Take This Heart Of Gold’ from their most recent album, Blind Faller, with Emily swapping over to electric guitar.

The night was closed out by the ever popular local boys, The Avetts. The boys grew up on gospel music, Merlefest and Doc Watson. Their father Jim (of whom more anon) is a well known local gospel singer, and is rightly proud of Scott and Seth’s huge success. I remember seeing them for the first time at my first Merlefest in 2003, and shaking my head as I walked past the screaming fans and wondering what the all fuss was about. Over the intervening years, though, I have to admit that I’ve come around to liking them as they evolved into the supergroup that they are now. They played a two hour set to round off the night – to be honest, I feel they could have condensed it down to a sublime one hour set – but the crowd loved it all! 

Day Two:

There are two major hurdles to negotiate today – the unseasonal heat and humidity AND the dilemma of trying to see everything! There are 13 stages of music so it is impossible to see all the acts, however most of the acts play several sets over the course of the festival, so I got to see everyone I really wanted to.

The joy of Merlefest though is that you can find yourself stumbling across a performer or band or collaboration that are new to you and you get so carried away that it throws your well planned schedule!

My morning began with excellent sets from The Stray Birds and Peter Rowan. Sierra Hull then took to the main stage. Having grown up at Merlefest (I remember seeing her here as a child prodigy not so many years ago) and being one of the best mandolin players on the scene, Sierra has taken her music down a more avant garde route. She played much of her set on electric mandolin, accompanied by an upright bass, and while I admire her musicianship, I’m not sure about the musical route she has taken.

I trotted up the hill to the indoor Walker Centre theatre which was jammed for the Merlefest Veterans set led by Jack Lawrence. He was joined this time by old friends Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, percussionist Pat McInerney and banjoist Scott Vestal. The craic was mighty - these maestros have played together in various combinations since they were in their teens.

Next it’s back to the outdoor natural amphitheatre that is the Hillside stage, where I meet up with Richard Hurst of the Ulster-American Folk Park. We enjoyed a fabulous set from another NC band that is well known to Irish audiences – Chatham County Line. As always, the sound quality at all the Merlefest stages (indoord and out) is world class, with smooth swift changeovers and nothing ever running late.

We stayed put at that stage to see Sam Bush joining another supergroup (who has also played Richard’s Omagh bluegrass festival) the Steep Canyon Rangers. Still with the same line up as when they started out , they have lost none of their energy, and were joined for their set by mandolinist and fiddle player extraordinaire, Sam Bush. Sam was everywhere today – equalling Jim Lauderdale’s notoriety for playing with everyone on every stage at this festival!

The excitement had been building all day for the next performance – the first time the Transatlantic Sessions Tour had played outside of Britain & Ireland. This coming together of some of the best Scottish/Irish/English/American roots musicians began as a tv series in 1995, and plays every year at Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow. The audience loved it – the headlining artist was another NC native, Mr James Taylor. Also featured were Maura O’Connell, the wonderful Sarah Jarosz, and Declan O’Rourke, whose particular brand of Irish banter went down a storm with the audience.

After chairman Jim Lauderdale announced the winners of the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (former winners have included then unknowns such as Gillian Welch & Tift Merritt) it was back to the main stage for an even more electrifying set from Steep Canyon Rangers.  

Weary though I was, I left the closing set from jam band Leftover Salmon and hot footed it to the Dance Tent for an unusual but stunning offering from Chatham County Line – this recent side project (Electric Holiday) allows them to indulge their more punk/rock origins and they used their vintage electric instruments to wow the full and reverberating dance tent to full effect! Definitely a festival highlight for me.

Day Three:

I hit the festival main stage bright and early for our own I Draw Slow. Now signed to Alison and Garry Brown’s Nashville based Compass record label, the band have been building a steady fan base by having already played several times Stateside. It was heartening to see the welcoming reception they received from an audience who were quite clearly fans, and I’d say they gained many more with their performance today.

Another favourite with Irish audiences and also a NC native, Tift Merritt (with baby backstage) gave her usual spirited performance, accompanied only by Eric Heywood on pedal steel.

I braved the heat to see the traditionalist supergroup the Earls of Leicester on the American stage, and then fought/climbed my way up the thronged Hillside stage to eventually find a place on the grass to see the Avetts start their Songs of Doc set. The intense heat and humidity drove me indoors to the welcome air conditioning of the Walker Theatre again. There I enjoyed a superb showcase from Irish folk guitar maestro John Doyle (why is he not better known in his native country?) at the Compass showcase. He then brought on his guests Mike McGoldrick and John McCusker who got a chance to wow the packed theatre with their traditional Irish/Scottish chops.

Next it was over to the outdoor Creekside stage for another of the festival’s beloved features - Tony Williamson’s Mandomania. Tony is another Merlefest veteran – a mandolin historian as well as a phenomenal player (he has also played the Omagh bluegrass festival, along with Jack Lawrence, in the recent past). Tony curates this unique offering every year – he brings together well established players like Sam Bush etc and always manages to find one or two of the next generation of players and gives them the opportunity to play with their idols, probably for the first time. The Merlefest audience loves this event, and it is always standing room only. Tony remembers inviting a relatively unknown Californian boy called Chris Thile to play Mandomania – since then they have become good friends. This year the star lineup includes the ubiquitous Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, Darn Aldridge, along with relative newcomers Casey Campbell and Tommy Norris.

The Reunion Jam on the Main stage was fun as well as seriously impressive musically. It brought together the geniuses that are Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Mark Schatz and Bryan Sutton. Much hilarity ensued, culminating in the very rare event of Bela Fleck singing a song (I kid you not)! I returned to the Creekside briefly to catch the end of Peter Rowan’s set, this time with a fuller lineup which included old friend Jack Lawrence.

One of the festivals’ annual highlights was next, and the Hillside was now dangerously packed with thousands of punters all anxiously anticipating the best kept secret of the weekend – the Hillside Album Hour. Every year, Californian band the Waybacks plot and plan the performance of a classic rock or pop album. They drop cryptic hints on social media in the run up, but mostly no one manages to guess until they hear the first chords. Usual host Jim Lauderdale introduced the band along with special guests. The main vocalist this year was Celia Woodsmith of the now disbanded Della Mae. From the minute she opened her mouth we were blown away by this soul powerhouse – certainly she was a revelation to me. And the album featured was … Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. One of the surprise guests was mandolinist Tony Williamson, who featured on When I’m 64 – because he was about to celebrate his 64th birthday! Other guests included Jens Kruger and Sam Bush.

I caught the end of Bela Fleck’s solo set on the Americana stage.

Next highlight was the Guitar Jam hosted by Jack Lawrence. This was a joy for finger picking fans – joining Jack were Bryan Sutton, Stephen Mougin, Tommy Edwards and Steve Lewis.

The indefatigable and hugely popular Sam Bush then took to the mainstage for his powerhouse of a set with his full band.

I’m afraid this reporters little legs were beginning to fade after the day’s intense heat and humidity, and I was barely able to stay awake after Jorma Kaukonen’s lovely set on the Cabin Stage.

I wandered back to my motel with the sounds of  Donna The Buffalo’s jam to accompany me home, but not before I popped in to the Dance Stage to see I Draw Slow playing a blinder to the still eager dancers.

Day Four:

Sunday came all too soon. I was up in time to get to the Creekside stage to see The Gospel Hour with Jim Avett. Jim had already told me about the gospel album he’s been recording with son Seth on production duties. Apparently Seth is a stickler of a producer (according to his proud father!)  but it seems like they might have recorded a cracker. 

The boys and bassist Bob Crawford joined Jim and his daughter Bonnie on stage to complete a pleasant set of traditional gospel songs. 

Mipso took over the Hillside next for an interesting set, which included a nice version of Guy Clark’s Dublin Blues, a tribute to the master songwriter who we lost during the year. Mipso are being touted as the “next big thing” to come out of the Chapel Hill thriving music scene – definitly ones to watch.

Jim Lauderdale played a short set on the Cabin stage, with Tony Williamson as guest. 

Next up was the band that I had been most eagerly awaiting – and they didn’t disappoint – Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives. 

My words cannot do justice to the living legends that comprise this combo, fronted by the most amazing of them all. They fuse the best of rock and roll, country, rockabilly, gospel, bluegrass, soul and blues into an indefinable thing of beauty. Not even the intrusive arrival of Zac Brown’s helicopter over the trees was able to throw them off their stride.

The day ended with the aforementioned Zac Brown (another NC native) who took to the Main stage with four band memebers for an acoustic set. 

All in all, another successful Merlefest had concluded. 

If you ever get the chance to attend, I can highly recommend it, but it takes some logistical preplanning. Acommodation is booked up a year in advance by regulars. Probably camping is the cheapest option if you can organise that. Alternatively, you can hire a house/cabin locally, but a car is then essential. 

Nearest airports are Charlotte or Raleigh-Durham, all of which necessitate car hire also.

Worth putting on that bucket list though!

Review and photography by Eilís Boland

Aoife O’Donovan @ Whelans, 27th May 2017

"Thanks so much for choosing to come to see me rather than Guns ’N’ Roses at Slane Castle" jokes Aoife O’Donovan midway through her ninety-minute set at Whelan’s, a welcomed return to the Dublin venue for the Irish-American artist. 

Having grandparents residing in Ireland resulted in the Massachusetts born singer songwriter spending many childhood vacations in Co. Cork, with memories that inspired much of the material on her last studio album The Magic Hour. Fortunately, visits from her are still a regular occurrence dating back to her earlier career days as a member of Crooked Still and with Sarah Jarosz and Sara Watkins as part of the trio I’m With Her. She has also toured Ireland solo on occasions and opened the tour for her last album at The Button Factory in January 2016 accompanied by Anthony da Costa and Steve Nister on that occasion.

Tonight’s appearance, the final night of a two-week tour of Europe, features O’Donovan on stage with only her guitar, beaming smile, infectious personality and captivating collection of songs. Starting her set with three songs in quick succession, Hornets and Magic Hour from her current studio album and Red & White & Blue & Gold from her debut album Fossils, her ability to confidently work the room is impressive from the word go with eye contact and banter going a long way to create a ‘house concert’ type atmosphere. Her setlist includes material from her solo work, a snippet of Crooked Still and a number very well selected cover versions which all combine for an intoxicating evenings entertainment.

"Two weeks on tour and I arrive in Dublin on the only rainy day you’ve had in weeks’ she despairs adding that she is reminded of rainy summer days in Lahinch and crushes on the local lifeguards in a former life.

With quite a number of her relations from both Cork and Dublin in the audience she fittingly dedicates Stanley Park to her cousin who is emigrating to Vancouver, whose city park is the inspiration for the song. Suggesting she goes further south to Louisiana for her next song she follows by performing the Paul Brady associated song (which has origins rooted in the 19th century) Lakes of Pontchartrain, a ballad very often included in her shows.

Crooked Still, though primarily notable for their progressive bluegrass leanings, were more than capable of getting dark and spooky with O’Donovan’s vocal well suited to the occasional murder ballad. The inclusion of the folk standard Pretty Polly in the set is more than a reminder of this.

Steve Winwood/Blind Faith’s Can’t Find My Way Home is described as one of her favourite songs and works exceptionally well, a pleasant surprise and a song immediately recognised by members of the crowd of a certain age. Joanna Newsome’s Good Intentions, written some forty years after the Winwood song, also gets a beautiful makeover and fits seamlessly well in the set. Detour, the title track of her recent live album comes next with obvious crowd favourites Lay My Burden Down and Oh Mama concluding her set. 

Her encore, which she names her ‘before The Whelan’s disco song’ is her take on the Bob Dylan written Soon After Midnight, a fitting birthday tribute to the great man.

O’ Donovan never fails to put her heart and soul in to her performances whether solo, with a band or part of another musical diversion. Tonight was no exception and as always she is at the front of the stage in jig time meeting, greeting, signing and chatting with punters and relatives.

A well-deserved mention must also go to Ciaran Lavery who opened the evening in style with a set that included material from his current album Let Bad In. Lavery has been making quite an impression in the past eighteen months both at home but particularly in the States where his was invited by Willie Nelson to play at his BBQ at Luck Ranch in Texas. He has also recently been asked to perform this September at the prestigious Americana Music Association Festival in Nashville, an indication in itself of the potential for the young singer songwriter from Aghagallon Co. Armagh.

Review and photograph by Declan Culliton

David Corley and Band @ Cleeres, Kilkenny -18th May 2017

David Corley at the ripe age of 53, released his debut album Available Light in 2015. Willie Meighan, the pied piper of all things music in The Marble City, was out of the blocks shortly after its release educating his customers and going a long way to establish the album as the Rollercoaster customer album of the year in 2015, by a country mile it has to be said. Corley’s first invitation to our shores was to appear in Kilkenny that year and subsequently perform at The Roots Festival in 2016. Corley and Kilkenny are a marriage made in heaven joining other artists such as Willy Vlautin of Richmond Fontaine, John Murry and Peter Bruntnell to name a few who publicly declare the city and in particular the music room at Cleeres to be a very special and magical place.

That subsequent meeting of minds led to a collective  high level of expectation from the audience,  Mr. Corley and his entourage on his return to Kilkenny, as much a celebration of goodwill, friendship and of course the captivating show that is guaranteed when Corley performs. Accompanying him on his tour of Ireland are his producer and band member Hugh Christopher Brown and Canadian singer songwriter Suzanne Jarvie.

Chris Brown and Suzanne Jarvie’s set was delivered as a duo and featured material from albums previously released by both and songs from Brown’s recent recording Pacem and a preview of Jarvie’s latest work due for release later in the year. Having played Ireland last year it was obvious that they had attracted a number of return punters familiar with their material. The opening song To The Lighthouse, from Brown’s new album titled Pacem, immediately connected with the punters. A beautiful song which recalled duets by Bonnie Prince Billy, the combined vocals of Brown and Jarvie are perfectly matched. Jarvie performed Before and After from her debut album Spiral Road, the title track of the album she’s is currently working on called In The Clear, both gorgeous folk songs soaked in country. Bob Dylan’s Senor also featured which she introduced by remarking how great it was to be in Europe for a while as far away as possible from the current corruption in the States. Brown invited Corley on stage to share the vocals on the quite stunning Moved By Hands To Shelter ( also from the Pacem album) accompanied also by Ger Moloney on accordion.  Brown, tongue in cheek, recalled how he christened it ‘the heart attack song’, composed in hospital visiting Corley when he was recovering from a near fatal heart attack in The Netherlands in 2016.

Taking the stage with Chris Brown and what he described as his garage band Corley’s set initially concentrated on material from his second full album Zero Moon released the previous week. His band consisted of Chris Brown on guitar and keyboards and locals multi-instrumentalist Peter Flynn on bass, Dan Pearson on drums and Dave Holland on guitar with Suzanne Jarvie adding backing vocals and Ger Moloney joining them on accordion on certain songs. Initially propped on a stool to ease a dodgy knee as a result of walking the cobbled street of Kilkenny Corley explained that his garage band had less than five hours to rehearse for the set and pleaded understanding. Over the next ninety minutes he transported everyone in the room through dark, painful and joyous landscapes recounted with his trademark gravely whiskey soaked baritone. Having kicked off with Take Me Down Some and Burning Chrome Corley casually asked his band how they were doing to which Holland cautiously replied ‘Ish’! Brown, always the producer and mentor, took the bull by the horns and after apologising for turning his back to the audience while playing guitar, coached the rhythm section through the next few songs one of which was the epic Desert Mission, one of many highlights from the new album. Despite inevitably straying occasionally Brown’s calming influence on the band  kicked in even managing to eradicate drummer Pearson’s initial ‘dentist waiting room expression’ and relaxing him to the extent that by the end of the set he was delivering backing vocals.

Continuing with material from Zero Moon Corley introduced Never Say Your Name as ‘a song about a girl and I don’t write love songs’ and Whirl, from the new album but written a long time ago which featured Corley switching keyboards and guitar with Brown. Suzanne Jarvie joined them on stage for Zero Moon, a monster of a song, intense, passionate and beautifully delivered both vocally by Corley and the band who appeared to relax and grow as the set developed. ‘Time for some old songs now’ declared Corley before   launching in to Available Light and Easy Mistake from his debut album after which he confided that they were played in the wrong order from the set list to add more confusion to the set. A classic delivery of The Calm Revolution ended the set like a tornado with Corley giving Dave Holland the nod of encouragement to take off the shackles and improvise resulting in some ripping sonic guitar work that brought the house down. Encores included Down With The Universe with Moloney back on stage to add accordion, Vision Pilgrim and Blind Man before Corley finally left the stage after a remarkable evening’s entertainment.

‘I have dreams of walking in to this bar and this music room. It’s such a magical place for Chris and myself to return to, like nowhere else’.

Three hours earlier Richie Healy had opened the evening with a storming set of futuristic alt-folk accompanied on stage by another set of crack local musicians in Conan Doyle (handmade Kydd Bass, extraordinarily beautiful instrument!), Kevin Bruce (Guitar) and Ger Moloney, whose accordion playing added another dimension to all the acts he contributed to over the course of the evening.

In the bar afterwards Corley apologised for the show being a bit on the loose side. On the contrary the spontaneity, improvisation and first night apprehension by the band all added to a most memorable night by an exceptional and very special artist.

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

Andrew Combs @ Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots

Andrew Combs is yet another talented young artist to emerge from East Nashville in recent years, joining the growing list of names flying the flag for Americana, Alt-Country or whatever the latest hip title for the genre might be. The East Nashville scene appears to be akin to an artistic co-op as so many of the same musicians, predominately female by the way, seem to pop up either in each other’s bands or featuring on their albums. Think Margo Price, Nikki Lane, Caitlin Rose, Molly Pardon, Lera Lynn, Erin Rae, J.P. Harris, Kelsey Waldon, Steelism, and you’ll get the picture. Enough talent in that lot and their bands to host a festival in its own right.

Combs and his band Jerry Bernhardt (Guitar), Dominic Billett (Drums) and Charlie Whitten (Bass) arrived in Kilkenny jet lagged and got straight down to business with gigs scheduled for lunchtime in Cleeres on Sunday 30th of April and the closing show of the festival at Kytelers on Monday 1st May at 9pm.

Hitting the festival armed with his latest and most ambitious and mature album to date, Canyons of My Mind. He also came accompanied with the tightest three-piece band you could imagine and their chemistry on stage at both shows was a joy to behold. Material on his latest album features dreamlike layers of strings on a number of tracks and he and his band managed to recreate the material live quite wonderfully, not an easy task. My first experience of Combs live was as the opening act for Caitlin Rose in Whelan’s four years ago, his talent apparent as he played an acoustic set of strong self-penned material before appearing with Rose’s backing band. It’s now barely nine months since the last occasion that I saw Combs perform with his band at The Fond Object in East Nashville and the progress over that short period of time has been staggering. His latest album may have caught a number of his followers slightly off guard, the Roy Orbison and Nilsson influences remain but a hardcore, edgier and fuller sound has also crept into his work allowing his band to let loose at times, a dimension which works spectacularly well in both his live performances at the Festival.  

His first show at lunchtime in Cleere’s to a sold-out house is a definite winner, a highlight of the weekend, a pin drop performance in fact. Togged out in a smart black suit, white shirt and cowboy boots he plays the perfect set focusing, as can be expected, on quite an amount of material from Canyons of My Mind mixed with some of the highlights from his earlier work.  In true traditional country writing style, unrequited love is well represented in particular by Lauralee and the beautiful Hazel, which Combs performs solo as an encore at both shows.

The more sonic additions on the current album also work spectacularly well live, Heart of Wonder and the anti-Trump Bourgeois King, which ended the sets at both venues, delivered with total passion on both occasions.

The closing slot at any festival can be the poisoned chalice with expectations high and in Comb’s case made all the more challenging having already performed the previous day and in quite a few cases to the same punters. The festival organisers made a brave choice given that previous years had featured rockabilly and blues bands bookending the festival and performing high octane sets to an expectant audience. In this case, they got the artist selection spot on with Combs and his band having the ability to rock out at times but also managing to silence a potentially boisterous audience, on the more mellow choices such as Too Stoned To Cry from his debut album and the equally moving Rainy Day Song and Strange Bird from his 2015 release All These Dreams.

Combs most definitely has the potential to follow in the footsteps of his Nashville neighbours Sturgill Simpson and Margo Price by making a major industry breakthrough and on the evidence of these two performance it’s more than well deserved.

Review and photograph by Declan Culliton

Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots Review

The Kilkenny Roots Festival is now in it’s 20th year and it has evolved over the years to it’s current singer/songwriter Americana axis but with enough diversity of music to pretty much please ever taste from some hardcore country to the harder edges of rock. There are numerous venues taking part in the event and while some are more suited to the live process all have gained their reputations as welcoming venues. Here is a selection of just three of many acts playing this year.

There were obvious highlights, as there are every year, and they will depend on personal taste but from the word of mouth on one such act was the Western Centuries. The band, who feature three key singers and songwriters, had a winning combination of musical skill, humour, love of what they do and perhaps most importantly a set of good songs. Western Centuries consists of Cahalen Morrison, Jim Miller and Ethan Lawton who ostensibly play rhythm guitar, lead guitar and drums respectively. But in truth are more variable with Morrison and MIller swopping acoustic and electric guitar depend who was taking the lead vocal on their self-written song. However it doesn’t stop there as Morrison and Lawton also swop roles with the later coming to the front to sing and Morrison playing the drums. This proved to allow for some onstage banter and for the set to have a variety that was with entertaining and effective. Completing the line-up and adding much to the overall context of the show was upright bassist Travis Stuart and very talented steel player Leo Grassl. The steel added a layer to the overall sound that grounded it solidly in traditional country roots.

However, Western Centuries are not retro copyists and are in fact a living, breathing entity whose music is as relevant to an audience now as it would have been back in the ‘50s. The set included several from their debut album Weight Of The World. These included Knocking ‘Em Down, Off The Shelf, Hallucinations, In My Cups a song that Lawton noted was about his 6th grade teacher who had got into trouble; a bar fight with another adult he added rather than anything more salubrious. They also played Double Or Nothing by special request. There were also some new ones such as Cloud Of Woes and Three Swallows - a drinking song or rather a song about drink that references the Powers Whiskey label. There was one about a telemarketer, an inverted individual who likes to drink at home listening to his own records in his own private honky-tonk. One that mentioned “warm guns” and the way they played it tonight was, they said, their best yet. These tales from the “United States of Weird Americans” are scheduled for the next album which they are hoping to start recording on soon. 

They played two sets to a packed room, at one point asking the audience to move forward in the already crowed space to allow late comers to enter. Then commenting that there was room for one onstage who could play tambourine or rub board! They also asked that any pictures of the band should not show them drinking as the told their families that they didn’t drink on tour. This envisaged a big laugh as the evidence was very much to the contrary. Aside from the obvious strength of the playing and songwriting on offer there was a sense of ease and humour among them that enhanced the enjoyment of the show. One that finished with them being called back for an encore. That was dedicated to some of the great musicians lost recently and was a spirited version of Merle Haggard’s Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down. But tonight the band didn’t let us down and showed that Western Centuries would be welcome back at any time.

Holly Macve, joined by her three piece band, played a short 40 mins set that confirms her a new and interesting voice. One who seemed to have been a highlight of the weekend for many. Drawing on her debut album Golden Eagle. Initially she took the stage accompanied only by her guitar player Tommy Ashby who brought some subtle but telling tones to her songs. Anyone familiar with her voice on record would have seen her duplicate it’s tremulous and tender voice onstage. Those who may have been fans of Paula Frazer and Tarnation will recognise a similarity. Though having seen both acts Frazer and her band varied the tempo and mood of the songs more than Macve does here.

Macve moves between (borrowed) acoustic guitar and electric keyboard for different songs. Some employ bass and drums to underpin them with an added depth but alongside the key element of her voice it is Ashby slide guitar that is the main focus of the song. Aside from the her own songs the 9 song set included two covers, Melanie Safka’s We Don’t Know Where We’re Going a staple of her live set and sung solo at the piano before with to guitar one which she described as risky - a version of Willie Nelson’s Crazy (performed for Willie’s birthday that day) with a fine Nelson influenced electric guitar solo from Ashby. Communication between Macve and the audience was sparse enough as she preferred to let the music speak. Something that worked in the short set but may have seem lacking over a longer time frame. 

There was a pervading melancholy to her songs of heartbreak that included a piano-led Golden Eagle and closed with a slow lament in Sycamore Tree. She left the stage to resounding applause from the faithful as well as a set of new fans and there is no denying her talent and voice. It will be interesting to see how Macve develops her sound and songwriting in the future making her next album one to watch out for when it emerges.

Another making his debut at the Kilkenny Festival was the former Sons Of Fathers member and now solo artist Paul Cauthen. His album My Gospel finds the singer/songwriter delivering his music with a solid voice and traditionally leaning soulful country sound. In person it is a different story as it is stripped right back to it’s essence of story, voice and guitar … and Cauthen’s presence. Which is a big one which holds the audience’s attention for the hour long show. “I come from Texas and have been traveling America for the last 10 years. Now I’m thankful to spread my music across the big water” are the words that Cauthen greets us with. He also tells us that coming here to Kilkenny was the first he had stepped outside of an airport and that previously the oldest thing he had seen was the Alamo. He reflected that Kilkenny was a beautiful old city. 

He also told us that his relationship had recently broken down and that had resulted in some new songs. He said that the particular lady had been his muse for 5 years. It is these hard won (and lost) relationship with family that are at the core of Cauthen’s writing and of his album. A couple of the songs especially received a strong reaction from the audience who felt empathy with their theme and immediacy. These were Better Last Name and Hanging Out On The Line. Other songs that came from the album included

Let’s It Burn, Still Drivin’, Saddle as well as the title song. His version of Fulsom Prison Blues also we well suited to him and was equally well appreciated. 

Cauthen’s music has the air of an outlaw and his beard and black cowboy hat pretty much reflect that image. But that is backed up by his mix of tender and tough, of passion and pain. Contrasts that make his music more real and rewarding. This is obvious across the set of personal ballads that talk of his life and times, of his background and upbringing. His father, he explained, was leader in the church in Tyler, Texas and that his grandfather and his twin brother would lead the service. He also sang there and was dressed up in a 3 piece suit to make him look snazzy in the church. However, he then quipped, “I haven’t been snazzy since!” 

That grounding may play an important part in the way his voice is used to express his inner feelings. It has been noted that there are reminders of Waylon Jennings in his vocal as well as a hint of Raul Malo's vocal dexterity. Cauthen also impresses with his range and delivering that goes from big and boomy to something gentler and considered. An hour in this basic form might well be enough and it would be interesting to see him with a band next time out. Either way Cauthern made his mark and wetted the appetite for his next album and his next visit.

All of these gigs took place in the welcoming surrounding of Billy Byrnes pub whose back room is one of the premier venues that participates in the Roots Festival. 

With thanks to Willy Byrne, John Cleere and also to Willie Meighan

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

John Prine @ Bord Gais Theatre - 13th April 2017

The accolade ‘living legend’ is all too often bandied about carelessly when describing some of our surviving roots / country singer songwriters.  Recent years has seen the passing of Merle Haggard, Leonard Cohen and George Jones, all who unquestionably fall in to this category, leaving a handful of artists including a very ill Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn and John Prine carrying the torch. 

Prine’s inspiration to so many of this generations burning lights (Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Ryan Adams to name but a few) is beyond doubt and the chance to still witness him in full flight is an opportunity not to be missed. Like Cohen in his latter years and as a result of recovery from throat cancer, Prine’s vocals have dropped a few octaves from his younger days, but in many ways his new found gravely vocal perfectly suits his more recent recordings and still manages to do his vast back catalogue justice indeed.

Prine’s wife Fiona, being Irish, practically guarantees us an annual if not bi-annual show in Dublin and some eighteen months after his last appearance in Vicar Street its business as normal for the enthusiastic audience this evening.

The added bonus this evening is the support slot by Amanda Shires. A regular visitor to Ireland in recent years the selection of Shires as support act also gives Prine the option of including a number of his well-loved duets in his set. The presence of Jason Isbell (Shires' husband) on stage gives the evening another dimension.

"Six shows in seven days, they shouldn’t do that to an old man" announces Prine three songs into his sold out show this evening. Having kicked off proceedings with Love Love Love, Glory of True Love and Long Monday it’s evident even at this stage that the full house at Bord Gais Theatre are in for a treat. Opening act Amanda Shires who showed a sense of humour with the remark that "you guys seem to have named your toilet bowls after me!" had already wooed the crowd with a thirty minute opening set, playing in a duo with her husband Jason Isbell and performing Devastate, Pale Fire, Swimmer, Wasted and Rolling before closing by sharing vocals with Isbell on a cover of Warren Zevon’s Mutineer.

Prines’s regular band this evening, Jason Wilber on guitar, Pat McLaughlin on mandolin, acoustic and electric guitar and Dave Jacques ("the best bass player in the world") on upright and electric bass are also accompanied, welcomed but somewhat surprisingly, by Kenneth Blevins on drums. An unusual departure for Prine to feature a drummer on stage but he explains, "never had a drummer, but heard this guy play my stuff recently and changed my mind".  As can be expected the playing is sublime to the extent that it is impossible to highlight any one of the players above the others. The three and sometimes four part harmonies accompanying Prine’s low down vocals aren’t half bad either.

All the crowd pleasers are delivered, Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Any More ("an old song that I dust down and bring out at every presidential election, think I’m gonna leave it out for a while this time!"), Hello In There which he dedicated to his mother in law, Angel From Montgomery this time dedicated to Bonnie Raitt. What follows is a solo slot by Prine and his trusty acoustic guitar - one he bought it in 1968, and played on every song hes written,also quipping thatit "could play the show all on its own." He delivered side splitting versions of Jesus The Missing Years and That’s The Way The World Goes ‘Round.

At this stage we are over an hour into a typical Prine show but what follows for the next sixty minutes is magical. Firstly joined by Shires on stage, Prine delivers a saucy duet of In Spite Of Ourselves with Shires adopting Iris De Ment lyrical role to perfection. The duo continue with Unwed Fathers before Prine invites Isbell back on stage and asks him to select one of his own songs. Prine tell us that "I love singer songwriters and this man is the best I’ve heard in the past twenty five years." Isbell obliges playing Travelling Alone noting that it was Mrs. Prine’s favourite song of his which he freely admits having ripped off from John Prine.

Prine returns on stage and tells the tale of how he came to meet Galway born Fiona, his current wife ("she’s given me three wonderful sons, two grandchildren and the happiest twenty five years of my life") in 1988 in Blooms Hotel after he had performed at the Point as part of The Sessions. She then joins him on stage for My Happiness, the duet included with her on his latest album For Better, Or Worse. A solo Sam Stone ("for all the veterans in the world") follows before his band, Shires and Isbell come back on stage for a grand finale that includes Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness (dedicated to Nanci Griffith) and a rousing Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and show closer Lake Marie.

In response to the deafening applause and cheering from the audience the whole entourage return to stage for an encore of Paradise to conclude the show. From a personal viewpoint I have had the pleasure of attending many wonderful John Prine shows over the years. This evening’s performance, for me, surpasses in many ways any of those experiences and judging by the reception John Prine and all his accomplices received at the end of the show, I’ve no doubt many other would concur.

Review and photograph by Declan Culliton

Alejandro Escovedo with Don Antonio @ Whelans 11th April 2017

The opening act, Italian band Don Antonio, played a short set of mainly instrumental songs from their debut album, which was musically interesting and tinged with humour. Italians playing rock ’n’ roll may not be an easy concept take on board front man and lead guitarist Antonio Gramentieri mused and how the dance The Twist gave them an in. They played with a passion and ability that went down well with an audience that they had quipped earlier doesn’t particularly like support bands, setting the tone for a rewarding evening.  

After a short break, and a change of clothes, the band emerged with Escovedo and preceded to play four songs that were fiery examples of a hard rock attitude that took the level up a notch or two from the recent Burn Something Beautiful album. The band were with him all the way with a strong rhythm section bolstered by lead guitar, saxophone and keyboards. What was immediately apparent was the commitment that Escovedo brought to his performance. His vocals were powerful and purposeful and his guitar playing integrated with the overall sound blasting from the stage. 

After four songs Escovedo let us know how he was happy to be back in Dublin and, in particular, Whelans again. “Thanks for coming out on whatever night this is” he noted with some obvious touches of touring fatigue. He changed from electric to acoustic guitar for the next few songs which would be for the “Americana crowd.” He preceded that with a brief history of his past and his love for influences such as the New York Dolls and The Stooges (among many others). He talked of his move to New York where he met old friends Chip and Tony Kinman (of fellow punk band The Dils) and how they drove across America with a plan to bring together George Jones and The Clash. The result of this was of course the influential band Rank & File. They arrived in Austin “the City of Songs.” A small spec of blue amid a sea of red - a place where you could find the likes of Blaze Foley or Townes Van Zandt wandering around looking for a misplaced guitar from the previous night!

He played a song he co-wrote with his old friend Chuck Prophet Bottom Of The World that addressed how things had changed in Austin (and everywhere). In this set he also played a song that he’d been singing for the recently departed. On this occasion, he dedicated the song to Irishman and music lover Frank Murray. Sister Lost Soul was a song that he had co-written with the late Jeffery Lee Pierce of Gun Club. He also included Down In The Bowery from his Streets Songs Of Love album. He took the opportunity also to introduce the band, Don Antonio: Matteo Monti on drums, bassist and singer Denis Valentini plus Francesco Valtieri who played saxophone and keyboards as well as tambourine and backing vocals as well as the aforementioned Antonio Gramentieri on guitar. They proved to be a superb backing band given that they only had a day or so rehearsal before driving 10 hours in a small van to Frankfurt for the first gig of this European tour.

Escovedo discussed the current situation in America and how his family had come to America from Mexico and of his 12 siblings eight had been involved with music. Two were noted percussionists and how he felt that they had enriched the cultural life there in the US with their contributions. His father was a hardworking man whose own father had been abusive. This had caused his father to run away at an early age. That sense of freedom is something that seems fundamental to his son too. A troubadour who brings his talent to different towns and shares his life experiences, both good and bad, with his audiences.  

Sally Was A Cop was a song that brought some of his shared heritage into play. It was one of the strongest performances on the night that mixed some older songs with those from the latest album. He closed the show with his take on Bruce Springsteen’s Always A Friend, a song that the Boss had invited him to sing with him at a big show in Texas. The penultimate song was not his but one from BP Fallon, who joined the band to deliver, in his unique way, I Believe - a song originally recorded with Jack White but here given justice with the band directed by Fallon’s hand movements and vocal phrasing. 

For many reasons a great gig, even if, at times, the vocals seemed a little lost in the mix, Alejandro Escovedo is a survivor as well as a showman. A man imbued with the spirit of rock ’n’ roll who transcends genre to deliver his heart and soul. In doing so he is burning with something beautiful.

Review by Stephen Rapid   Photography by Kaethe Burt-O'Dea (top) and Stephen Rapid (bottom)

Samantha Crain @ Whelan’s - April 7th 2017

Tonight, sees the welcome return of Samantha to Ireland for a short tour, which includes dates in Dublin, Kilkenny and Cork. It has been a fast rise to prominence among her peers for this gifted song-writer and musician who has released 5 albums over an 8-year period, culminating in the current offering, You Had Me At Goodbye.

Her new release is strongly featured, as expected, with the first half of the show taken up with the live performance of the entire project, ten songs in all, played with a band that has been assembled for the tour. This is all the more remarkable when you consider the relatively short rehearsal time that the musicians must have had to get to know these songs and to add their individual touch to the overall arrangements. Credit Samantha in that she appears to be a very generous band leader who allows each player the space to play and stretch the songs into understated and complete performances.

Her previous catalogue has fallen into the reflective song-writer category often exploring the fracture of relationships, the failings of individuals to do the right thing and the broken-hearts that must mend as a result of so much chaos. She is an advocate for the underdog and often writes from a personal viewpoint but dressed in character songs.

The new release seems much more upbeat with bright arrangements and a strong sense of letting the songs go where they will go. One song, Red Sky, Blue Mountain is written in Choctaw, her native language, and the overall impression is of a musician who is wholly comfortable with her muse and delivering songs of a mature nature to augment her growing body of work.

Emma Gatrill plays oboe and delivers a performance that is very impressive as she swoops around the melodies and colours the arrangements with subtle touches that fit perfectly. Equally Mike Siddell on violin displays a virtuoso performance of embellishing the song structures with understated playing lines that harmonise perfectly with the oboe parts and lift the songs to increasingly interesting places. Ben Rubenstein on bass is a very steady player who keeps things simple but is always driving the songs forward with lyrical playing. Sebastian Hankins is a fine drummer who never overplays and tucks-in very neatly behind the acoustic playing of Samantha with little touches of class on percussion when not anchoring the beat for the more up-tempo songs.    

The attentive audience is treated to stories of self-absorbed asshole friends; Airport-naming in Oklahoma and a tribute to the wife of the legendary Will Rogers; name checks for Richard Thompson and the late Jason Molina; her best friend honoured in a song and her first cover of a song from Will D. Cobbe, When the Roses Bloom Again.

Samantha is very relaxed on stage and her fine voice and guitar style signpost the real depth that lies within this gentle soul who displays a persona of wanting to have fun onstage above all else. Finishing her show with a number of older songs, Outside The Pale, Santa Fe, Kathleen, Somewhere All The Time and encores of Elk City (solo) and For The Miner, we are left with the feeling that the only way is up for this gifted and intelligent artist who continues to win over more admirers as she grows into the years ahead and continues to produce work of real insight and meaning. 

Review and photograph by Paul McGee

Jim White @ Whelan’s - 4th April 2017

With the room still echoing from applause for the opening set of gravely blues and stunning slide and acoustic guitar picking by Clive Barnes, Jim White is already perched centre stage and eager to get down to business. "Are we ready to start yet," he asks, "because I’ve a lot to say." It’s a welcomed return to Dublin for the rare talent that is Jim White, singer, songwriter, raconteur and overall entertainer. He possesses a genre all of his own, probably yet to be defined and has been visiting Ireland for many years to audiences that ‘get him’. "First time I played Whelan’s I had five songs, no more. Audience said that’s cool just keep playing them over and over again." Promoted by Rollercoaster Records, tonight is the first night of a six date Irish tour and it’s heartening to see a great turn out.

Decked out in western shirt and Levi’s, the former male model, taxi driver, comedian and surfer proceeds to deliver a set that lasts an hour and three quarters yet seems to pass by in a flash. In customary fashion, each of White’s songs is preceded by a story (often taking longer than the song itself!) and the set list includes a trawl through his extensive back catalogue together with material from his latest album, due for release later this year. Accustomed to more than often playing solo these days with only his drum machine ("my trusty Japanese drummer") for company, the contribution of Clive Barnes on guitar brings the experience to another level entirely, more than recreating the studio atmosphere so integral to White’s work, no mean achievement considering the pair had only rehearsed for a few hours the previous day. The relaxed chemistry and interaction generated by both artists certainly would suggest otherwise. "The promoter told me this guy would drive me around and maybe play a bit of guitar as well, Jesus he is awesome, loves his music too! Joy to be on stage with him, I’d almost do it for nothing ... I said almost!"

Alabama Chrome, given a slightly varied treatment than the studio version, opens the set followed by The Wound That Never Heals ("a great lady serial killer song, too many man serial killer songs, had to set that right") before continuing the dark country noir theme with the first of a number of songs from his latest work titled Wash Away The World. Next up is his "one big hit" Handcuffed To A Fence in Mississippi which introduces his Japanese drummer and some powerful chunky guitar work by Barnes. Burn The River Dry follows with an accompanying tale of how the song was conceived while working as a taxi driver in New York, being jilted by a girlfriend and left stranded having blagged his way into renting accommodation for them both in Brooklyn, way beyond his financial means.

An account of tripping on LSD in his younger days as a surfer on a beach in California with a friend explains the origins and is the lead in to A Perfect Day To Chase Tornadoes, before a flawless version of Jailbird , one of the many highlights of the night.

Weighing in at a lengthy six minutes and thirty-four seconds Still Waters is introduced as his ‘bathroom song’ as White articulates how a Louisville Radio Station was playing the song regularly, to his surprise, when it was released. So much so that he was encouraged to visit the station to offer his appreciation. The reaction of the lady DJ when he proudly owned up as the writer of the song was "wow awesome, its six minutes thirty-four seconds long, I can get to the bathroom and back when its playing.’’

Hilarious tales are also recounted of upsetting, to put it mildly, some seriously right wing conservative Canadian bluegrass players and American rockabilly player Sleepy La Beef by performing God Was Drunk When He Made Me on stage in their company at a festival. If Jesus Drove A Motorhome and A Bar Is Just A Church Where They Serve Beer follow on a similar irreverent path before encores of the intoxicating Girl From Brownsville Texas and a moving new song written for his daughter, with a tear in his eye, called Sweet Bird Of Mystery.  

It’s a joy to witness Jim White in such good form and at the top of his game. Hats off to promoter Willie Meighan for having the foresight to arrange the tour and introduce him to Clive Barnes. Hopefully this won’t be the last time these two appear on stage together in Dublin. 

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

Rhiannon Giddens @ Whelan’s - 3rd April 2017

With the show sold out not long after it was announced it is not surprising that the venue is packed to the rafters for the welcomed return of Ireland’s adopted daughter Rhiannon Giddens, whose last appearance in Dublin was at the same venue in July 2015. Giddens and her band have marginally more elbow room on a stage that also accommodates a mandolin, two banjos, three acoustic guitars, two electric guitars, two fiddles, drum kit, upright bass, keyboards, a Cajun accordion and bones. Not that the lack of space concerns Giddens in the least who adds "it’s great to play at Whelan’s again so close to you all and my band. The stages at some of the venues we play in these days are that large that I can hardly see my band and they become more like an ensemble!" It’s a pointer towards the splendid form that Giddens and her band are in on the last night of their tour of Europe before heading to Australia the following day.

The Grammy Award winning artist has for many years been adored for her exceptional vocal range and technical musical ability but since her last appearance in Dublin she has also revealed an excellence as a song writer on her  recent release Freedom Highway, possibly the most potent political protest album for many years.

Once every so often gig attendees are fortunate to witness an artist or band when they are particularly on fire, whether it be in support of a career best album, the last night of a tour or a special occasion. Tonight, is without doubt one of those magical event, with a performance that has the audience totally engaged from the opener Spanish Mary to the couple of Scottish Gaelic reels that conclude the evening some ninety minutes later. The audience’s mood rises and dips from pin drop silence, to hand clapping and singing along, as Giddens delivers a set combining material from her recently release Freedom Highway as well as revisiting her extensive back catalogue.

Her band are made up of three members who appeared on her last visit to Dublin, Carolina Chocolate Drop colleague Hubby Jenkins on guitar, mandolin, banjo and bones, Jason Sypher on bass and James Dick on drums. Giddens on her earlier albums had engaged producers such as Joe Henry, Buddy Millar and T. Bone Burnett but decided to co-produce Freedom Highway and sought out the services of multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell. Powell’s presence on stage this evening playing keyboards, electric guitar, fiddle, accordion and adding backing vocals, is the catalyst that brings the performance to a higher level. Giddens is on record insisting that the band she wanted touring the album would also be the musicians who recorded it and their timing, chemistry and comradery certainly reinforce this.

Following on from Spanish Mary Giddens performs four tracks in succession from Freedom Highway, the upbeat The Love We Almost Had, the instrumental Following The North Star, the gorgeous ballad We Could Fly performed by Giddens and Powell as a duo and the particularly moving At The Purchaser’s Option. Giddens explains the history behind the song which was motivated by a newspaper cutting she came across while researching African American history, advertising a twenty-two-year-old slave girl for sale with her nine-month-old daughter available also "at the Purchasers Option". Her vocal delivery as you would expect is exquisite, soaring and dipping throughout the set and the passion, most notable on the material from the current album, is there for all to witness, most particularly on Birmingham Sunday ("a song we should not still be singing") and Julie, the first song she wrote for the album. Giddens explains that the banjo she is playing on Julie is in fact an 1858 replica that she acquired which sounds exactly as it would have back then.

The delivery is painfully moving on many songs also, particularly her current material, but there is also no end of humour. Giddens arriving on stage stylishly attired but not realising that a large price tag is dangling from her skirt which raises a giggle as much by herself as her audience. Her good-natured anecdote is also well received when telling the audience that her two children attend Gael Scoil in Limerick. "Thanks for not laughing when I mentioned Limerick, everyone else does."

 The set list also includes the crowd pleaser Waterboy, the Patsy Cline favourite She’s Got You ("my all-time favourite weepin’ in the beer song"), Powell taking centre stage playing some foot tapping Cajon dance waltzes on his accordion and Hubby Jenkins singing and ripping some electric blues on the African-American bible song Children Go.

The first encore is a rousing version of The Staple Sisters 60’s rally song Freedom Highway with UK artist and support artist Jordan Mackampa invited on stage to perform backing vocals. The final encore is a medley of Lonesome Road and Up Above My Head followed by a couple of Scottish reels with Giddens declaring ("I can’t sing another note, I’ve sung my brains out") before leaving the stage to rapturous applause.

For those who were fortunate to attend the show and witness Giddens and her superb band in such fine form it’s an occasion that will remain in the memory bank for quite a while. For those who did not the good news is she is back in Ireland in November. 

Review and photography by Declan Culliton

Over the Rhine @ Utrecht and Dublin – March 2017.

There is a synchronicity that runs through life at times and can lead to moments of magic; unexplained and all the more precious for their arrival. Lonesome Highway discover the chance to witness live concerts from Over the Rhine in both Utrecht and Dublin, both within the space of 10 days, and for this writer who has admired their talents for many years, it is too good an opportunity to miss.

Indeed, had our timing worked out better there would have been the opportunity to chat with Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiller before both shows. Unfortunately said synchronicity does not extend to meeting-up as rental car delays and late arrival by this scribe, coupled with soundcheck commitments conspired against Utrecht and by the time Dublin came around, both artists are suffering from a debilitating bug that has them resting at every available moment prior to the actual performance.

However, a brief hello after both shows leads to the promise of an interview by e-mail (check the site over the coming weeks ...).

From Utrecht and the beautifully modern venue of Tivoli Vredenburg, built in 2014, with its innovative architecture and design - plenty of open space between the various floors and performance rooms; to the ancient Church setting in Dublin of the Unitarian Church built in 1861- the contrast in venues could not be more pronounced.

Both shows are very intimate affairs and filled with a quality of performance that underlines the rich talents of this husband & wife duo who have been producing sublime music for the last 25 years. This is roots music in all its splendid colours where influences of blues, country, folk and gospel are blended together into a cocktail mix that is delivered with such soulful expression.

Starting each show with Meet Me At The Edge Of The World, the title from the latest studio release, both musicians dove-tail around the melody with sensitive guitar interplay and the seamless vocal harmonies borne of playing together for so long. Karin has a voice that is quite beautiful in both quiet restraint and emotive delivery and when she opens her full range then the effect is quite something to witness.

The latest release features regularly during the show, as one would expect, and performances of Sacred Ground, Gonna Let My Soul Catch My Body, Earthbound Love Song, Favourite Time Of Light and I’d Want You are included from this double album. Many older songs are in the hearts and wishes of the attentive audience but it is impossible to cover everybody’s favourite song in one show.

Their extensive back-catalogue is featured with Born, Trouble and Ploughkeepsie all displaying the vocal dexterity of Karin as she occasionally bends words to suit the mood of the song with a delivery that is always compelling and full of emotion. The wonderful piano playing of Linford is always a highlight and he dazzles with subtle interpretation, gentle touch and free form exploration on melody lines in support of each song.

When I Go is a soulful prayer with some jazz-like piano parts while Latter Days is a song that reflects upon common themes with its musing on the disillusionment of life and separation.

All My Favourite People from The Long Surrender (2001) and If A Song Could Be President, from The Trumpet Child, are two songs that fit very well together as the shows reach a climax and both are greeted with great enthusiasm.

In Utrecht, we are given the wonderful Suitcase, from the Ohio double album; while in Dublin, a rare performance of Jesus In New Orleans seems somewhat apt given the Church venue. There is also a beautifully delivered version of Drunkard’s Prayer, the title track from the 2005 album and the closing song on both nights is a fan-favourite, All I Need Is Everything.

Over the Rhine are completely comfortable onstage and the conversations and stories shared between Karin and Linford are a key component to the overall feel of each performance. Each location enjoys a different ambience and atmosphere and the performances are delivered with a subtle grace that is quite wistful and evocative of the human journey we all undertake; the frailty of life with its successes and failures, balanced against the lessons learned and the stumbles and progress born of experience.

The fact that they have managed to endure in this cut-throat industry on an independent basis for the last 25 years is tribute indeed to the countless artists like them who exist outside the media radar and who rely on word-of-mouth to keep their music alive and vibrant. Judging by the show of hands to ‘market-research’ carried out by Karin and Lindford there are quite a number of new fans who are seeing them play for the first time on this tour. Encouraging signs indeed.

Karin speaks of the artist’s role in comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable and this really sums up the joy of their astute song-writing and impressive musicianship, which is of the highest quality. The standing ovation received on both nights is proof positive that both Karin and Linford have an enduring place in the hearts and minds of so many music lovers across the distances.

Comparison is the thief of joy, as a very philosophical Karin states towards the end of the Dublin show and far be it from me to compare the unique talent that makes this compelling duo one of the greatest secrets of modern American music. Make sure you catch Over the Rhine the next time they tour in your country.

Review and photograph by Paul McGee

C2C Festival @ Dublin 2017

The Lonesome Highway team share some thoughts on the 2017 C2C Festival

C2C is a yearly event and getting stronger every year. It is probably the occasion that totally unites Ireland north and south under the banner of country music. I would say that 80% of the audience were from anywhere above a line drawn from Dublin to Galway. The 3 Arena was jammed from the start while the Sunday World pop up stage provided an opportunity for local talent to showcase under the watchful eye of country guru Eddie Rowley. Saturdays singer Una Healy strutted her stuff as a solo act and did a fine job of it. The one drawback was the occasional performer singing to a backing track which had an unfortunate whiff of karaoke.

Friday night Maren Morris was the opening act, a five foot nothing ball of energy who leaned closer to Taylor Swift than Tammy Wynette in her music, but the crowd were with her all the way. On the other hand the second act was Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives who ticked every box for me and even a few that I hadn’t expected. I got a buzz seeing Marty keeping the spirit of Clarence White alive with the famous B-Bender that I got to hold backstage when Marty played the Helix a few years back. Check out Steve’s accompanying review of a superlative performance.

The main act of the evening was the Zac Brown Band, an amazing unique outfit, all tattoos and assorted hats with an audience-electrifying set that had the crowd bouncing all over the hall until an ill thought out backdrop of the Union Jack to their cover of The Who’s Baba O’Riley brought boos and a slow handclap from part of the audience. I was too taken with a set that was a lot more to my taste and softer than on their last visit to be bothered by this lapse in an American grasp of European geography. No disappointments there for real Zac Brown fans and even a totally unexpected Bohemian Rhapsody cover had the crowd screaming for more.

Saturday opened with another newbie to me, Cam, a bubbly blonde in rhinestoned ripped jeans and a bright yellow top looking for all then world like a young Dolly Parton. She is a very appealing stage presence from California whose songwriting career and fine voice will ensure her place in the country-pop field for a long time. Cam was a fine opener for the next performer whom I managed to interview before the show.

Jennifer Nettles is back to her solo singing career with last year’s release of her second solo album Playing with Fire after film work and a stint on Broadway in the musical Chicago. She jumped straight in and worked the full stage, constantly interacting with the audience. Her set list that covered her full musical history so far, with songs from her magical time with Sugarland, her last two solo albums and a smattering of new stuff which kept me well pleased for her hour on stage. She is a seasoned performer who is fully confident in her good looks and musical ability and hopefully will grace our stages for many a year to come. 

Next came the songwriting powerhouse that is Chris Young. With a full band behind him, he dominated the stage and seemed genuinely pleased with the singalong performance from the crowd. Young’s songs have the ability to hit the same nerves that that any great honky tonk heartache song from Nashville ever did. I enjoyed his sincerity and melody which, like most of the experienced acts this time, was a lot more acoustic and less electric that previous visits. 

Then a white-hatted and Telecaster carrying Brad Paisley burst on stage with a set of tunes that had his now familiar guitar breaks which added to the album versions of his hits. I have seen Brad almost every time since I first saw him supporting Reba in (the then) Point Depot  back when God was a boy and he looks as young now as he did then. His performance was supported by the most engaging graphic backdrops of the weekend and boy, did he do his homework properly, right down to a Google Maps zoom in to the 3 Arena saying "We Are Here" and his joint USA/Irish Tricolour backdrop hit exactly the right note with the audience. He was joined on stage for a selfie-taking interlude by Chris Young while duetting on I’m Still a Guy. He had previously stunned the crowd by taking the guitar he had just played, signed it, added a little shamrock and then handed it to one shell shocked audience member. It’s very hard to comment on a Brad Paisley concert as he is country when he’s country and then the demon guitar slinger inside takes him off on a tangent. I’d prefer if he stuck to my style of country but that might be bloody boring and we would have nothing to crib about. Let’s just say the Brad Paisley is unique and an absolute gentleman who deserves to be allowed to tote his guitar in whatever way he like as long as he keeps coming back and blowing the crowds away.

Day three started with for me with Dan + Shay an act who belong on a pop, not country stage. They rapped their way through a set of unremarkable songs that left me hugely unimpressed. They were followed by Hunter Hayes, who somehow reminded me of Marty McFly in Back To The Future as he followed his guitar all across the stage like a young Chuck Berry. His undoubted instrumental skill and positive songwriting performance leaned towards Brad Paisley but without much country pedigree, but he finished his set with a heartfelt thanks to the world of country music which he said had given him the home that he had been unable to find in any other genre. This young fella is a handsome and talented lad who I think will mature into a Chris Young/Eric Church type singer songwriter as he moves ahead.

Darius Rucker is the former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman who has settled comfortably into country. He had the audience eating out of his hand from the first note as he chatted more to the audience than any previous acts. I was moving around too much as a photographer to manage to jot down the setlist but as Darius said what does it matter when a song is either good or bad? “Everybody loves a good song” he said “and this is a really good song” as he launched in Friends in Low Places to thunderous reaction from the crowd. Maybe his monitors weren’t too great but once or twice was a little off key. But the crowd just didn’t care as the standing ovation at the end showed. I reckon he can come back as often as he likes and will fill any venue in town. His set covered pop, funk, and country, and just like his most enjoyable Christmas album, he was a treat for my mature easy listening ears.

If you are a country fan in the true traditional sense of the word then to have C2C wind up with country royalty like Reba McEntire was a treat well worth waiting for. She came on stage in very tasteful boots, black leggings and a shimmery sequinned navy blue top and took us on a guided and chronological tour of her life from her earliest times with a doting cowboy dad right through to her current and very listenable twin CD set of gospel songs. Each song got a full down home intro as though she was having a one to one chat beside the fireside back home. There were plenty of visual back drops to support her performance. and the audience knew all the songs. The highlight for me was a duet with Jennifer Wrinkle, the multi-talented multi-instrumentalist on the huge hit Reba originally recorded with Linda Davis, Does He Love You, which just about tore the house down. Reba might have hit a bump in the road when she suggested a life-style change for the audience with her current single Back To God. 

Her set ran for well over an hour and she left the stage to an audience on its feet screaming for more. Just when it looked as if an encore was not forthcoming, the house lights dimmed and the screen lit up with the opening scene from one of her very early videos and at that stage on strode Reba as Fancy in a red mini, all rhinestones and tassels and a super look that sent most of the male hearts in the crowd heading to the cardiac critical zone. Reba certainly knows how to wow an audience and while she played as traditional as she needed to, her more recent offerings had soaring guitar breaks that were the equal of any of the earlier bands on the bill. A truly fitting finish to a strong festival. I fully enjoyed a weekend where the highs outweighed the lows; the increase in the number of acoustic instruments might signal a revival of more traditional country.

Review by Ronnie Norton

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This weekend of all things country is a very positive and progressive step in the country music calendar and has been running in Dublin since 2014. Blending the old with the new is always a worthy concept, even if it runs the risk of not pleasing everybody. Everyone will have certain favourites among artists due to play over such a weekend and the joy of it all is that over 72 hours, between London, Glasgow and Dublin each artist is given a wide exposure to big crowds and potential new fans.

Friday night in Dublin kicked off with Maren Morris, an up and coming new talent, who has been releasing music since she was barely a teenager. Her major label debut, Hero, was released last year to wide acclaim and she operates in the area of country-pop, with a nod to some hip hop/soul influence as well. She can certainly sing, as she displays in the quieter moments of a set that unfortunately drowned out much of her vocals with overly loud and booming beats and heavy bass. She plays her hits for the younger members of the audience who respond with great energy and sing along to I Could Use a Love Song, My Church (with Beyonce sample of Halo), Drunk Girls Don’t Cry, I Wish I Was, How It’s Done and Sugar which all serve to start C2C with a bang.

Next up is the wonderful Marty Stuart and his band, the Fabulous Superlatives comprised of top notch players Chris Scruggs on bass, Harry Stinson on drums and Kenny Vaughn on guitar. They proceed to tear up the venue with a set of tunes that display real premiership quality and musicianship of the highest order - a real band in other words! No gimmicks and no flash, just honest playing and talent. 

Miss Me When I’m Gone and The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’ Anymore kick off with the virtuoso guitar licks of Vaughan, a real highlight as he lifts the performance levels ever higher. I’m Tempted is followed by the old standard El Paso and Woody Guthrie’s Pretty Boy Floyd gets a special airing with the excellent vocals of drummer Harry Stinson. The Special, by Irvine T Rouse, is played on solo mandolin by Marty before he gives a terrific rendition of the Johnny Cash written 40 Shades of Green. Hillbilly Rock and Time Don’t Wait For Nobody close the set in real driving style with plenty of twanging Telecasters  mixed with a rhythm that calls to mind a mixture of Tom Petty meeting the Beatles. Marty Stuart has been around since the 1970s and has played with Johnny Cash as well as others in a long career that includes playing traditional country, bluegrass and rockabilly. He is country music royalty and worthy of greater attention.

Friday night finished with the Zac Brown Band who played an impressive 20-song set that includes a number of cover versions such as Baba O’Reilly and Bohemian Rhapsody. Both are performed with great confidence and are proof of the excellent musicianship among the band members. Whether these songs were included to highlight the wide scale of the band’s influences is not known, but they do take away from the focus on the band’s own songs and only served to disrupt the set.

Brown sings with a clear and strong voice that impresses the cheering crowd, who just can’t get enough. Chicken Fried, Homegrown, Free (which includes a tribute to Van Morrison with a section of Into The Mystic), Sweet Annie and Colder Weather are highlights of a long set as well as two new songs My Old Man and Real Thing. Zac Brown straddles a number of musical styles and includes some reggae-tinged tunes that add to the celebratory atmosphere of the night.

Sunday night Dan + Shay kicked off proceedings with a set that included plenty of energy and full-on country-pop. The two lead vocalists are easy to like with their boundless enthusiasm and smiling demeanours as they brought the Dublin crowd with them through a number of songs the younger audience members are happy to sing along with. 19 You & Me and Obsessed are two of the bigger hits and were received warmly. Shay is a strong singer with a soulful delivery and the singers also incorporated an element of rap into some songs. They were high energy, approaching lift off, as all band members bounded around the stage.

They are followed by music virtuoso Hunter Hayes who plays multiple instruments and has been on something of a fast-track for a number of years now. His band is very loud and the initial songs were drowned out by the distorted sound. On some of the quieter numbers he gets the chance to show that he really can hold a tune and is impressive with the quiet confidence of a  musician who knows what he is doing and where his career is going. I Want Crazy, Amen, Light Me Up and Yesterday’s Song are all well received and this set goes down very well.

Darius Rucker took to the stage with a quiet confidence born of years as a headliner and within minutes he has the crowd completely behind him as he glides across the stage, working his performance and urging his superb 6-piece band to perform at increasingly high levels. Multi-talented and playing a range of instruments, the band members all impress with their playing and dynamic support for what are excellent songs. The setlist of 17 songs is taken from his four solo releases, together with a few selections from a new release due later this year; plus some old Hootie & the Blowfish material, mixed with a couple of cover versions. Friends in Low Places and No Diggity are included plus a fine version of Purple Rain in tribute to all the music artists who died in 2016. It is old favourites such as Only Wanna Be With You, It Won’t Be Like This For Long, Lighter Up and True Believers that receive most attention as this talented performer brings home a show that had something to please just about everyone.

Reba McEntire has been releasing quality country music records since the 1970s and her status as the queen of country music can only be challenged by the likes of Dolly Parton. At this stage of her career she has more than justified her reputation as a performer of great confidence and her back-catalogue of work stands the test of time. She delves into her past decades of recording across a set of some 20 songs that include many fan favourites such as The Greatest Man I Never Knew, Whoever’s In New England, Little Rock, Is There Life Out There and many more.

Being a traditionalist Reba keeps the performance simple as she moves easily around the stage engaging with her 7-piece band and bringing fine performances from all. Her duet with band member and fiddle/mandolin/guitar player Jennifer Wrinkle on Does He Love You is a real moment where things soar; as is the cover version of the Kelly Clarkson song Because Of You. Her voice is still sweetly strong and full of powerful restraint as she glides through a medley of old songs like You’re No Good/ The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter/ Walk On/ I’d Rather Ride Around With You.

Her encore is the Bobbie Gentry penned Fancy and Reba re-appears in a resplendent red dress which has the crowd cheering for more, long after the stage has been vacated by this legendary artist. The weekend has been another success for the organisers and the artists involved have no doubt all made new friends as well as reacquainting themselves with many old ones too. The feast of music is something to just dive into as normal lives and routines are put on hold over 72 hours. The old mixed with the new; the tried and tested wrestled with the fresh and a look into the future of where country music might just be going. 

Like one of those old, legendary trains of past country songs, the carriages are full and the route is there for all to enjoy. Time can be a speeding bullet train or a slow ride to a familiar destination. Either way, the journey lies ahead and we all benefit from the experience. 

Review by Paul McGee

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marty Stuart C2C Friday 

The undoubted highlight for me looking at the 2107 C2C bill was the inclusion of Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives. This year’s line-up was again slanted towards the big names and upcoming chart chasers from the major labels. This makes a lot of sense in commercial terms, but it could also mean a lost opportunity if there is no move to introduce both broader and more traditional aspects of the music.

Stuart and his band - Kenny Vaughan, Harry Stinson and Chris Scruggs - were both superlative and indeed fabulous. Dressed to impress in tailored black Manuel for Marty and pale blue rhinestone suits for the band, they cut fine figures on stage. “Good evening good people of Dublin” was Stuart’s introduction to a set that included old favourites, songs and instrumentals from their new Way Out West album and some essential covers.

What was immediately apparent from the get-go was the tightness and ease with which this quartet played. The musicianship and harmonies were a delight and the sound was crystal clear, thanks to long time sound person Mick Conley manning the desk. Conley not only does the band’s live sound but also records, mixes and masters their studio recordings, and here he gave the audience the best sound of the weekend.

Aside from the songs there were Marty’s stories, which range from playing with Johnny Cash and (separately) Lester Flatt to meeting Ervin T Rouse, the man who wrote Orange Blossom Special, a song Rouse just called “The Special,” Stuart then gave a solo mandolin masterclass on his rendition of the song. All of the Fabulous Superlatives are steeped in the tradition and history of country music, but they also take it to new and exciting places. The 12 string Rickenbacker Vaughan used on the final song, Time Don’t Wait, proved that they could as easily reference the Byrds as they could the sounds of Bakersfield or Nashville. Stuart told us that Dublin was the surf music capital of the world - not so sure about that - but at that moment their guitar instrumental Mojave made it true. 

“I’ve come here to have some fun” Stuart told us, adding ruefully as he took a swig from a bottle, he was only “drinking water.” Fun was indeed had by all, including all three members of the band who got individual showcases; “Cousin Kenny” Vaughan played and sang Country Music Got A Hold On Me and Hot Like That, while “Handsome Harry” Stinson’s version of Woodie Guthrie’s Pretty Boy Floyd - with an amazingly long held note on the word Oklahoma - brought him a round of applause and “Professor of Cool” Chris Scruggs sang Dark Bird. 

The songs that immediately hit home for long-time fans were Hillbilly Rock, The Whiskey Ain’t Working and Tempted, all given a fresh lease of life by the new line-up and sounding as good as ever. The covers included El Paso which Stuart said they’d agreed to do as a tribute when session hero Grady Martin, who played on the original, was being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, before realising that it was not such an easy song to perform with 468 words and myriad chord changes. Nothing to worry about here as they did indeed do the song justice. 

Their Johnny Cash song choice for Ireland was an appropriate 40 Shades Of Green, a song that can sound cheesy in cabaret hands but here they got the spirit of the song just right. On different numbers they switched between acoustic instruments and twin Telecasters. Stuart played the legendary Clarence White’s guitar, illustrating that it couldn’t be in better hands. It is eight years since Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives played the Helix in Dublin and it can only be hoped that there will be less of a gap between this and their next visit, and that the audience, who responded enthusiastically to the music, will be there in force. 

Review by Stephen Rapid

C2C Live photography by Ronnie Norton

Lonesome Highway would like to thank PR James Cunningham who made everything easy, MCD’s front of house staff who were both accommodating and helpful and record labels Hump Head, Sony and Universal Music who facilitated us all with interviews.

Hamell On Trial @ Whelan’s - 9th March 2017.

The legendary Woody Guthrie performed with the slogan "This machine kills fascists" displayed on his guitar and he was a major influence on many songwriters over the years.

Will there will ever be an artist like him in today’s world; one that follows their muse in breaking through the accepted norms? England produced Billy Bragg who has been a very politically charged musician over his career and has fought against social injustice. He often spoke of his passion for the principles that Woody Guthrie stood for.

However, there is also an American equivalent, someone who is hiding in plain sight and has been delivering important messages for the last 20 years…

Tonight, I am reacquainted with the performance phenomenon that is Hamell On Trial.

It has been quite a few years since I last encountered this force of nature in a live setting and I was blown away by his passion and energy and his razor sharp wit. He also displays a verbal dexterity that is quite something to witness when he is riffing on a theme and his laser precision intelligence is aimed at many deserving targets.

He is a wordsmith, street-poet, a rebel with a cause who questions the basis upon which society works and the values that are held dear within the ranks of conventional thinking and Government spin. Nothing is safe from this punk poet. He is a country-rap artist and an urban guerrilla who stands tall against all that is hypocritical in the world.

Drawing from his twelve previous releases and debuting songs from an upcoming release, Tackle Box, we are given a 2-hour set that is full-on, with unrelting energy and a commitment to lift the audience into a new space, despite suffering from severe back pain; something he returns to at regular intervals and jokes around. Indeed, his penchant for joke telling is an integral part of the performance and his stories and observations from a life spent in the trenches are often hilarious. We get songs about divorce (his own), drugs, parenting, gun violence, the passage of youth, the media, hate crimes, religion, dead-end day jobs, old age, whores and Politics - with plenty of Trump references throughout.

Finishing with the iconic Johnny Cash song Folsom Prison Blues, Ed Hamell plays with rapid and powerful strumming on his heavily amplified Gibson acoustic guitar, while bringing all the pieces together into a statement of being your own man and living life to the max.

He has a tattoo that reads ‘The Chord is Mightier Than the Sword’ which encapsulates the Woody Guthrie stance and although the performance on guitar is impressive, dare I suggest that it is his poetic bullets that truly hit the mark.

Also on the bill, as support, was the ever-impressive Clive Barnes who joked about his 18 years of remaining anonymous in the music industry despite playing close on 200 gigs a year. The five song set displays his great talent on slide and acoustic guitar and he is a player with some serious licks who also sings like an old bluesman from the deep South. Always a joy to hear and one of our premier Irish musicians. He has a new CD, his sixth, to be released soon and is well worth tracking down.

Review and photograph by Paul McGee

Darrell Scott @ Civic Theatre Tallaght - March 4th 2017

Making his return to Dublin as a solo artist for the first time in awhile Darrell Scott takes to the stage at 8pm before an attentive and appreciative audience. Other than a quick “thank you very much” Scott played a opening selection of songs that display his guitar playing skills as well as his distinctive voice and well-written songs. However after the first three songs he moves to the piano and delivers the first of several stories about the songs or life in general. One such antidote was that quite often that songs come from a place for many writers feel is “beyond our tool set.” Looking Glass is a song that deals with that magical process “Feels like someone’s looking over my shoulder, I turn around and no one’s there.” He also tells us of his love for traditional country music, something he heard to the exclusion of any other music growing up. His father played this music in the cab of his truck and was a Hank Williams and Johnny Cash man, while his mother’s preference was for Marty Robbins and Tammy Wynette. They met however in a shared love for Merle Haggard.

Scott didn’t move to Nashville himself for quite some time “until I got my shite together.” Country music was about dark cheating and drinking songs; something he mused had almost disappeared from today’s mainstream country music. Those older songs were not Margaritaville, red cup or tail gate party songs but hard living hard drinking tales. One of his own songs Too Close For Comfort dealt with the topic and he felt that another country themed song was Waiting For The Clothes To Get Clean. The latter comes from his most recent album Couchville Sessions. A collection of songs from which he also included Down To The River. A song that was the first track on the album.

Given the way people listen music these days he felt he needed to put one of the strongest songs first. Statistics show how each song on an album in order of track placing gets less and less play. Scott had envisioned using Guy Clark for the final coda of this song when he recorded the song he had left space at the end of the song for this recitation. He told us how he had gone out to Clark’s home to record his voice and after couple of hours saw Clark hit a place where they both knew he had found his moment. That was the piece he used.

Scott hasn’t used a set list for a long time preferring to gauge the audience on the night and play the songs he feels fit best. Tonight he had a number of requests and a couple of these he played such as Rod McKuen’s Jean at the piano with a set of hand-written lyrics before him. He also played the traditional Wayfaring Pilgrim on the piano - a song he'd featured to great effect on his Live In NC album.

Another couple of highlights in an engaging set were his versions of Johnny Cash’s I Still Miss Someone and Red Hayes and Jack Rhodes oft-covered but still resonant Satisfied Mind. A song he informed us that he had chosen as his spotlight song in the live set with Robert Plant’s Band of Joy as it seem to fit better than any of his own songs. Scott clear appreciates the songs of others as his set is peppered with such choices. Another was his version of Townes Van Zandt’s Loretta; also a song taken from his Couchville Sessions collection. 

The audience was largely silent throughout the set other than to applaud the songs at their finish. The sound was crystal clear for which Scott thanked the sound engineer as he also did the audience for coming out. There was humour inherent in the patter too with Scott apologising for the recent election as well as for the green beer and hats that are often associated with St. Patrick’s Day in America. He was going to be in Ireland for our festive day he explained as after his series of Irish dates he would be involved with a song writing masterclass.

From my personal perspective I preferred the second set to the first as he seemed to get into his stride and I simply prefered the song choices. Everybody there, familiar with his albums and songs, would have had a favourite and given his catalogue it is likely that some personal favourites were not played. This didn’t detract though from the obvious enjoyment that both sides of the stage got from the evening. He told us that following the last song there would be no encore as the final song would say it all. If we liked the show, he quipped, we should tell friends and if we didn’t we should keep it to ourselves. The word is out.

Review by Stephen Rapid  Photogrph by Ronnie Norton

Drive By Truckers @ Vicar Street - February 28th 2017.

Vicar Street sees the welcome return to Ireland of this much-loved band who have been visiting these shores on a regular basis over their career. Formed in 1996 and with 12 studio releases to their name, Drive By Truckers deliver a show that is as rousing and vibrant as any since they first formed. Despite a number of rotating musicians and personnel changes over the years, the creative axis of Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley has remained firmly front and centre when it comes to driving this uncompromising collective ever-forward.

Tonight, we are treated to over 2-hours of energetic and passionate performance from Hood and Cooley, together with the superb playing talents of Jay Gonzalez (Keys/Guitar), Brad Morgan (Drums) and Matt Patton (Bass). The band members are perfectly in tune with each and every direction that the 24-song set list takes throughout the evening.

Starting with the new record and Ever South, which mentions Irish emigration to America, the band could do no wrong as they spun the enthusiastic crowd into something of a frenzy. Old favourites were interlaced across the newer songs in order to keep the momentum building and the sonic attack of three guitars was quite something to witness.

It can sometimes be just a bit too much in terms of the sound quality and the vocals certainly suffered on certain songs as a result. However, take nothing away from the overall energy in the room and the cathartic quality of songs such as Puttin’ People On The Moon, Zip City, Sinkhole, The Living Bubba and Women Without Whiskey kept the crowd singing in unison and punching the air.

The latest release, American Band, gets plenty of attention with the inclusion of Ramon Casiano, Surrender Under Protest, Darkened Flags On The Cusp Of Dawn and others. In fact, the band revisit seven of their previous albums across the evening and the performance of all five musicians is a real treat to experience; players at the very top of their collective game.

No doubt there were fan favourites that were not given an airing but with the body of work this band has produced, that seems to be inevitable. The pace was unrelenting and the excellent song-writing talents of Cooley and Hood really stand strong against any of their peers.

Finishing with a rousing version of Neil Young’s Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World, the Drive By Truckers leave the stage to prolonged applause and the hope that they return again soon – perhaps to one of our Summer Festivals (here’s hoping).   

Also worthy of a mention are opening act Eyelids. Considered to be one of the finest recent bands to come out of Portland Oregon, they are fronted by John Meon (Decemberists) and Chris Slusarenko (Guided By Voices) and their energetic forty five minute power pop set is the perfect warm up for what is to follow.

Review by Paul McGee  Photograph by Declan Culliton

Tom Robinson/Gerry Diver/Raphael Doyle/Louis Doyle @ Whelan’s 30th January 2017

Raphael Doyle has been a musician since the early 70’s and a friend of Tom Robinson. They initially played together in a band called Café Society but their paths took different directions over subsequent years.

In 2016, Raphael was diagnosed with motor neuron disease and his son Louis, also a musician, convinced his Dad to write and record a selection of songs that have just been released on Never Closer. Father and Son teamed up with Tom Robinson and award winning producer Gerry Diver to finish and record the CD, which forms the main body of the performance tonight.

This joint project has produced an album they should all be justifiably proud of and the live performance in Whelan’s, while poignant, Is also very uplifting and full of happy moments.

Gerry Diver plays fiddle, mandolin and flute with superb craft as he fills out the song arrangements in both a subtle and understated fashion. Tom Robinson adds guitar and vocal and brings great colour to the performance with his confident stage presence and larger-than-life persona.  

Louis is a very good guitar player and has a fine voice, something that is highlighted later in the evening when he delivers a solo performance of one of his own compositions.

Having opened the evening with an acoustic set of audience favourites [including Glad To Be Gay, War Baby and Up Against the Wall], Tom Robinson played a couple of songs from his excellent new album, Only the Now, before joining Raphael, Gerry and Louis to play songs from Never Closer.

The performance of songs like The Touch of Our Hands; Feet on the Floor; Live the Game and We’ll All Get Together Again point to the excellent song-writing talent and flair for observation that Raphael has brought to the project.

There are 2 covers with Robbie Robertson’s The Shape I’m In and Bob Dylan’s Dream but it is the dedication to his wife that takes centre spot as Raphael sings Rose with a tenderness and true love that is quite moving.

The 8-minute poem I Come From Ireland is uncomfortably honest in reminiscing on a life lived and of chances missed; “nobody’s fault but mine” is how Raphael summarises at various points during the delivery.

A heart-felt night of poetry and song delivered with real bravery and honesty. Raphael Doyle is going forward with all the courage he can muster and it is memories like tonight that will give him the strength to do so. 

Review by Paul McGee  Photigraph by Donna McGee

Billy Bragg & Joe Henry @ St Patrick’s Cathedral - Sat 28th Jan 2017

This seemingly unlikely pairing of an English folk/protest singer and an American songwriter/producer has recently released Shine A Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad. For the project, they booked a rail trip from Chicago to Los Angeles and recorded classic blues, folk, and country songs with railway themes at various train stations along the way.

Tonight, they combine to deliver a concert of great focus and honest sentiment in at a venue where the regal surroundings call for a fitting tribute to the old ghosts of past generations. There is an iconic image of freedom that attaches to the romance of the railroad and train journeys across the great plains.

Songs from The Carter Family (Railroading On The Great Divide), Hank Williams (Lonesome Whistle), Leadbelly (Midnight Special), Johnny Cash (The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore), Ramblin’ Jack Elliot (Railroad Bill), Jimmie Rogers (Waiting for a Train), Woody Guthrie (Hobos Lullaby), Bill Monroe (In the Pines), are played by these two talented performers. They spark off each other with witty comment and strong story-telling of the great characters that made up the fabric of life in the pioneering days of the old West.

In between performing songs from the new project, each artist takes a solo slot to highlight their back catalogue with some well- chosen songs to suit the occasion. They both speak of current issues, and, as expected, Donald Trump receives much comment. Joe Henry comments on the need for community and shared ideals to take us forward and Billy Bragg sings the classic Bob Dylan ‘The Times they are a-changin’ along with a very timely song from Anais Mitchell ‘Why We Build the Wall’.

Joe Henry sings in a softer tone to Billy Bragg, who attacks the material with his strong English accent. However, the mix of the two different voices does work well and the evening passes pleasantly over a 2-hour set that contained plenty of entertainment for the capacity crowd present.

Review by Paul McGee  Photograph by Vincent Lennon

Maria McKee @ St Patrick’s Cathedral - January 27th 2017

It has been a long time since this sublime artist graced a Dublin audience with her singular talent. Returning as part of the Trad Fest weekend, we are very quickly reacquainted with the force of nature that is a Maria McKee performance. Her media footprint may not be too evident these days but that vocal range and delivery has not diminished over the years.

Since she first appeared as a blazing new talent back in the late 1980’s and has been something of an enigma, almost shunning the commercial fame that was offered, while continuing to produce work of enduring quality.

Just how much practice she had in preparation for this one-off performance is anybody’s guess, as she does not have a website to track her current live activity, but she delivers a tour de force performance over 80 minutes plus that confirms her as an enduring influence upon the musical vista of the past 20 years.

The advancing years are not something that this artist acknowledges and this special venue bears witness to a quality performance that makes a mockery of the preconception that lack of activity leads to a diluted artistic drive.

Her repertoire is fondly remembered and revisited over a set list that covers many of the back-catalogue of music over her career and her stage persona is as witty and engaging as back in the days when she lived in Dublin and regularly graced our venues with her song-writing talent.

Joined by Denis Roche on guitar and a 2-song cameo from Jude, who flew in from London and recently lost his mother; the sense of witnessing a heat-felt and genuine performance is strongly evident among the enthusiastic audience. Maria just breezes from song to song with a disarming charm that keeps everybody completely present in the moment and never wanting the essence of it all to end.

A nod to Lone Justice, her original country band, is made with the inclusion of a very special performance of Wheels and many old favourites are revisited on guitar and piano over the course of the evening…

Has He Got A Friend For Me? Breathe; I've Forgotten What It Was In You (That Put The Need In Me); High Dive; In Your Constellation; Shelter; A Good Heart; The Sound Of Your Wheels are all performed with both grace and gusto.

Cover Me is a song that has caused this artist some conflicting emotions over the years but tonight she celebrates the success of the song and rightly so …

In Your Consciousness, Absolutely Barking Stars and Life Is Sweet end the performance and confirm the feeling that time only endears her more to the captivated admirers in this fair city. Come back soon!!

Review by Paul McGee  Photograph by Vincent Lennon