The late spring of 2021 was an emotional time for those homegrown artists at the forefront of tentatively stepping back into live music. Fast forward almost twelve months and a similar feeling is starting to emerge as the rate of overseas touring artists starts to pick up pace. Gratefulness, honour and a little bit of relief were the order of the day as Lynne Hanson, the press anointed 'Queen of Canadian Americana', re-started her extensive journey as a prolific overseas tourer. April and May are set to be busy months for this Ottawa-based musician with a raft of live shows booked across Europe. The privilege of hosting the opening night fell to St.George's Hall in Bewdley; a venue kind to both Hanson and fans of hers in the past with a couple of barnstorming shows.
It was wasn't entirely seamless between the regular Lynne Hanson gigs that toured pre-pandemic. Often she was billed as Lynne Hanson and the Good Intentions with a rhythm section and lead guitar creating the momentum to really rock out. Things have now slimmed down to a duo with a a couple of technical aids to provide a subtle addition to the sound. For this tour she is accompanied by Blair Michael Hogan, an artist, musician and songwriter with whom there has been a greater collaboration over the last couple of years culminating in being a vital cog in the upcoming new album.
In fact there are two albums featuring in this current tour as her 2020 record was just released when the world shut down. So not only are the songs from JUST WORDS getting a first airing overseas, but the new record is literally just around the corner. ICE CREAM IN NOVEMBER gets its formal release on April 22nd, but it would be remiss to leave home without few copies for the gig faithful to snap up at shows.
One of Lynne Hanson's previous projects was to team up with fellow Canadian the legendary Lynn Miles to record and tour a duo album. During those shows you felt that being in the presence of such an esteemed singer-songwriter would move her onto another plateau, and the fruits of that liaison are starting to blossom as evidenced in this evening's performance. This wasn't about rocking out, it was owning the room with an alluring blend of supremely crafted songs and wrapping them up in the most amiable of banter, both informed and heartfelt.
The support provided by Blair Michael Hogan could not be understated. His electric guitar blended effortlessly with his musical partners's electric and acoustic. He is obviously a talented musician in his own right and this set up with Lynne Hanson is reaping rewards all round.
As mentioned, the majority of songs were lifted from the most previous and upcoming albums. The odd two out album-wise were the well-received 'Rivers of Sand', likely because most folks recognised it, and the emotive encore delivery of 'Gotta Have Rain'. This unplugged and totally immersive closer strengthened an ever solid bond between artist and audience in the most engaging and memorable of ways. The only non-album track was the 2021 single 'Hold My Breath' which got things underway.
A quick delve back into the archives informed us it was ten years ago when the music of Lynne Hanson first came to the attention of a lot of her fans. She opened for Gretchen Peters on the Hello Cruel World tour and for many they have not looked back. She rarely stands still as an artist and this is best exemplified by the new record. Songs from setlist in the shape of 'Shadowland', 'Hip Like Cohen' and 'Hundred Mile Wind' have been let loose in the digital world ahead of the full album and hearing them live confirms a transition. This is especially pertinent in the first two, while the third reaffirms her as a prime focal point for fans of Americana music. 'Orion's Belt' was the pick of the other new ones shared with its lyrical twist, although the title track 'Ice Cream in November' will generate a lot of interest.
There is a concerted effort not to sideline JUST WORDS in the wave of publicity surrounding the new record. Five tracks from that album were chosen for this evening's show with 'True Blue Moon', 'Clean Slate' and 'Hemmingway's Songbird' being the highlights. As ever the intros to most songs were enlightening with the audience getting regular signs of how grateful she was to be playing live again. You get the impression that only half of Lynne Hanson exists in the studio, and she only truly blossoms as an artist when taking her songs onto the road.
After a stop-start resumption in 2021, the monthly music nights in St. George's Hall really kicked into the gear this evening with the usual format. We had a very impressive youth act in Abigail Stanton. Her guitar playing and vocals were ear catching, and any young person covering Colter Wall's 'Devil in a Suit and Tie' as well as she did deserves attention. The more established support act was folk duo Nadi Hafren, who played a half hour set of low-key acoustic numbers with electric bass accompaniment that held your full attention while waiting for the main performance.
That performance from Lynne Hanson was worth waiting for. It was different, yet mightily satisfying for those hooked in the magnetic appeal of songwriters sharing their valued craft. It underlined the versatility of this Canadian who you feel could grace any arena in a folk, country and rock scene. Ultimately she is true to herself and audiences who buy into what she is doing. When that works well, there is no finer place to be than in the presence of live music.
