Three Chords and the Truth UK

  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 ...

  Attending a Honey & the Bear show is a guided tour across the expanses of rural and coastal Suffolk, peering at its wildlife and landscape, listening to local tales and absorbing characters buried deep in its folklore. If an ambassadorial candidate was sought, Lucy and Jon Hart are at your service. A compendium of stories and anecdotes sit alongside a melange of instrumentation coaxed to fruition through a couple of entwined voices. This is folk music from the regions at its finest, and the Kitchen Garden Cafe is the perfect setting to deliver to the people.    This was the first Honey & the Bear headline gig in Birmingham, though not the first appearance. Back in June they opened for Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys at the nearby Hare and Hounds and the effects of that performance rippled through a return to the area. A further link to that evening was inviting Lost Boys member Toby Shaer to join them and turn Honey & the Bear into a trio for the Kitchen Gar...

Looking forward to a Holly Carter gig simmers with anticipation; basking in the aftermath accrues the satisfaction of spending time in the musical company of a wonderful artist. Instrumental prowess is the most celebrated side of her armoury, yet when combined with a sublime voice, acute song writing and engrossing presentation skills, the ingredients for a special night are in place. Leamington Spa was the latest stop on a run of dates promoting the recently released full length debut album. With Joe Wilkins on guitar and John Parker on double bass, the stage was set for a show that eventually stretched a lot further than a take on a very good record. The Temperance is a live music gift to the town of Leamington Spa. Additionally, its accessible location draws people from neighbouring urban areas like Leicester, Coventry and the West Midlands. A first descent into the basement performing space is an eye opener. Repeated ones still hone in on a unique charm. The packed schedule is a ...

  ‘So long it’s been good to know you’ is the promotional tagline as Rod Picott brings the curtain down on the touring phase of his life. A sentiment shared by legions of fans who have embraced his music for a long time. The irony is that twenty-five years since hitting the road new venues and new fans are still being found. They are seeing an artist in a good place savouring every moment of this extended last dance. Thimblemill Library is located in the Smethwick/Bearwood area on the Sandwell side of the Birmingham border and hosts a vibrant array of arts events. It was a new and fitting setting for one of the final shows before Picott heads home to pursue his literary passion.  With no support on the evening, the focus was on a pair of sets highlighting what has made Rod Picott such a well-respected figure on the touring circuit. Clad in a trademark denim shirt and through the gruff tone of well-tested vocals, he announced his arrival with ‘ Digging Ditches’ , almost a metap...

Brandy Clark’s recent shows have been under the banner ‘The Art of the Storyteller’ but this only paints half a picture From small town Washington through the cut and thrust world of commercial Nashville to a gentler place for pursuing a craft, the art of telling a story full of melodic twists in a narrow three-minute window is nailed. Songs are the currency for Brandy Clark’s rich musical existence. The pleasure of listening live unfiltered in a shared space will always retain a special feel. The Institute’s second room is not normally on Birmingham’s intimate venue list but a pin drop exposure to around eighteen meticulously presented Brandy Clark songs turned it into one. This was Clark’s third visit to Birmingham. The Glee Club in 2016 welcomed an artist who had just broke into the mainstream with recognition shifting from writer to performer. By the time she returned to the Town Hall a year later ambitions were on a different level. Sadly, that evening was marred by a ridiculously...

www.ionalane.com Playing live is the lifeblood for independent folk musicians and seeking fresh opportunities is a perpetual task. One slightly eased when projects like Shire Folk emerge and offer a three for one package. One booking can take you to three counties, so for Iona Lane the chance to play consecutive shows in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire was a good fit. The towns of Leominster, Bewdley and Bridgnorth aren’t that far apart and utilising new venues can enhance community engagement. Of course, a close proximity to the urban landscape of the West Midlands makes evening trips accessible. St. George’s Hall has been the mainstay of Bewdley live music over the years, so it was good to encounter the splendid backdrop of St. Anne’s Church for a night of exceptional folk music.  Iona Lane has been active on the circuit for at least 8 years as per first seeing her in Coventry in 2017. Since that December Big Comfy Bookshop gig, she has progressed to be the proud arc...

  I take my seat in the Temperance. The venue is already nearly full. I look around and wonder. Is anyone seeing Danni Nicholls for the first time? Leamington Spa is not my usual stomping ground. An eighty mile round trip is often a put off when the artist frequently plays a show nearer to home. The upside when the Temperance wins the day is a wonderfully compact basement venue; intimate, evocative and carrying the most beautiful sound. OK, the latter is dependent on the artist but quality is a team effort. Among the many unfamiliar faces in the crowd (a handful have made the trip from my ares or are familiar from the gig circuit), I would like to think there are some Danni Nicholls newbies. We all discover new artists at different times. The key is the impact they make. Many established acts will cross my path for the first time in 2025. Danni Nicholls isn't one of them. In this crazy fast paced modern world, we are prone to consuming our info intake in excess. New experiences how...

  www.salthousemusic.com Back in 2021 Salt House played a gig in the area under difficult circumstances. The team behind the music at Thimblemill Library were not still unable to host live music in their home venue due to post-pandemic restrictions. In a valiant attempt to get things underway they hired the upstairs room at The Bear Tavern in nearby Bearwood to host shows. At least those tricky days are behind us and it was wonderful to invite this folk trio to play a return show in less turbulent times. The tag Scottish used to geographically describe the trio but in a recent personnel change Anna Hughes from north-east England has replaced the hugely acclaimed north of the border fiddle player Lauren MacColl. Big shoes to fill but on the evidence of this show progressing neatly.  The original pairing of Jenny Sturgeon on keyboards and Ewan Macpherson guitar are still in place guiding Salt House to fresh pastures of recorded music in a style that elegantly blends traditional ...

  www.jillandrews.com For around half an hour in the second set, Jill Andrews hit a purple patch delivering near faultless music. A pitch, note or chord were hardly out of place as an artist sitting comfortably in their zone thrived on a compatible and supportive platform. A fan experience never to be taken lightly whether up close and personal at the grassroots or lavishly savoured on a grander stage. Of course imperfections can connectively bring live music into a sense of reality and towards the end of the show invited audience  backing vocals to ' Joy Ride' suitably provided this. Ah, the magic of being at one in a small room. Nashville-based Andrews was making a second visit to Birmingham after playing a show at the nearby Hare and Hounds in November 2022. For many present that night, she was a new name on the block, although mainly from a UK live touring circuit perspective as there is a fully stocked twenty year career in her music locker. Positive impressions brought ...

  www.thepleasuresmusic.com The Pleasures are a three-piece band from Australia comprising of a trio of talented musicians in their own right. For nights like this a bassist extends the line up to four as opening act Riley Catherall expanded his repertoire to the rhythm section. Lachlan Bryan (widely known in the UK as the front person of his Wildes band) and Catherine Britt (lesser known in the UK but an esteemed international country artist for several years) front this recently formed combo with all round musician Brad Bergen adding the drums. Following a debut album release in 2023, the band have made a couple of visits to the UK this summer (no mean feat from Down Under) to promote their music culminating with a prestigious slot at Shrewsbury Folk Festival over the Bank Holiday weekend. This Kitchen Garden date was a handy insertion on the eve of the festival appearance in nearby Shropshire, and a venue supportive of Lachlan Bryan's music in the past. A freshened approach led ...

Exuberance  Enthusiasm  Engaging  Hey Dawn, a new dawn A Great Divide bridged to  a posse of music Millionaires Bar dancing  Line dancing Troupe dancing  Ugly Flowers turned beautiful. Serenaded in communal cross legged  harmony.  Mountains  Outback Medleys  The art of performing meets the art of lending  your eyes and ears. Being there,  the only place to be From a land Down Under  a scarlet clad ensemble New faces, new land A knife through the heart of pretentious reflection,  inspiring a poetic response. A difference laced with an energetic smile. A night to remember  A night shared  A night unique