While BLACKBIRDS continues to attract widespread critical
acclaim, this evening’s show was a timely reminder of how brilliant HELLO CRUEL
WORLD was and more importantly still is. This renaissance period of Gretchen
Peters’ career in making these two fantastic records is spoiling fans across
two continents as she continues to inject inspiring shots of fine musicianship
into a rich song writing emporium spanning a lifetime. The power and emotion of
the new record will without doubt have its day in the live arena in good time, thus
spawning endless spine tingling moments such as savoured this evening when
being totally absorbed by ‘Five Minutes’,
‘Idlewild’, ‘The Matador’ and ‘Woman on
the Wheel’, all from the 2012 outstanding album.
Much comment has been made of Gretchen’s 20 year love affair with UK audiences and the advancements made since. Even in the last
decade the numbers attending her Midlands shows have more than doubled as she
has progressed from several intimate gigs at The Robin in Bilston to tonight’s
prestigious appointment at Birmingham Town Hall. Likewise the stage show has
expanded in presence from just Gretchen with her guitar to this tour’s
four-piece band. The piano and accordion playing of Barry Walsh has recently
become a permanent fixture and it was a pleasure to once again be seduced by
the sound of Christine Bougie’s lap steel guitar adorning both old and new
songs. The progression on this tour was to enlist the services of Co. Down
resident Conor McCreanor to cement the backfield with contributions on stand
up and electric bass, also allowing Christine to periodically add percussion via
a full drum kit.
The ambitious booking of Birmingham Town Hall paid off with
a highly credible turnout and as expected by many locals, the luscious sonic surroundings
suited Gretchen’s beautiful songs to a tee. Upon returning from the interval
Gretchen temporarily shifted Barry off piano to deliver an awe inspiring, and
fast becoming standard, slowed down version of ‘Independence Day’. On an evening focussing intently on Gretchen
Peters post-2012, the only other delve into the back catalogue was the expected
airing of ‘On a Bus to St. Cloud’,
neatly located as the encore lead off song. To round off a night easily living
up to the high pre-show expectations, Gretchen lightened the atmosphere with a
full band rocking version of Rodney Crowell’s ‘I Ain’t Living Long Like This’ and a jovial duet with Barry on the
John Prine witty classic ‘In Spite of
Ourselves’.
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| Photo by Gina Binkley |
Intensity was definitely a theme for the opening set as
Gretchen reeled off a near succession of tunes from the new album, unsurprisingly
starting off with the title track ’Blackbirds’.
Almost apologetically Gretchen commented on things getting better with this
dark murder ballad out of the way which was not necessarily needed as the strength
of the new record is in its raw and impassioned take on mortality. All but two
tracks from BLACKBIRDS made their live Midlands debut and for me the sheer brilliance
of ‘The Cure for the Pain’ made it
the stand out song from this collection. As per usual Gretchen oozed with
inter-song humility, appreciation and informed musings as typified by living up
to the stereotype of burning houses in ‘The
House on Auburn Street’ and the remembrance of forgotten victims as
detailed in ‘Black Ribbons’.
With the sound of Barry’s piano playing becoming a pivotal part
of Gretchen’s musical direction, he also took the opportunity to showcase his
latest solo record SILENCIO and along with Connor and Christine duly
entertained everybody with an instrumental titled ‘October Waltz’. Both Barry and Gretchen have been involved with Tom
Russell’s upcoming major musical project and their friend was duly remembered
with a version of ‘Guadalupe’,
increasingly becoming a regular and popular live number.
While there are a significant number of people who have
supported Gretchen’s UK adventures since their inception in the 1990’s, it is
still an honour to witness the continual evolution over the last decade which
has incredibly accelerated in recent times. The magic is going to be in watching
and listening to the songs on BLACKBIRDS develop in their own live way and ultimately
lead to Gretchen Peters raising that barrier of accomplishment even higher. It’s
a challenge she continues to succeed at and many people are appreciative of her
approach and take on music.
Set List (order from memory)
Blackbirds: When All You Got is a Hammer: Pretty Things: The House on Auburn Street:Guadalupe: Dark Angel: Black Ribbons: The Cure for the Pain
Independence Day:Everything Falls Away: Nashville:The Matador: Woman on the Wheel: October Waltz: Five Minutes:Idlewild
On a Bus to St.Cloud:I Ain't Living Long Like This: In Spite of Ourselves
www.gretchenpeters.com