It can be a turbulent life being a travelling musician; one
unimaginable for us folks who lay our pound down and sit back with expectation.
The highs and lows of pursuing a creative calling were the themes core to this
Lynne Hanson show and in particular it was the former that reigned supreme on
this Bewdley return. The determination to share those lofty high emotions was
etched in Lynne’s performance as this Canadian artist, and her travelling
compatriots The Good Intentions, poured every joule of energy in presenting a
very personal view of life though the medium of song and sound.
The success of these Music in the Hall evenings at Bewdley’s
St George’s Hall is becoming a given from a customer perspective, although the
promotion know there’s no let up on the preparation. It was last July when
Lynne created such a special impression at this venue and the honour of the
being the first overseas’ returnee was not lost on the guest. This time she was
in possession of a brand new album which unsurprisingly featured high in a set
list that was superbly executed with an undulating spread of pace, style and
mood. UNEVEN GROUND has in fact only been released a couple of weeks and it
didn’t take too long upon reflection to grab the sentiment of these new songs straight
after first listen.
There was a contrast in how these new songs unravelled, beginning
with the opening two tracks – ‘Carry Me
Home’ and ‘Counting Heartbeats’ –
which acted as simple scene setters, more aperitif than the main serving. This
is quite common in gigs as a band adjusts to the surroundings of a place they
have only just been exposed to. However by the encore, the band and audience
were buzzing. ‘Gotta Have Rain’ saw
the four protagonists roam unplugged around the hall in the ultimate audience
connective state, while back on stage they all let rip for the evening finale
of ‘Swallow Me Up’.
It was late in the show when Lynne formally introduced MJ
Dandeneau (bass), Brodie Mohninger (lead guitar) and Shawn Killaly (drums), but
by then we were fully acquainted with their playing, impression and vital
importance to the show. MJ is a recognisable musician with from memory touring
slots with Amanda Rheaume and the Good Lovelies being recalled. Lynne
controlled proceedings with a mix of the deeply personal and humorous, never
hiding her proud Canadian status and utter appreciation that her music is being
enjoyed by folks many miles from her home. Songs like ‘Just for Now’, ‘Heaven and
Hell’ and ‘Broken with You’
reveal Lynne at her heartfelt best, adept at producing a sensitive ballad on
her own as to purely rocking out with her band.
One of the prime moments when they did rock out was the
blues induced ‘Devil Said Do’ from
the new record. Instinct and mood are more drivers for Lynne’s music rather
than genre conventions, but if you’re looking for markers you’ll find segments
of country, folk, rock and blues in her music. All fine ingredients if your
music interest lies in all things Americana, still a weird word use for
somebody north of the 49th parallel.
From Lynne’s previous releases, the title track off RIVER OF
SAND proved one of the show’s outstanding moments. You can’t relate to this
type of music without a dip into your dark side and from the murder ballad
album 7 DEADLY SPINS, ‘Gravedigger’
and ‘Cecil Hotel’ met with a sinister
approval. On a lighter side, the whole audience heeded the invite to join in
with the chorus of ‘Trading in My
Lonesome’, perhaps signifying the end of a dark tunnel.
As is usual with these Bewdley promotions, a local band and
a youth act give the evening a lengthy opening before the main artist takes to
the stage. A duo named Marlar filled the band slot with a thirty minute
performance of selective cover songs plus a couple of originals. A three piece
youth band going by the name of Mayfli opened up the evening and displayed a very
impressive style of harmony singing as they once again paraded a set of mainly
covers and the odd original. This formula is a vital cog in the evening’s
success and creates an atmosphere that can sometimes be missing for touring
artists at this level.
Lynne Hanson and The Good Intentions certainly revelled in
this atmosphere as they headed towards the completion of the UK leg of their
current European tour. It now seems a long time ago since Lynne was first
caught live when opening for Gretchen Peters. While the following years may
have seen many highs and lows, there must be enormous pride in a growing back
catalogue and the rewards of shows like this, after pouring so much effort into
promoting her work overseas. Us as an audience will rarely be exposed to
artists’ lows, but we were certainly present when the high was reached during
this show.
