It started with the cliche before branching out where the music matters. A personal vanity project sharing a passion for country, folk and Americana through live and recorded music since 2012. Give or take the odd hiatus or barren period.
Americana is one of the most contentious and open to individual
interpretation labels attached to music in the second decade of the
twenty-first century. However if you can squeeze another stab at personifying
the term look no further than Robert Ellis. Too country for rock and too rock
for country fits the bill neatly, as does a left field approach to making
music. Throw in a stellar band and a rack of songs bulging with imaginative
lyrics and you start to build a picture of an artist at the cutting edge of
progressive roots music. Amongst an array of dates forming his latest tour to
the UK, the eclectic and fiercely independent High and Lonesome Festival in
Leeds awarded Robert the headline slot in the Left Bank Saturday evening
presentation of this burgeoning event. Together with a three piece band hailed
as the Perfect Strangers, Robert set about showing why he is such a respected
artist and proved a fitting finale to a successful festival first day.
Like any multi-site event, choices have to be made from a
personal angle which bands to see, but the organisers made it a fairly easy
decision here when they billed Robert Ellis, Applewood Road and The Leisure
Society as the line up in the associate festival venue of the Left Bank. So
after an afternoon soaking up a variety of artists in the event’s main site –
the legendary Brudenell Social Club – it was the short walk to the salubrious confines
of a decommissioned church in the heart of a gritty Leeds inner city suburb.
Applewood Road
Applewood Road is a side project for three talented performers spanning oceans in their residency and homeland. Together the trio of Amy
Speace, Amber Rubarth and Emily Baker announced their arrival as a recording
entity with a delightful self-titled album earlier this year. A handful of UK
visits have promoted the record and it was a privilege to finally catch one of
their shows in a venue built for the angelic voice. The trio responded with a
stunning reproduction of a fair proportion of the record alongside a mesmeric
cover of ‘Losing My Religion’ and a
tribute to that other fabled ‘trio’ – Dolly, Linda and Emmylou – by following
in their footsteps with another version of the much loved Jean Ritchie song ‘My Dear Companion’.
While collaboration is a strong theme for Applewood Road,
Emily Barker came across as the most diverse contributor adding percussion,
banjo and harmonica to a sound sparse enough to let the songs flourish and
prosper. Vocally the trio share a common bond with the three voices frequently
melting into an eternal harmonious pool. From a song perspective, all the
chosen pieces for this thirty-five minute set ached with sheer beauty, and an
arm twist would probably elevate ‘Lovin’
Eyes’ to the first among equals.
Charlotte Carpenter
Sandwiched between the predominately stateside origin of
Robert Ellis and Applewood Road was an established English folk pop trio in The
Leisure Society, appearing this evening in a slimmed down trio format.
Essentially the band landed in a halfway slot between the acoustic charm of
Applewood Road and the full on electrification of Robert’s band. Although on
this occasion, the fiddle, acoustic guitar and keyboards lent more in the
direction of the act they followed rather than one we had yet to witness. A
link between all three artists scheduled for the Left Bank was a debut
appearance in my presence. Whilst The Leisure Society were always going to be
hard pushed to make a greater impact here than their fellow artists, the songs
shared and the accompanying style possessed much merit with the forty minute
set upholding the spirit of thriving independent song writing with an
alternative spin – the true ethos of the High and Lonesome Festival.
Nathan Boules
Clad in a bizarre suit and a matching persona frequently
dipping into surreal territory, Robert Ellis wasted little time in creating an
appealing first impression and followed this up with a raft of serious songs
from his two highly innovative album releases. The surroundings were to prove
no inhibition for the band led by ace lead guitarist Kelly Doyle. Robert himself
fluctuated between guitar and keyboards, forever proving a compelling front man
whether majoring on the irreverent or the informed. Learning a lot about an
artist is always a good sign of a successful gig and Robert left plenty to
ponder with the theme of songs such as ‘Elephant’,
‘Houston’, ‘Singalong’ and ‘Couples
Skate’. The hour on stage vanished too quickly, but fully grasping the aura
around Robert Ellis was accomplished by the time the curfew won the day.
Albert AF Ekenstam
While no report can be made on the Saturday evening Brudenell
bands, the afternoon session in the venue’s two music rooms threw up an
interesting mix of artists covering a multitude of styles. Solo, band,
electric, acoustic, guitar and banjo were just some of the assorted offerings
from an event kicking off at 1:00 PM and lasting into a second day with a
trimmed down Sunday selection. Each artist had just thirty minutes to grab the
attention of a floating audience with four probably doing enough to warrant reflection
four days later.
Leading this pack is an artist known from many listings and
appearing in the main room in a full band format. Charlotte Carpenter shared an
appetising style of appealing indie-rock reflecting a variety of moods at
contrasting paces. She meant business with the rack of electric guitars and a fellow
picker who delved into slide lap playing for one of the set’s slower songs.
While her style was quintessentially English, two further artists to impress
had the roots firmly in the US. California folk songstress Jenny O came across
as a curious performer, yet there was an endearing charm to the way she
presented her songs and being engulfed in her captivating performance was not a
bad way to spend half an hour.
Jenny O
As previously indicated, this was the time allotted to all
the afternoon performances and banjoist Nathan Boules used his moment in the
spotlight to extract some smart tunes from his timeless art form. Maybe there
is a time shelf limit to a deluge of banjo instrumentals but half an hour kept
the positivity in credit. Earlier in the afternoon, Swedish guitarist Albert AF
Ekenstam had impressed with a selection of atmospheric moody tunes, hinting at
a slice of Scandinavian noir. Fair play to the organisers with getting the acts
on swiftly, with a constant flow of music being on offer to the early birds
prepared for a short amble from one room in the venue to another.
Previous set ups for the High and Lonesome Festival included
a similar style of line up, but in a couple of city centre venues. This year’s did
have a more settled base with the bulk of the action taking place in the
Brudenell across the weekend. However as soon as the two key festival protagonists
from a personal angle formed the bulk of the schedule in the aptly named Left
Bank, the potential event highlight was narrowed down to a binary choice.
Applewood Road and Robert Ellis were peerless exponents of Americana/roots
music at varying ends of a vast spectrum, but both brought something special to
this event. While Robert Ellis had the privilege of the introduction and a
highly charged entry into the 2016 festival set pantheon, it is perhaps
Applewood Road and their divine rendition of the succinct three part harmony
which warrants the final word.
A couple of years ago Jason Ringenberg paid tribute to those
in the teaching profession during one of his UK gigs. This evening Sara Watkins
trumped that by dedicating ‘Tenderhearted’
to teachers, social workers and volunteers before delivering a song
epitomising the way she uses her talent to make meaningful music. This
extraordinary ability to mix vocal skill, song writing expertise and
multi-instrumental virtuosity is reaping rewards in this phase of her career as
a flourishing solo artist. Solo was the word tonight as any misguided
assumption that she would tour the new album in some kind of band format was
laid to rest as she pulled off the one woman show with a stunning performance.
You only had to hear the lead track from the new album to
grasp that this was a breakout release. Breakthrough wouldn’t be the right word
for a highly respected artist at the top of her game for a long time whether as
a fledgling member of iconic roots revival pioneers Nickel Creek, part of the
Watkins Family Hour or just plain Sara Watkins – the solo performer. Yet there
was something radically effective about the spirit of ‘Move Me’, even in tonight’s playing which lacked the full force of
the band version while never falling short on sentiment. Sara herself described
the album as the result of personal transition and she has to be congratulated
on making YOUNG IN ALL THE WRONG WAYS one of my favourite albums of 2016.
The key to the success of this Oxford show, once again
brought to us by the popular Empty Rooms Promo, was the way Sara utilised the
diversity of her four chosen instruments. The trademark fabulous fiddle playing
was on full show with a variety of bow and picking styles utilising every inch
of the majestic wand. Early in the set she treated the audience to the Swedish inspired
fiddle tune ‘Jefferson’ which appeared
on her debut solo album and instantly wowed a well-attended seated gathering.
While an even use of acoustic guitar and ukulele spread the effect of the
accompanying sound, it was the pure nostalgia she extracted from her Gibson 140
which rivalled the fiddle for the show’s stand out musical moments.
Sara’s eighty minutes in the spotlight saw her feature
material from a range of sources and time period. Harking back to her Nickel
Creek days, the crowd were invited to join in on the whistling part of ‘Anthony’. In recognising some of the duo
work she has done with brother Sean, and a love for Jackson Browne, a version
of ‘Your Bright Baby Blues’ was
supremely delivered and thoroughly enjoyed. This was one of three covers chosen
which hasn’t appeared on a Sara album alongside ‘Young Man in America’, a tribute to her friend and peer Anais
Mitchell, and a version of Buddy Holly’s ‘Early
in the Morning’ in the encore slot. At this point she did refer to ailments
making her voice a little ragged, but any effect was barely noticed in a show
which continually sparkled right from the opening track ‘Too Much’.
The new album was heartily featured throughout with Sara
executing the vocal range in the title track impressively. Instant popular
songs from the record were at the core of the set list including ‘One Last Time’,
‘Say So’ and ‘Like New Year’s Day’.
Unfortunately ‘The Truth Won’t Set Us
Free’ didn’t make the cut, but maybe next time. From her eponymous debut
solo album we were treated to a sublime version of the John Hartford song ‘Long Hot Summer Days’, complete with
fine fiddle and a rousing chorus, while from its subsequent follow up record ‘You and Me’ cemented itself as one of
the strongest songs in Sara’s back catalogue.
Sara herself was in appreciative, spritely and humble spirit
throughout the show. Eager to connect with the audience, she shared some
insight and inspiration including her early fiddling days in Southern
California and the recent touring association with Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah
Jarosz as part of the’ I’m With Her’ project. During those shows which toured
the UK, we had a glimpse of Sara’s talent in collaboration, but it was a
welcome experience to enjoy the full repertoire in the solo spotlight.
The support for the evening came from Isle of Wight based
singer-songwriter Claydon Connor. With a style heavily influenced by the
individual country and folk performer, he possessed all the attributes of an
artist capable of carving out a significant career on the UK circuit. His performance
was in synch with the sentiment of the evening and leaving a favourable
impression is one of the core objectives of opening for a more established
artist. Without doubt more will be heard of Claydon in the future and
opportunities like this evening will likely to continue as time progresses.
Sara summed up this UK tour as an opportunity to re-connect
with the stripped down basics of the new album, a record that she shared with many
others during its evolution. While it would be useful to experience the songs
in the band sphere, this method of showcase worked extremely well and the
innate talent was fully exposed in all its finesse. YOUNG IN ALL THE WRONG WAYS
has been the year’s most refreshing record and the crux of Sara Watkins is that
not only does she possess all the credentials, she uses them in the right way.
A true talent of our time and the architect of a memorable show this evening.
Midway through this gig, the penny dropped on what makes The
Black Feathers one of the most precious duet harmony acts on the UK
folk and acoustic circuit. Apart from the impeccable timing, a sweet sound surrounded
by a dark wrapping and dovetailed voices, it is the way they interject the
golden moment of anticipated silence so effectively into many of their songs.
The dramatic effect leaves the listener hooked on where the piece is heading and
is borne out of an inherent talent to harness the beauty of the duet.
It took a while for this Gloucestershire based duo to hook
up with the Kitchen Garden Café and now sealed, it is a union made for the
idealistic music listener. To comment that their debut performance at Birmingham’s
premier listening venue was a resounding success is a dramatic understatement
and surely a trend set for subsequent visits. Right from the irony of opening
track ‘Goodbye Tomorrow’ through to an
inclusive rousing unplugged cover of ‘Big
Yellow Taxi’ to bring down the curtain, Sian Chandler and Ray Hughes
consistently showed the finesse of their craft.
There is no element of doubt that their multiple American
excursions are playing a significant role in forming The Black Feathers. There
are definite southern sensibilities creeping into their sound as well as a certain
bias towards the sad song genre. Long may this influence remain as the whole
aura around The Black Feathers soaks up the mystique of a sound attracted to the
male-female harmony duet orchestrated by a single acoustic guitar.
SOAKED TO THE BONE, their debut full length release, hit the
market earlier this year and has refused to be budged from playlists by
likeminded peer acts. This evening the album was fondly delved into by Sian and
Ray with ‘Arclight’ soaring above the
rest with its atmospheric majesty, pushed to the limit by ‘Down to the River’, ‘Homesick’
and ‘All For You’. On this record the
duo braved the wrath of bandwagon jumping by covering a version of the
Dylan-Adele populist piece ‘Make You Feel
My Love’ and pulled it off with spine tingling excellence. The only food
for thought is that maybe future covers should be in the re-interpretative
mould that they dealt with the classic ‘Spirit
in the Sky’. Lofty praise for the work of The Black Feathers though is
stating that the only difference between the covers and the originals is a sense
of familiarity.
On the topic of originals, we were served a couple of
newbies in their brace of gig sets, one hot off the notepad with the title
recalled from a significant memorable chorus ‘The Ghost Has Eaten Well’. The other fresh song had its origins in
a Pennsylvania log cabin, with ‘Holy
Water’ leaking out as one of the most personal songs to date from the duo’s
brief repertoire. The good news is that both sounded great and re-assurance
that one day SOAKED TO THE BONE will have a worthy follow up. Before we leave
the track analysis, a quick word on two songs picked from their initial EP
including the sole love composition ‘You
Will Be Mine’ and the lyrically smart ‘Open
Book’.
Prior to The Black Feathers entertaining a respectable
Kitchen Garden Café debut turnout, Birmingham based band (in a slimmed down
trio format for the show) The Lost Notes opened proceedings with a similar acoustic
sound and thriving mixture of duets, three part harmonies, memorable guitar
pieces and a batch of songs that held your attention. Mutual respect was interchanged
between both acts and recognition that grass roots music requires supportive camaraderie.
The grass roots may not be the long term home of The Black
Feathers when judgement day arrives and the re-alignment of music justice sieves
out the crap. Until then the enlightened few will revel in an act that makes
music the right way and does it rather well. The grass roots may not be such a
bad place when unfiltered music is there to be enjoyed.
It’s been a resurgent year for the music of Katy Rose
Bennett. Her long awaited new album emerged in April and had a successful
launch show at the Kitchen Garden Café in her hometown of Birmingham. To
complete the year she re-united her band and headed into the rural confines of
Worcestershire to play a headline gig in the emerging musical hotbed of
Bewdley. Seriously though, the guys behind the Music in Hall monthly shows have done a
grand job bringing a series of international and British artists to a town not
particularly noted for its touring scene; all this under the
Americana/country/folk banner promoting quality original music itching to get
more deserved coverage.
In line with their usual schedule, a couple of support
artists with a local connection played a pair of sets leading up to the 9:30
slot when the headliner appears. Unfortunately only one of these acts was seen,
but it wasn’t too difficult to latch onto the positive vibes radiating from the
three-piece combo Son of John. Not to be confused with the American band of a
similar style Sons of Bill, this trio had strong Bewdley roots and have hit on
a sultry evocative style of folk-Americana, tinted with an appealing dark
undercurrent. Their set of original material certainly caught the ear with a
guitar trinity of bass, electric twang and driving acoustic combining well to
form an atmospheric sound. They have a new album titled AUTUMN’S HYMN out and
it would interest music fans enthused by a deep vocal style amidst a swathe of
emotive strings.
Like her recent opening slot for Austin Lucas and The
Dreaming Spires, Katy launched her set with the upbeat Americana tilted number ‘Rusted Ring’. This has surfaced as the
main song from the new album with potential radio credentials, although its
focal point status opens the door to a strong selection of numbers representing
the breadth of her song writing repertoire. Over the duration of the eighty
minute Katy and the band member’s time on stage, all but one of the twelve
tracks from SONGS OF THE RIVER REA was played and the record was given a whole
new
perspective with its near entire exposure in a live format.
This evening the four piece band consisted of Katy (guitar,
vocals), Sam Frankie Fox (backing vocals), Lydia Glanville (percussion) and
Laura Mattison (violin). The band format was utilised well during the set with
Katy reverting to duo and solo status for a couple of selective moments.
Throughout the show Katy shared many of the songs’ origins and held the non-musical
parts with a warm assuredness. We even had the benefit of two brand new songs hot
off the writing notebook with both ‘Box
in the Attic’ and ‘Moon’ standing
out in their own spheres. The first was almost a poetic piece based on family
recollections lifted from three old photos, while the second was a more melodic
offering in the style of old time country, jazz, blues.
On three occasions Katy stepped back in time to offer
songs from her previous albums which were issued under her initial recording
name KTB. The best of these on the night was ‘Bluebird’, the title track of an old release and beautifully sung
with Sam. From the new record, ‘Soul in
the Soil’ was the track to raise its profile the most from album listening
especially with Katy filling in details of the subject content. ‘My Friend’ seems set as the rousing show
closer, although it was joined enthusiastically in the audience participation category
by ‘We’ll Keep Trying’. On top of
these, initial favourites from the album including ‘Jack and Ivy’, ‘Counting Kettles’ and ‘Cold November Day’ continue to show Katy at her song writing best;
a great exponent of kitchen sink contemporary folk.
Katy Rose Bennett rose to the challenge of this extended headline
show in grand style and another impressive Bewdley turnout justified the smart
decision to add her to the growing list of quality artists to play the venue in
this context; incidentally one which contains her brothers, Joe and Robin from
The Dreaming Spires. Katy’s prominent return to the local music scene, mainly
in the guise of the new album, has been one of the successes of the year and
fingers crossed for a similar upwards trajectory in forthcoming years.
For one night only, Birmingham’s premier listening venue
transformed itself into the Kitchen Garden Cantina as Carrie Rodriguez finally
brought her sublime vocals, classically trained fiddle playing and sumptuous
songs to the city. Previously she had appeared in neighbouring Wolverhampton in
the days before she left the Chip Taylor protégé tag. Now fully blossomed into
a multi-dimensional performer, Carrie tours with husband Luke Jacobs and
together they are entering a rich vein of experimental form designed to
give you the rounded ethnic diversity of Texas music.
The couple, now a family trio, have made Carrie’s hometown
city Austin their home and it is her extended Hispanic roots which have fully
inspired her latest record. Thus the wondrous cross border sound exploring the
golden age of Mexican music filled the air at the Kitchen Garden this evening
with no finer vocalist than Carrie to throw in a mix of Spanish, English and
that hybrid language Spanglish. Several songs in this bi-lingual celebration
were lifted off the album LOLA , released to widespread acclaim and fulfilling
a lifelong dream for Carrie to explore her heritage in song.
There is something exotic and aurally pleasing listening to
an array of songs with such titles as ‘Lana
Estacado’, ‘Frio en al alma’ and ‘Que
Manera de Perder’ in an intimate setting. To highlight the diversity, its
seminal track ‘I Dreamt I Was Lola
Beltran’ carries the soul of the record and another special moment was the bi-lingual duet with Luke. On
a project that Carrie expressed much pride in, ‘The West Side’ stood out this
evening aided by its backdrop story explaining the hidden issues growing up
across the Austin divide such as lunch ticket names.
While on the subject of the Texas state capital, and before
we reflect fondly on the older material Carrie played, ‘Austin’ was one of a number of songs written and played by Luke
during the show – all to be found on his debut solo album VELVET AFTER FEEL. This
had its origin in a tragedy at the city’s South By South West festival a few
years ago and like so many of his songs, they were adorned in the classic
singer-songwriter style synonymous with Texas. Ironically Luke doesn’t hail
from the Lone Star State, but thousands of miles north in Minnesota.
To continue the geographical connection, one of that state’s
attractions inspired Carrie to write and record ‘Lake Harriet’, personally considered one her finest songs in a
catalogue now stretching back ten years. The superb live Music Fog video of this
song has maintained its prominence long after the initial release. These older
songs were no doubt highly anticipated by many long term Carrie fans in the
audience and she rewarded their devotion which such gems as ‘Seven Angels on a Bicycle’, ‘She Ain’t Me’ and the fiery fiddle
closer ‘Never Gonna Be Your Bride’.
Continuing the instrumental theme of the evening and
alongside Carrie’s majestic mastering of the violin – so long her trademark
skill – Luke’s delectable lap steel gave the sound a sublime coating. These
instrumental interludes were shared with standard guitar playing ensuring each
song was delivered with perfect accompaniment. Alongside the special tribute to
a Minnesota lake mentioned previously, Carrie and Luke frequently delved into
their 2013 album GIVE ME ALL YOU GOT with the edgy ‘Devil in Mind’ just shading pre-encore selection ‘I Cry For Love’ in the appreciation
sphere.
On an evening where Carrie didn’t hold back on her joy and
fascination of playing this intimate venue for the first time, she was also
humbled by the support given to her in the making process of LOLA by folks in
the UK. With this being the first date of a much anticipated countrywide tour,
golden opportunities are open for many fans, old and new, to be seduced by the
sheer delight of seeing Carrie Rodriguez play music and sing songs. More
temporary cantinas are likely to spring up before she and Luke head back home
to Austin.
Louisville Kentucky; Columbia Maryland and London UK: three
reasons why Brandi Carlile is the undisputed premier artist of 2016 in these
quarters. Just over twelve months ago the Grammy nominated album THE
FIREWATCHER’S DAUGHTER featured highly in the annual favourite release list and
if this was rolled out as a two year celebration it would be without equals. It
has more mileage than a lunar expedition and has really had its credentials
exposed within the live arena. The last of these three locations to see Brandi
in concert was her triumphant return to Britain, although there is unfinished
business around the provinces. On stage at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, and
subsequently on social media, she promised to make these transatlantic shows a
more frequent occurrence, with the obvious persuasive stance from many of her
UK fans to venture outside of the capital. However these suggestions are
probably left for another day, amidst the joy of seeing Brandi and the twins
actually play a supreme show on British soil.
Previous shows in the capital across Brandi’s ten plus years
in the starlight since her 2005 debut album were constantly referred to as she felt
humbled by the growth of the venues from The Borderline to this evening’s more
populous location. Although it was the pin drop show at the Union Chapel which
fired her up tonight and led her to try to re-create two totally unplugged
moments. It will have to be left to others in the venue to comment on the
effectiveness of this choice of song delivery, but four paces from the front of
the stage left little room for complaint. All five band members came to the
front of the stage to unleash an unplugged version of ‘What Can I Say’, while a breath taking first encore song saw
Brandi, Tim and Phil appear on the right side balcony to deliver ‘Beginning to Feel the Years’. The
evening’s pivotal points were far from consigned to these golden moments as
Brandi explored the full range of her repertoire from the gospel tinged ‘That Wasn’t Me’ to the raucous ‘Mainstream Kid’, a defining sound switch
exemplifying the eclectic appeal of the latest record.
Just taking a break from Brandi fever for a moment and a welcome
addition to the bill for these European shows was Angaleena Presley. If Brandi
dips her toe into country music, then Angaleena is totally immersed into it.
Afforded a decent forty-five minute opening slot, it was a case of the new, old
and older in her song arsenal. Maybe the musical accompaniment was stripped to a bare minimum and
the audience was not a country music breathing one, but Angaleena did a grand
job introducing, explaining and ultimately singing a bunch of songs with strong
lyrical substance. From her acclaimed debut album, ‘American Middle Class’, ‘Dry County Blues’ and ‘Knocked Up’ focussed on significant
social comment. Several new songs got an early airing as well with the expected
follow up album release in the first half of 2017. First impressions were good,
usual sassy comment and packed with lyrics that befit any country song. Perhaps
a reminder of Angaleena’s real strength in penning a melody was the oldest song
of the set in ‘Lemon Drop’ from the
Pistol Annies first album. Angaleena was keen to add a country spice to the
evening and one abiding memory of her set was that Brandi’s fans need to get
more into Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings and Townes Van Zandt. These have
certainly inspired Brandi in spirit, if not in authentic country sound.
From the summer Stateside shows, Brandi dropped the country
covers of ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and ‘Peaceful Easy Feelin’, while obviously
keeping the more mainstream rock choices of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Going to California’ and the instantly
recognisable ‘The Chain’. The latter
played out as the final song with the full band re-united on stage for the
finale. Another country style song missing from the summer was the joyous ditty
‘Keep Your Heart Young’, but there were
plenty of gems from across her five album back catalogue to thrill the
dedicated and the casual.
From the latest record, the powerful trio of ‘Things I Regret’, ‘Wherever is Your Heart’
and ‘The Eye’ sparkled in their glory.
Long term Brandi companions the twins Phil and Tim Hanseroth join her for the
majestic three-part harmony on the latter. When paying respect to her friends,
she stated they are a band with no lead singer, but this does not do justice to
her wonderfully cracked vocals that pour out so much feeling, passion and
emotion.
While on the emotive subject, Brandi introduced the ode to
her daughter Evangeline which has recently been written. ‘Mother’ featured prominently on her summer US shows and it went
down as well with her committed fans this side of the pond as those devoted from
coast to coast in America. Brandi was in her usual ‘heart on sleeve’ mode and
the love shown in the packed venue was totally unconditional. This is repaid
with a stirring live performance adept at rocking out with the best on songs
like ‘Pride and Joy’ and giving many
their required treat with a sublime performance of her most prominent song ‘The Story’.
In fact the ninety plus minutes the band was on stage rocked
in a multitude of magnificent ways. Right from the highly pleasing opener ‘Again Today’ through a couple of
classics from the BEAR CREEK album in ‘Hard
Way Home’ and ‘Raise Hell’
and to the final song recalled from the set list memory ‘Dreams’. Without
doubt Brandi was not shy on projecting the fact that she was living her own
dream and one that she intends to share with a willing audience for a long time
to come.
Eventually the book will close on THE FIREWATCHER’S DAUGHTER
and 2016 will finally be anointed the gig year of Brandi Carlile. A new album
is promised soon, along with the aforementioned London return. However pressure
must be applied that our capital, and the south, should not be the limits of
the UK horizon. Wonderful nights like this Shepherd’s Bush Empire concert deserve
to be shared across a wider UK platform. Over to you Brandi!
