Surely this blog's annual Gig of the Year accolade should be shelved in 2020. Any such achievement would get an asterisk alongside it in a sporting connotation to denote some flaw or small sample. Well, maybe the latter is relevant this year as live music was curtailed in the mad month of March before the tally even reached double figures. Promises of significant additions flickered out as the year drew to a close with one solitary indoor event and a day at a festival being added to the list that was abruptly halted on March 10th.
However, asterisks apart, it would be remiss not to at least make an attempt to keep a run going that began in the year of this blog's inception - 2012. In a year of a small sample, I'm going to plump for a small gig. The year's two biggest events were in the 500-1000 category with Tyler Childers and the Milk Carton Kids, but I'm going to dip right into the deep roots of my gig world to anoint one just a meagre fraction of the amount frequenting the year's top attenders.
Although my gig count at the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham runs well into three figures, my gig of the year usually comes from a venue where a more established name has wooed my senses. Even the first two recipients from the below list were delivered to packed houses probably in three figures, but I have always sought and settled on an annual favourite with little difficulty.
2012 Terri Clark Glee Club Birmingham
2013 My Darling Clementine Hare and Hounds Birmingham
2014 The Mavericks Symphony Hall Birmingham
2015 Old Crow Medicine Show The Ritz Manchester
2016 Brandi Carlile Shepherd's Bush London / Maryland USA
2017 Chuck Prophet Rescue Rooms Nottingham
2018 American Aquarium The Bullingdon Oxford
2019 Lucinda Williams Town Hall Birmingham
This year's winner exists in a totally different stratosphere to most of the artists named above, but in my opinion they absolutely soar above their status in terms of talent, aura and the sheer magnitude of making an audience freeze in a moment of adoration. They are an artist ploughing their own furrow in the UK's independent folk and roots scene. In my opinion they are one of the finest exponents of Americana music in the UK, but labels, scenes and associations drift in their opposite direction and does it really matter when the music does all the talking. This artist has been around a long time for their relatively young years and mark my words, they will be continue to flourish in the future. I love all the previous winners of this accolade, but this year's recipient evokes a sense of pride that eclipses the others.
2020 Luke Jackson Kitchen Garden Birmingham
Now let's put this horrid year to bed. I actually have tickets to see Luke play the venue again in January. When live music re-surfaces in who knows what format, it will be special. Large events may have to adapt, but the roots will rise again to show their resilience.