Three Chords and the Truth UK

Clad in black leather, a socially sharp mind and forever anchored where the spirit meets the bone. Lucinda Williams unites the poetry of folk, the  depth of the blues, the meaning of soul and the verve of rock. The stage presence has been re-invented in recent years and the elaborated drawl is still rinsed in east of the Red River sensibility. An icon schooled in the annals of the classic band, settling as a legend who has never abandoned the roots of righteousness. The band and its leader is a mighty entity. She tapped her heart in praise of Brady Blade’s drumming and passively admired the shredding of Marc Ford. The longstanding relationship with Doug Pettibone is sealed when he played pedal steel while she whimsically dreamt of driving an El Camino with a Texan friend around Lake Charles. David Sutton’s adaptable bass playing kept her ear on track. The ills of the world are given the therapy of Lucinda Williams 2026: refreshed, revitalised, recording and still ‘ Rocking in the F...

  Positive vibes and applied virtuoso are fine ingredients for a rewarding gig especially when you are literally positioned a couple of feet away from the artist. Through banjo playing, vocals, and amenable comment, Kaia Kater emanated a sense of comfort and appreciation. This revealed a talent that has made her a sought after artist in roots music circles from her native Canada through the US to music communities in the UK and Europe.  Early year visits have become a trend when you can add the centrepiece of a Celtic Connections booking. Across an eight year period, Kater has played the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham on three occasions, each taking place in January/February.  Just like 2024, Andrew Ryan on upright bass completed the duo format with a near sell out audience reflecting a growing appeal.  Ryan’s bass playing, both hand plucked and caressed with the bow,  was unique and animated, expressively interacting with his partner’s banjo,  Add in ba...

  Thirty-five minutes of beautiful theatrical harmony described The R ’n’ R Show when first encountering the presence of Ren Harvieu and Romeo Stodart in full collaborative flow. It was quirky, slick, testing the elasticity of straight up rock ’n’ roll. This initial positive impression took place at Ramblin’ Roots Revue in 2025 and signalled an embryonic project about to explode. Both artists start from a solid base with Stodart, the joint architect of Mercury Music Prize nominated band The Magic Numbers and Harvieu, a renowned vocalist of industry distinction. Forward ten months and the pieces are slowly slotting into place. The album is on the horizon, though songs are still emerging and being tinkered with. What is locked in is a chemistry and musical alliance to pioneer a unique take on a time honoured mutual love. "A spaceship of sound" evocatively quipped Stodart, a quote for now but the metaphorical splendour is ripe for plagiarism. Extended appeal brought the Kitchen ...

  Jeffrey Martin doesn’t waste a breath, nor a word, nor a note. He funnels life through the strings of a guitar, and songs pondering his inner most thoughts, trying to make sense of it all. He pauses, takes stock, adds insightful comment then resumes the artistic calling. The magnitude of his work holds an audience in a state of freeze-frame, listening with rooted intent. He revels in the cold wet January climate of the English Midlands, unsure whether he’s been to this town before He mischievously greets The Sunflower Lounge basement performing space as a “hole," though one soon to fill with adoration. This evening, one of Birmingham’s quirkier venues lends its ear to a troubadour from the resistant enclave of Portland Oregon, one uncomfortably wearing his nationality, yet bringing peace and calmness through the international language of song.  _________________________________________                          ...

  More to Me is the latest single from UK singer-songwriter Joe Hicks,  co-written with Tom Millar and Sam Whitfield  ahead of the release of his new album Before it Gets Dark in March.   “ After a breakup you’re often unaware of how the other person is dealing with it. Silence leaves you guessing and feeling like you’re the only one suffering while they’re fine. This song is about breaking free from the invisible hold they still have, the echoes of a life that no longer exists.” Hicks slickly slips into anthem mode for a track built to lead a new collection of songs. A buoyant sound awash with power pop vibes showering shades of positivity on a difficult theme dealt in the lyrics. The thrust of the beat suggests better things are around the corner following this blast of angst. 

  Distant Seasons is the new single from the upcoming Danny George Wilson album titled Arcade out on March 20th. This is the first solo album since 2021's Another Place and sees a return to Hamish Benjamin’s studio in East Sussex for what effectively has been pronounced a sequel.  The single has varying layers of snazzy production but is fundamentally a gently strummed   reflective song coated in a charm that has made Danny George Wilson a much loved artist in all his guises. You wouldn't expect him to remain creatively static and this prelude to a new record suggests modest experimentation is to the fore.  Stream single  

The most poignant moment of the show came in the second half when the Jaywalkers switched the next choice in their song turn to an instrumental tune, Thus allowing time for reflection in the wake of four successive songs awash with sobering sentiment from their fellow artists. Living with dementia, living a lie and homage to parents in difficult times are not your usual Saturday lunchtime fare but when you give the floor to a posse of songwriters not averse to writing the odd sad song, all themes are on the table. Of course, audiences schooled in the truthful nuances of country music expect nothing less, and you always know a lighter shade is around the corner. Traditionally, rounds like this are frequented by solo performers equipped with just a guitar. Two guests conformed to this convention with Rhiannon Paige making the trip up from the Bristol area and Georgia Nevada enduring a longer journey from the Cambridgeshire Fens. Essex is the home for Jack Browning and when you have a...