Upon discovering that the UK was receptive to her music, it didn't take long for Hannah Aldridge to find a faithful staging post in the Kitchen Garden. She tested the Midlands out a couple of months before her Birmingham debut with a night at the Hop Pole in Bromsgrove made infamous by the never-to be-forgotten romantic 'Parchman' slow dance unfolding on the pub floor. Part of the Kitchen Garden connection is knowing where your people are; a reassuring place of respect and recognition when thousands of miles from home. She has shared the stage with several of her colleagues over the years including Lilly Hiatt and Lachlan Bryan. The latter was pertinent for the latest Kitchen collaboration as she teamed up with fellow travelling Melbourne artists The Weeping Willows to deliver a sweeping acoustic show packed to the hilt with emotive candidness and songs spread far and wide soaking up styles, experiences and multiple shades.
You get the impression The Weeping Willows would like to pack the Kitchen Garden in their suitcase and take it back Down Under. This most resourceful and innovative of Australian folk-Americana duos are increasingly becoming a much loved touring act with connections springing up the breadth of the land. The small and mighty Kitchen Garden punches above its weight in courting appeal and on the back of last year's intimate gig, this opening slot for their good friend Hannah Aldridge added a few more fans into the vault.
The duo of Laura Coates and Andy Wrigglesworth used most of their time on stage to share songs from the most recent record YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. The dark slightly southern gothic feel to many of the tracks fits in nicely with one of the several facades to Hannah Aldridge, so apart from an obvious friendship the opportunistic pairing proved astute on other levels as well. You felt we hadn't seen the last of Laura and Andy as they closed the first set with a version of the traditional blues number 'One Kind Favor', and this proved correct.
Hannah Aldridge does not generally infill her music with covers. On the other hand, the brand new album takes a wilfully enthusiastic step into the world of other songwriters with an alternative twist on 'Psycho Killer' (under wraps live until the band tour in November) and an impulsive rewrite of Lachlan Bryan's 'The Portrait of the Artist as a Middle Aged Man'. That song was shared tonight in the delightful company of The Weeping Willows who have probably sung this song on stage with its creator many times before. However the treat tonight was solely Birmingham's.
Before we leave covers and The Weeping Willows, everybody in the building was invited to join in on the pre-encore closer 'Burning Down Birmingham', probably more legendary in the English West Midlands than Alabama. This classic sees Hannah Aldridge at her most cuttingly anecdotal, elsewhere it was a surprise to hear her dip into the work of Courtney Marie Andrews with a version of 'Near Me'.
While many jointly proclaim the songwriting skills of Hannah Aldridge and Courtney Marie Andrews, there can't be two more contrasting stage personas. The candidness of Hannah Aldridge is renowned but even she took it to another level this evening. By the time she unplugged and serenaded a warm venue on many fronts with a new song 'The Great Divide', it was gone eleven and a long time since The Weeping Willows opened things at eight. Apart from the usual therapeutic and compelling gut spilling, the excitement of a somewhat brave new album fuelled extra chat. Why not when you have an open goal to let rip on something dear to you. To her credit she smartly read the room to decipher the balance between newbies and oldies to formulate how the musings would prevail. From a personal viewpoint, listening to her explain the album making process on a radio interview a few days before provided the key to unlock a review of the record, and while tonight some further nuggets were added, the gist remained intact.
Many in the room go back, including yours truly, to 2014 and the unveiling of RAZOR WIRE. You can only concur with its originator that the songs retain a distinct freshness. The title track, 'Lie Like You Love Me' and the legendary Hop Pole smooch-er were amongst the song choices this evening alongside other immovable favourites in 'Gold Rush' and 'Lace'. It wouldn't be surprising if some of the new songs like 'Unbeliever' and 'Dorero' rise to a similar status in a decade time.
On many fronts Europe remains a key part of Hannah Aldridge's musical quest to inner destiny. These summer intimate shows are a prelude to another key tour as the riches of DREAM OF AMERICA are suitably unveiled in a different format. On an anniversary note, the ten year birthday will see a re-release of the debut album in much desired versions. By then the new album will be bedded in and likely we will hear where the whims and strays of Hannah Aldridge's musical calling are pulling her next.
Mutuality, connection and heart affirming candour nestle alongside finely crafted songs when Hannah Aldridge passes through town. This will never ever be taken granted after recent impositions. No time will be wasted and the Kitchen Garden leg continues to anchor in for the long haul.
