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 ...

  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. 

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...

  The relevance of the firebird came to the fore midway through the second set with folk tales of its magical splendour gleefully devouring golden apples in the Tzar’s garden. Perhaps a metaphor for Daria Kulesh and Marina Osman casting their own musical spells on a heritage bedecked with feats of stoic resistance while striving to preserve an identity. The mid-winter fest of the orthodox calendar is a time for celebration and reflection, a moment when the search for warmth is wrapped in song and dance. January the 11th is right at the heart of this period, four days after Christmas and three before the New Year. Also the day in the UK when an Anglo-Russian folk singer and Anglo-Belarusian pianist combined to deliver a pair of compelling shows a hundred plus miles apart. The people of Walton-on-Thames likely had a marvellous afternoon; those of Kings Heath were definitely granted an inspiring evening. The audience were singing Russian lyrics within the opening minutes, taught ...

Some artists have a Las Vegas residency; Edwina Hayes has carved out a Kings Heath one. Now running into several consecutive years, the Kitchen Garden on New Year's Day is the domain of this East Yorkshire-based singer-songwriter. January 1st does not have a lot of competition on the gig circuit but credit due if you can entice folks out of their home in sufficient numbers to start the year as you mean to go on. The sold out sign went up a couple of days before the event and mix of devoted friends, family and fans mingled with curious gig goers and those eager to get off the mark in the refined realm of the serenely cultivated song. Edwina Hayes has been an active professional musician for over twenty-five years. The early years were defined by recorded albums of original songs and lauded by the music press. Recent times have seen a resourceful live performer adept at delivering carefully spun covers alongside her own songs that are thinner on the ground than the album years. Eithe...