Sometimes you just have to wait patiently for that moment
when an artist puts all their attributes on the table and the full potential
explodes. This show was scheduled for the Saturday afternoon of Gateshead’s
very own Summertyne Americana festival and the occasion which proved third time
time lucky seeing Angaleena Presley really flourish. While a debut solo performance in another
city a couple of years ago revealed an artist feeling her way and a
subsequent support slot that didn’t really play to the appropriate gallery,
this show was absolutely right on the mark. No band was required, just an
exceptional singer-songwriter at ease with their wares, a brave wit and a
bucketful of songs saturated in the simple sentiment of country music.
It may have helped that unlike on a previous occasion, she
was largely preaching to a converted congregation. Tuning into Angaleena’s
wavelength was entirely accessible as she set about proving that song-writing
riches are aplenty far from the confines of Music Row. This is an artist who
personifies the country cliché ‘three chords and the truth’ in her songs, to
the extent of including the line in ‘Dreams
Don’t Come True’. Angaleena also positions herself at the heart of a
virtual movement to realign the gender balance in how mainstream country music
operates. So to replace the rap segment of the controversial ‘Country’ with a snippet of ‘9 to 5’ proved ingenious.
Like so many live performances witnessed, the stand out
moments come from an alternative source than that previously enjoyed on record.
On Angaleena’s debut album, ‘Dry County
Blues’ just eclipsed ‘Grocery Store’,
but it was role reversal here. This was even though the former was the second
song of the show to embed a classic, with on this occasion ‘Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up into
Cowboys’ getting the segmented treatment. The two other songs, which had
their live status elevated, were the sensational ‘Outlaw’, complete with its infatuating chorus line, and a glorious
oldie from the Pistol Annies days ‘Lemon
Drop’. Throw in the fabulously cutting ‘Bless
Your Heart’ and the crowned element of Angaleena’s set list sparkled in
this artificially darkened afternoon setting of Sage 2.
In another example of astute festival matching, one of
Britain’s leading song writing talents leaning in an Americana direction –
Danni Nicholls, was scheduled to open for Angaleena. Fresh from a similar
supreme solo performance earlier in the month at the Maverick Festival, Danni
sumptuously delivered a range of her songs from two albums, which are now
firmly entrenched as extensively praised efforts. Stage timings obviously
curtailed Danni giving the full background to songs such as ‘A Little Redemption’, but an
appreciative audience got the abbreviated drift. This commanding performance
ensured invited audience contribution to ‘Where
the Blue Train Goes’ and ‘Back to
Memphis’ was heeded, while ‘Beautifully
Broken’ will always be up there among the highlights of any Danni Nicholls
set. One footnote was Danni appearing to still find a feel for the new song ‘Ancient Embers’. This tune sounded great
when first unveiled in Birmingham, further confirmed at Maverick and now sealed
at SummerTyne. If fan reaction has any pull, it should be here to stay.