This event was originally a beacon of live music hope in the dark approaching days of December before then switching to hopefully becoming the first shoots of spring in March. Unfortunately both these stagings succumbed to what has become the norm over the last fourteen months as the gig circuit ground to a halt. Never has the saying 'third time lucky' ever been truer as finally Ramblin' Roots got the show on the road with a double headed presentation to become one of the first gigs to spring out of the current lockdown. While those attending this show on the Friday had the purest of experiences, us attendees on Saturday may have impishly benefited from the warm up. Seriously all artists invited to perform in this revised format of the Revue evenings no doubt gave their all on both nights and likewise it didn't take long to dust off any gathered rust.
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| Danny Wilson Robin Bennett and Friend(s) |
Without a full blown festival in both now 2020 and 2021, the team behind the Ramblin' Roots events have opted for a series of tripled billed shows to ease back into the promoting game and utilise the well-appointed facilities and venue of Bucks University Students' Union performing space in High Wycombe. This inaugural triple bill was packed with familiar names for those tuned into the UK's Americana circuit and one where collaboration was strong. It was not surprising to see Joe Bennett appear in the opening and closing sets given his role as producer for Pete Gow's most recent album and a non-headline, but still important role in England's seminal roots rock super group Bennett Wilson Poole.
The headliners were billed as Danny Wilson, Robin Bennett and Friends, but there was a heavily tilted Bennett Wilson Poole slant towards the material chosen to fill a set allowed to run close to an hour and three quarters. Of course Tony Poole's twelve string Rickenbacker will always be sorely missed when not present, but both Danny and Robin wished Tony well and fingers crossed the trio will be reunited in the not too distant future. There is also the imperative need for this as the trio's follow up album is on the cusp of being released, albeit it is currently somewhere on the continent in the production process. Perhaps not the best place to be at the moment, but no doubt the path to release won't be too impeded.
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| The Goat Roper Rodeo Band |
On the topic of the new album around three or four tracks were previewed and they sounded amazing, even to the extent of being a touch more catchy than the first batch. A high bar indeed, though first listen is a tiny window to assess. What was undeniable were tracks like 'Soon Enough', 'Wilson General Store', 'Funny Guys' and 'Not Forgetting (Just Not Remembering)' sounding as fresh as ever since the album burst onto the scene in 2018.
Before moving onto some of the other material dealt in the headline set, the 'Friends' ended up being Joe Bennett on bass and Fin Kenny on drums. No surprises there and when Danny took a breather, The Dreaming Spires stood there in all their glory.
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| Pete Gow with Joe Bennett |
In fact it was a Dreaming Spires song that got things underway with a socially distanced crowd doing their best to at least mime the ear friendly words to 'Everything All of the Time'. On the singalong front, Danny's version of the Champs classic 'Henry the Van' didn't quite get the full audience participation treatment (we're not quite their yet), but there was no way of stopping some letting rip in their own way to the chorus of 'Never Stop Building (That Old Space Rocket)'.
While songs from the repertoire of Bennett Wilson Poole, The Dreaming Spires and Danny and the Champions of the World represented the recent past of the Bennett brothers and Danny Wilson, this evening's reflective mode allowed the set up to delve a bit further back. Robin and Joe chose a track from a 2002 Goldrush album during the extended encore, while Danny went back even further with a track from an early Grand Drive album. The latter was the first song played on the radio as per Danny's introduction - 'Tell it like it is', but I'm afraid track recollection skills from gigs are a little out of practise to recall the Goldrush song. In lieu of my lack of knowledge, just listen to the whole album.
On final nugget from a hugely entertaining performance was Danny playing a new song that is set to feature on an upcoming solo album due out later this year. One to look forward to on the back of a seemingly Champs hiatus bar the release of their live album earlier this year. Obviously alongside the new Bennett Wilson Poole album as well.
The supporting cast for the effective headliners, at least in terms of set time, was Pete Gow first up then followed by The Goat Roper Rodeo Band. Both played for around forty-five minutes and represented totally different strands of the broad UK Americana sound. Pete Gow is now in solo mode following a break from leading Case Hardin. Accompanied only by Joe Bennett on piano and an acoustic guitar that itself was sometimes ditched, the set was very much low key with most songs coming from the highly acclaimed HERE THERE'S NO SIRENS album from a couple of years ago. Maybe the pandemic restricted the full impact of this record getting more attention around the country, but there's plenty of life in the stunning songs to have a renewal in the new world.
In total contrast to Pete Gow's deep thinking reflective singer-songwriter mode, The Goat Roper Rodeo Band are a frenetic entertaining acoustic roots trio delivering a quirky sound amidst a haze of something construed as cosmic country sprinkled with a dose of bluegrass and old time rock 'n' roll. They are a band that always require a touch of readjustment to get accustomed to, yet remain a key and respected act on the circuit spinning a sound that's real, authentic and a little different to the norm.
Artist aside, the winners of this Ramblin' Roots Revue was an emotional pact between audience, promotion and performers. All three elements are essential to the success of live music and have had their belief, patience and hope severely tested over the last fourteen months. Hopefully that is now behind us and we can look forward to many more nights like this, alongside new music from wherever Danny Wilson, Joe and Robin Bennett, Pete Gow and The Goat Roper Rodeo Band choose to channel their recording aspirations.