Country Music

Gregory Alan Isakov – SWG3 Galvaniser’s

Live music, Music Review

Gregory Alan Isakov may have set down roots in the US state of Colorado, both figuratively and literally, but he is very much at home in Scotland. It’s unsurprising, given this country’s traditions of crofting and folk music – vocations that still go hand in hand to this day – but he also lived in the far north east of the country for a while, tending earth and songs, and always speaks fondly with candour about the people and places he connected with here. His music naturally embodies the richness and simplicity of life attuned to the minutiae of the everyday, contextualised within the vastness of the Universe. It is both intimate and expansive, intentional and meandering, specifically surreal, and embellished with an intangible magic that is uniquely Isakov’s.

On his most recent album, Appaloosa Bones, his first new music in five years, Isakov explores the breadth and depth of human experiences he observed in recent years; he spotlights our strange collective loneliness, hardships and sorrows, as well as the strength and beauty of our relationships – romantic, platonic, situational or otherwise. Sonically the album is a little rawer than his previous compilations; it instinctually stays closer to home and only soars when absolutely necessary. Isakov said he initially set out to create a lo-fi rock record but as the songs of Appaloosa Bones revealed themselves over time the timbre of the project became something more gentle. Similarly when it comes to crafting live performances the songs take the lead.

The delicate tones of the A-side tracks on Appaloosa Bones punctuate the set with brighter moments of reprieve; Before The Sun and The Fall chime with glistening banjo and piano motifs and subtly-hinted optimism. Dark, Dark, Dark offers some deep catharsis before Steve Varney’s swirling, ethereal guitar takes flight across San Luis. Emerging in shadowy silhouette, Jeb Bows’ plaintive violin heralds the opening to a darker passage; This Empty Northern Hemisphere is a journey in which Isakov Goes Electric. It rattles and rumbles, cascading and ascending again as the six musicians on stage wrestle to contain their own sorcery, finally crash landing into a rapturous reception.

Isakov emerges briefly from within, apologetically breaking the fourth wall to introduce his “best friends” in the band before theyturn their hearts and hands to the tenderness of Miles To Go, a troubadour’s ode to life on the road, carried along by piano, steel guitar and harmonica.Big Black Car provides more opportunities for the band members to shine as they trade solos, in the true folk tradition, and then it’s time for them to step out for some air. Isakov takes the spotlight himself, just for a moment, as 3am pleads with regret and promise and resignation into pin-drop silence.

For as much as he deliberately says very little throughout the set, he makes a point to thank the audience profusely for their attendance. It seems like more effort and sacrifice goes into just getting out of the house these days and artists are at the mercy of many factors beyond their own popularity or commercial success. This has never been lost on Isakov despite him consistently selling out consecutive tours across Europe at increasing capacity. SWG3 Galvanizers marks his biggest headline show in Scotland and while the staff are typically lovely and the technical aspects are world class it can be a struggle for some punters to navigate transport around the venue, and in terms of ambiance…well, it’s industrial (in the nicest way) which sets the stripped down performance of Second Chances in stark relief, even within a collection of mellifluous folk ballads. Isakov, Varney and Bowsconjure a graceful waltz while the audience stands spellbound, overawed and barely swaying.Liarsdoesn’t so much build as explodes out of nowhere, a crescendo before the third act.

Dandelion Wine and Chemicals are particular fan favourites, adored for their simplicity and visceral immediacy, and each receives deserving reaction. Isakov prefaces the title track of Appaloosa Bones saying that it’s “too depressing, we’re not gonna leave you with this” before winding up the set with the gloriously weighty Caves, its meditative refrain inviting a full-bodied singalong: “Let’s put all these words away”.The enraptured audience obliges and then begs for more so an encore is respectfully provided. The intricate beauty of Amsterdam and a captivating rendition of The Stable Song– just Isakov on acoustic guitar and Varney on banjo – preludes the stunning finale of the whole band performing Silver Bell around a single microphone, open hearts firmly front and centre. The audience response lasts until well after the house lights have come on. It’s this generous reciprocity between Isakov and his fans that sustains the love between us over the years and many thousands of miles, that keeps him coming back no matter the size of his audience. And in truth, there’s hardly a room left in Scotland big enough to contain the adoration of his fans. Regardless of where he plays, of course, he’s welcome here any time.

10 Must-see shows at Celtic Connections 2023

Festivals, Live music, Music Review

Enduring the short, dark days of late December in Scotland deserves reward – deserves celebration, in fact – and the best way to celebrate any season in this country is with live music. In dark times, more than ever, we need this; coming together to listen and share stories, to dance, to sing, is the most human of activities. Our deep desire for communal experience is undoubtedly what’s made Celtic Connections an annual highlight of the musical calendar, worldwide, for the last three decades.

With the covid-19 pandemic causing immense disruption over the last two years it’s a joy and a comfort to see the festival returning to full capacity in 2023 for its 30th edition. The disappointment of last year’s late cancellations and the limitations on international guests remain in the past now, with the festival once again offering a vast array of world class talent for audiences of all persuasions. Here is just a selection of gems plucked from within the dazzling 2023 line-up, which may be particularly useful for anyone still wrestling with the paradox of choice.

For Americana fans:

Occasionally the “Celtic connection” inferred by an artist’s inclusion in the festival can seem a little tenuous but for country songstress Emily Scott Robinson, it’s abundantly clear; her latest release, Built On Bones is a collection of hauntingly beautiful songs written for the witches of Macbeth. The setting, tone and spirit of Celtic ancestry will be conjured in her performance, accompanied by collaborators Alisa Amador and Violet Bell.

It’s hard to tell which is more endearing: William Prince‘s effortless, comforting baritone or his delicate weaving of words. In any case, when both combine over his steady but sympathetic guitar playing the result is a total envelopment within the moment.

The rare opportunity to witness the legendary, prodigious talent of Nickel Creek cannot be passed up. Band members Chris Thile, Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins – collectively and in various solo and collaborative endeavours – have been hugely influential on generations of musicians and music fans alike since the turn of the century, and their appearance at this year’s festival will undoubtedly ignite further adoration and inspiration well beyond the reach of their “neo-bluegrass” genre labelling.

For Blues fans:

Amythyst Kiah has risen through the ranks at Celtic Connections to find herself not only headlining her own show but making a guest appearance at the fabled Transatlantic Sessions. Armed with a powerful set of songs and the robust voice made to deliver them, her performances leave an indelible mark on audiences wherever she plays.

It would be rude to mention Fantastic Negrito without at least referencing the fact that his last three albums each won the GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Blues Album in their respective release years, but his talent and musical life force cannot really be reflected in any award or accolade. His live performance is part-sermon, part-therapy, part-rave, part-rock’n’roll exorcism. Those who have seen, heard and felt this music, believe.

For Folk fans:

Award-winning Australian duo Charm of Finches left audiences spellbound on their first UK tour in the summer of 2022. Through evocative lyrics and syrupy blood harmonies, the pair create a magic that lingers long after they’ve stopped singing.

One of the standout performances of 2021’s virtual Celtic Connections event, Dreamers’ Circus bring their sometimes-surreal, sometimes-serene fusion of traditional folk and jazz to light up Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall stage for a triple billing with Finnish outfit Frigg and Scotland’s own Kinnaris Quintet.

If however, you only see one Scottish act at the festival (seriously, don’t limit yourself) it should be Talisk. The energy and intensity of their performance is only eclipsed by their immense talent, as anyone has seen them before can attest. For those folkies yet to be initiated: hold onto your flat caps!

For Indie fans:

A Celtic Connections favourite over the last decade or so, Aoife O’Donovan has two headline shows at the festival this year. The first night will see her interpreting the “songwriter’s choice” of Springsteen albums, Nebraska, while the following night will take in songs from her own catalogue including her latest critically acclaimed – and too-aptly titled – third album Age of Apathy.

Meanwhile Matthew and the Atlas will make their Celtic Connections debut in 2023, marking their first live appearance since wrapping up touring on 2019’s Morning Dancer. The band’s sonic evolution from indie folk, through more expansive alt-rock, soul and electro elements, bound to Matt Hegarty’s earthy vocal, brings so much atmosphere into any room they play.

For party fans:

In addition to this being the 30th anniversary of Celtic Connections, 2023 marks some milestones for some other significant musical collaborations and collectives within Scotland. The opening weekend sees the 10th edition of Roaming Roots Revue. The guest list features the return of many past favourites including Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie, the breathtaking Irish singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan and indie rock powerhouse Field Music, all backed by one of the finest house bands in the land, Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire. The songbook is wide open this year but the sheer volume of talent present guarantees it will be another great night out.

The closing weekend is also stacked with anniversary celebrations. Scottish indie label Lost Map celebrates its 10th birthday with an afternoon-into-evening affair, encompassing multiple venues within Oran Mor, which will be lead by label founder, the incomparable Pictish Trail. A selection of upcoming and established artists will showcase throughout the event which promises to deliver value for money, both in the quality and quantity of music on offer.

The Isle of Mull’s iconic An Tobar venue will mark its 25th year with a special one-off performance featuring a who’s who of Scottish artists well-kent to its stage including Roddy Woomble, Karen Matheson, Seonaid Aitken, Duncan Chisholm and former Makar Liz Lochhead, among many more of the finest musicians.

Finally – always finally – Transatlantic Sessions returns to Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall. For first-timers or twentieth-timers, this is the must-see of festival staples. With a house band comprising some of the most experienced and well honed players in the trad and folk scenes from either side of the water, and guests covering the full spectrum of roots music, this two-night event is the epitome of “Celtic Connections”, in theory and in practice. If you want to understand why a festival in Glasgow, in the middle of winter, has become a 30-year international musical phenomenon, the clues are all here.

Advanced booking is always recommended for shows during the festival. For more information and ticketing visit the Celtic Connections website.

Brett Young – O2 Academy Glasgow

Live music, Music Review

As the shutters roll up on Glasgow’s O2 Academy at precisely 7pm there is a queue bunched along the footpath south, past the bus shelter, 150 meters to the corner of the block, and another 50 metres past the bend. The O2 priority queue runs half the width and the full length of the building in the opposite direction. It is busy! Even the threat of imminent rain hasn’t deterred fans from showing up early to wait it out: that’s a special kind of devotion typically reserved for pop music’s elite and their often youthful audiences. Increasingly though, UK music fans all over the country are coming out in unprecedented volumes for any live music veiled under the “country” banner and it’s unsurprising, given the statistics on streaming and sales of the genre in recent years. Ironically, much of country’s growing popularity here has been attributed to a lack of attention to genre or categorisation by Millennial and Gen Z audiences; that the music is thriving here in spite, rather than because, of being country. There is also something to be said for the genre-fluidity of UK radio and its listeners compared to the US where the scope for discovery is more rigidly limited. Whatever the reasons, Brett Young has sold out his entire UK run of shows this autumn. Having already delivered a headline-worthy performance at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro for C2C back in March, the California-via-Nashville singer songwriter has nothing left to prove to his Scottish fans tonight.

Some pressure, in theory, should sit on the shoulders of the tour’s opening act, Callista Clark, who is first to face Young’s hardcore fanbase each night. If the young Georgia-native is feeling any urgency to impress she doesn’t show it. Her delivery is easygoing as she takes time to introduce herself and each of her songs in turn, by title and theme. The opening lyric “Too old to cry and too young to drive” begins the title track of her debut album Real To Me: The Way I Feel and positions Clark’s youth and vulnerability at the fore of her songwriting. This bluesy lament feels familiar yet fresh with Clark’s surprisingly rich tone resonating cleanly over her acoustic guitar. An R&B influence shines equally bright on songs like Brave Girl and the lilting Sad, the latter of which Clark prefaces as one of her “sassy” country songs. Following this up with Worst Guy Ever, she demonstrates how sweet sincerity and witty wordplay have been foundational to the best songwriting within country, particularly in launching some of the genre’s biggest stars. Her straightforward lyricism and understated emotional delivery cut to the heart, especially in the live setting, and the audience grows increasingly attentive and endeared with each song. Closing her set with the catchy upbeat single It’s ‘Cause I Am ensures both Clark and the audience part in a high spirits.

The transition into Brett Young’s smooth country pop is seamless from here. Love is his lyrical specialism and over the course of 15 radio-friendly songs he dissects this subject – both noun and verb forms – from various angles. His vivid storytelling and affecting voice are an engaging combination; Catch and 1, 2, 3, Mississippi start the set off in heady new-romance territory, all butterflies and dizzying distraction, before the crushing comedowns of Like I Loved You and You Ain’t Here To Kiss Me. The tempo and energy switch up with the lyrical tone but the audience remain elated throughout, happy to sing along at every opportunity. Young is most dynamic when he is free to move about the stage, pointing, smiling, waving and directing his gaze towards fans, but when he takes up acoustic guitar in front of a static microphone he surrenders a degree of that connection. The performance doesn’t suffer for it though; the added instrumentation provides an extra layer of richness and vibrancy while grounding Young’s songs with a simplicity that is irresistible.

Tracks from his latest LP, Weekends Look A Little Different These Days, showcase a natural maturing in Young’s perspective and presentation of romantic relationships, whether he is mining personal experience or not. This and Not Yet muse on the power and potential of growing deeper in love with “your person” while later in the set, an earnest introduction precedes Lady, which is dedicated to Young’s wife and two daughters, his inspirations for writing it. Acknowledging that a lot of his songs are directed at happy couples, having just encouraged slow dancing to the dreamy ballad In Case You Didn’t Know, Young also offers some solace for the broken hearts in the room. Mercy is especially moving as the band is stripped down to just Young on vocals with bandmate Matt Ferranti on keys and the audience forming a boisterous but tender choir. The reception to this is so loud and sustained with applause, cheering and stamping, that Young is forced to pause for more than a minute before delivering the final “…have mercy”.

It’s unclear whether the final three songs are intended as an encore given Young’s periodic absences from the stage throughout the set. Perhaps he’s not well? Feeling homesick? Road-weary? Whatever the reason, the night winds up with You Didn’t, a track seemingly torn straight out of the Boyz II Men songbook, before closing early with a rousing singalong to the chart-topping single Sleep Without You. Despite being tightly packed in from the outset the crowd somehow find space to move and dance around for one final number, maximising every last note as the band plays on even after Young’s departure. Having waited so long, it’s totally understandable.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2019

Festivals, Live music, Music Review

Driving south on the A9 through heavy rain and roadworks, the euphoric sunshine of the past 3 days seems almost otherworldly. Through the misty grey comes a flood of memories; of music, dancing, food; friends, family and strangers – aliens – and did I see a polar bear? Only at Belladrum!!

In its 16th incarnation the Highlands’ biggest music event remains one of a kind, not just for the region but within the global festival community. Boasting an extensive yet eclectic line-up of domestic and international talent, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is renowned for being a festival for all ages and musical interests. Nearly every genre is represented across its programme and the festival site itself accommodates multi-generational entertainment through everything from puppet-making and zorbing, to extreme sports, slam poetry, yoga, stand-up comedy, even burlesque workshops. And all that is without mentioning any of the chart-toppers on the bill. Anyone who thinks there isn’t much going on north of the central belt needs to get out more!

It’s not possible to single-handedly give a fully comprehensive rundown of the magic that played out over the course of this year’s Belladrum so here instead is simply 10 of the best bits.

1. The Sunshine

If you’ve been to a muddy festival before then you can already appreciate what a difference a little sun can make. The absence of rain throughout the duration of Bella meant not only that the ground was pretty stable to get around on, but it was also blissfully comfortable above 19°C for most of the day. Perfect conditions for hanging out with friends and family, having a picnic or a wee gin cocktail (because when there’s a dedicated Gin Palace how could you not?) and listening to great music in the warm evening air. It’s not always like this, as the veterans hasten to point out, so top mention has to go to mother nature: she nailed it this weekend.

2. The Sci-Fi Theme

Each year Belladrum gives itself over to a specific theme, designing areas of the site to reflect a certain aesthetic or attitude and inspiring patrons to expand their knowledge base in a particular direction. The theme for 2019 being Science Fiction, fancy dress took in all sorts of creative endeavours with Trekkies and Wookies, and even more abstract creatures popping up around the site. I spied Marty and Doc heading into the Venus Flytrap Palais while I was queuing for risotto. In addition but on the flipside of that was the Bella Boffinarium, set up to showcase “Science Fact” with presentations on astronomy, technology, rewilding and modern environmentalism. There was even an interactive aviation drama roaming around. Belladrum is special for a lot of different reasons and its dedication to presenting a theme that is engaging on so many levels is definitely one of the things that sets it apart.

But then, some music.

3.  Fat Suit

This funk fusion ensemble brought the sunshine inside the Hothouse on Thursday afternoon with radiant sax and trumpet, glittering guitar and soulful keyboards. From the moment they walked on stage the crowd was down to boogie and the band delivered just the right grooves to keep them moving. If yoga wasn’t your thing, Fat Suit could do plenty to loosen you up.

4. Wildwood Kin

What more can genetically perfected harmonies bring to the British Americana scene that we haven’t seen before? Perhaps not a lot, even with gifted multi-instrumentalists Wildwood Kin. But there’s absolutely nothing more enjoyable than hearing brilliant songs performed well. With the audience hanging on their every gorgeous note you couldn’t help swooning for the Devon trio. Latest singles “Never Alone” and “Beauty In Your Brokenness” were both shimmering and powerful.

Wildwood Kin

5. Man of Moon

Still yet to release their debut LP, the Edinburgh two-piece are evolving from a mildly psychedelic grunge act into some glorious electro-rock outfit with heavy shoegaze undertones. Drawing comparisons to Depeche Mode and The Twilight Sad doesn’t quite do justice to what they deliver in the live setting. The dynamic between singer/guitarist Chris Bainbridge and drummer Michael Reid is in constant flux and, without being unsettling, songs like “I Run” and “Skin” play out with exciting twists and turns. Consistently one of the best live bands of the last few years, they proved their sound is ready for the big stages.

6. Boy Division

Being moved from the Bella Bar Stage to the Seedlings Stage made this performance feel even more intimate and special for Divisionists (every great pop act has to have a name for their fan collective, right?) and the upgrade seemed to benefit Chris, Noah and Kieran as well, as they delivered note-perfect harmonies with seamless choreography throughout their brief but breathtaking performance. Pop music is streaming forward with unparalleled levels of self-awareness and these guys are already cresting the wave.

Boy Division

7. Ferris and Sylvester

Like every great song that finishes too soon, Ferris and Sylvester’s Grassroots stage set left their audience wanting. From the high energy blues-folk of “Burning River” to the aching sweetness of “Flying Visits” with one microphone between them, they commanded attention in the kindest possible way.

Ferris and Sylvester

8. Glasvegas

Given the honour of headlining the Hothouse Stage up against fellow Glaswegians Chvrches, Glasvegas were the perfect antithesis of their Garden Stage peers. Mere silhouettes against a wash of red and white lights, they allowed their songs to swell and cascade out over the enormous crowd that couldn’t be contained by the walls of the sweaty tent. Spontaneous singalongs erupted frequently and singer James Allen noted that the audience participation on acoustic track “Whitey” would go down as his highlight of the festival. It was spirited and emotional from start to end, and heartening to see the band still at the top of their live game.

9. Self Esteem

Probably the most impressive and enjoyable performance of the whole weekend, Rebecca Taylor as Self Esteem is everything pop music should be in 2019; witty, honest, fun. With her band dressed all in red and working through some sultry tongue-in-cheek dance routines, while singing poignant and catchy songs about sexuality, relationships and identity, she is the musical role model you wish mass media was championing instead of the next vapid internet fad. Emphasis on the fun.

Self Esteem

10. Lewis Capaldi’s Reception

With a genuine talent and charm like Capaldi’s there’s not much point discussing his performance. It was great, as expected. The atmosphere when he came onstage however, that was something else. It’s hard to say accurately how many of Belladrum’s 20,000 capacity crowd was actually in front of the Garden Stage at 8pm on Saturday night but it was a majority. Like a big majority. An unprecedented volume by all accounts. And the atmosphere was incomparable. I’ve been to plenty of festivals and stadium shows and I’ve heard some screams. Capaldi’s arrival was met with the kind of noise that makes you think defenders over your earplugs would have been a good shout. Tinnitus on command. It was equally the most terrifying and exciting moment I’ve experienced in the photo pit; I wouldn’t like to do it again but I’d recommend it to anyone. And what’s more it was sustained. It was as if the crowd had been sparing themselves all weekend waiting for this one set. Even if you didn’t like the guy’s music you couldn’t help but stand in awe of what he brought to the event.

Lewis Capaldi

All that said, there were a few weak spots; the overcrowding around the Garden Stage for Lewis Capaldi created tension as security had to restrict access while some folk tried to reserve spaces with hazardous camping chairs or blankets. Arguments on the periphery and discomfort in the middle felt very much like a catastrophe waiting to happen. At the same time Peat & Diesel were letting rip in the Hothouse and that too required added crowd-control measures that felt about as dangerous as the crowd crush itself with punters corralled inside the tent.

The impact of crowding was further demonstrated in traffic queues entering and, especially, leaving the site with some patrons reporting waits of 3 to 5 hours to vacate the carpark. A good service of shuttle buses from Inverness city centre helped to manage the flow of day visitors but delays could be further alleviated with the addition of a park and ride nearby to reduce the volume of cars accessing the property directly down the tiny roads. Density on site meant mobile functionality was reduced. It wasn’t the lack of Snapchat and Instagram so much that was frustrating, but trying to find friends or family to coordinate meals, transport and basic welfare was a bit of a nightmare. For the most part these were minor gripes and the overall feedback around the festival grounds was naturally very positive again this year.

The one major blight on Belladrum is still the masses of rubbish it generates in an otherwise pristine community. The use of disposables at a festival of this scale is unnecessary and does nothing to encourage respectful or resourceful behaviour. It’s 2019; dropping plastic cups anywhere is unacceptable.

Hopefully these are matters the new owners will look to address moving forward with the festival, to maintain the safety and sustainability of their wonderfully warm, family-friendly event. For now, with the many musical blessings of this year playing over in our minds, as the rain sets in to soothe and cleanse the grounds the countdown to Belladrum 2020 can begin.

Sheryl Crow – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Live music, Music Review

Having recently opened shows for the likes of legendary artists Phil Collins and the Eagles, Sheryl Crow is grateful to be back in front of her own audience for a while. With the promise of a two-hour set featuring “a bunch of old things and…some new things too” regulars know to expect a great night. For first-timers the setlist, front heavy with mega hits like “If It Makes You Happy” and “All I Wanna Do”, is a shock to the system and an assertive reminder of why Crow, now in her late 50s, has maintained a position as one of the most revered and sought-after songwriters and female vocalists for over 2 decades.

Her energy and enthusiasm is relentless and it’s clear Crow still enjoys playing the older songs. The crowd reacts with lively call and response singalongs and dancing in the aisles. Crow acknowledges, engaging audience participation, for at least as much as she can understand of the Glasgow accent and vernacular. She shies away from recent albums for the most part but introduces a few tracks from her forthcoming release Threads, due at the end of August. The first of these is “Prove You Wrong”, a collaboration with country star Maren Morris and rock veteran Stevie Nicks. It has an instant classic rock feel that tends a little formulaic towards the end but is no less enjoyable in the context of modern rock radio playlists. Another new single, “Live Wire”, comes under the blues influence of its contributors Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples, and is introduced with a cracking anecdote from the recording session with Staples. As one of the slower songs in the set – and it’s by no means a ballad – “Live Wire” is evidence that Crow still has the skill to craft a meaningful and catchy song without sounding like a rehash of former glories or a nostalgic tribute to the successes of youth.

Despite adhering mostly to the acoustic guitar throughout, Crow’s knack for creating rock anthems is indisputable and well supported by her six-piece band that includes two lead guitarists of equal genius in Audley Freed and Peter Stroud; the latter garnering extra attention from the singer for his “snazzy jacket” in addition to his expertise with the six-string. The sound is further embellished with Joshua Grange on pedal steel, Jen Gunderman on piano and Robert Kearns providing bass and particularly stand out vocals as a substitute for Joe Walsh on new duet “Still The Good Old Days”, a song that Crow admits is “about being my age”. Yet the clarity and ease of her voice on the opening of “The Difficult Kind” shows an ageless strength and beauty; her voice is as good as it’s ever been. Sadly, there are times when the full force of the band is too much and Crow’s still-powerful vocal is overwhelmed, mainly by the treble of her own guitar. It’s disappointing to experience this in a room like the Concert Hall which usually delivers perfectly balanced levels, for any genre or musical style. Nevertheless the crowd is on her side and she receives a standing ovation before she’s even finished the set. Admittedly, the performance of “Best Of Times” is well deserving; Crow takes her microphone from its stand and commands the stage from end to end with multiple charged harmonica solos, set against intense strobing as the band gathers around the drum kit to pool and play off  their collective energies.

The final song of the set, “Steve McQueen”, features Crow playing a glittery red, white and blue electric guitar while her two sons – acting as occasional guitar techs throughout the night – join in on maracas from behind the keyboards. When she returns for an encore she mentions that they spent their day over at the Glasgow Science Centre and had a great time taking in the city. She dedicates “Soak Up The Sun” to her Glasgow audience in honour of the beautiful weather, before closing out with a grand rendition of “Real Gone”. The crowd need no further persuasion and remain on their feet for the duration. Warmly received at the top of the show is Hebridean singer-songwriter Colin MacLeod, himself no stranger to opening some pretty big stages, having supported the likes of Van Morrison, Robert Plant and Roger Waters in the last twelve months alone. He played a brief but beautiful solo set of melancholic-sounding songs, drawn mainly from his 2018 debut Bloodlines, with two new songs performed on acoustic guitar sandwiched into the middle of his set. MacLeod shows himself to be a versatile performer; an accomplished guitarist as well as a gifted storyteller and songwriter, with a voice as warm and mellow as a 21 year old single malt.

Black Deer Festival Preview

Festivals, Live music, Music Review

The First {Festival} Day of Summer

In 2018 I was incredibly privileged to be able to attend more than a dozen festivals throughout the UK and Europe. Some I volunteered for as a photographer or reviewer, some as stewarding crew, but most I committed to as a regular punter. It’s taken me well over a decade to realise that I absolutely LOVE festivals. I love open air, indoor, multi-stage, single room, camping, inner city, grassroots diy, community-funded, corporate-sponsored, independent, label-driven, industry-hosted Live Music Events.

By far the most complicated event on my festival schedule last year, in terms of logistics and accessibilty, was the inaugural Black Deer Festival in Kent. Buying a ticket was the easiest part of my plan. The festival takes place on an enormous patch of undulating countryside just outside of Tunbridge Wells. Getting there from my home base in Scotland would be an epic journey by any means, however, in 2018 I was not travelling from home. The opening night of the festival coincided with my being in Berlin to see The Rolling Stones. That’s not a problem worth complaining about but it did present a few issues that negatively impacted my experience of the first festival.

My unwillingness to fly my festival camping equipment from Glasgow to London via Berlin meant a compromise in the form of a “luxury” Bed & Breakfast stay in Tunbridge Wells – exceptional accommodation for a festival in a field. (This was actually a cheaper option than taking hold luggage on my flights.) The downside to staying somewhere off-site (with an ensuite and cooked breakfast) was the lack of transport to the festival. Shuttle buses were provided for the return journey which was a great help but having read information on the festival’s website saying the location was “just a short bus or taxi ride” from the train station I, as a seasoned budget traveller, attempted to reach it by public bus. A mile-long walk across fields in the baking hot southern sun not only left my water bottle empty after 15 minutes, but meant I had another hour to walk around the perimeter of the site as I could not get access at the production entrance – my first point of contact with the festival. This was not a great introduction for me and Black Deer.

All that said, what a lovely time I had there there! It was without question my hottest UK festival weekend of the year, with a mix of outdoor and tented stages and near limitless daylight there was really no escaping the summer vibes. When the sun did eventually set on the Saturday night it painted the sky in neon orange and red as Iron & Wine played out a most beautifully chilled set on the main stage. The family atmosphere during the daytime made it feel like a bit of a play park with the added novelty of constant world-class entertainment, between the live music, food and beverage samplings, craft demonstrations and cultural displays, it was a fantastically busy and interesting place.

I can’t lie; when the 2019 line-up was first announced my heart skipped a beat. My first impressions really put this festival in the “too hard” basket. Too far, too complicated and too expensive. It was hard to imagine putting myself through that stress again for the sake of a “fun” midsummer getaway. But my lasting impressions … and that line-up, even only half-formed … I’m taking a chance; I’m going back to the park this Solstice!

There’s a bunch of artists playing the festival this year who I’ve seen before, some I’ve seen several times. A few are old favourites, particularly as festival sets go. Band of Horses headlined the first year I went to Green Man; like the novice I was I got a pitcher from the Rum Shack right on my way to the Mountain Stage and spent most of their set jumping and dancing ferociously at the back of the crowd, charging down to the front occasionally to snap a photo. The last two times I saw them live was during the summer of 2017, at Haven in Copenhagen and at End of the Road in Dorset, where Ben Bridwell held the sweetest on-stage conversations with fans in the crowd, playing requests and having the apparent time of his life. I have never seen the band deliver anything but the most joyful performances. I basically bought my ticket just for Band of Horses.

John Butler Trio are another festival favourite from my uni days when I volunteered at Groovin’ the Moo to get event management experience. I completed 3 hours of wristbanding and got to see some of the biggest Australian bands of the time. My love for JBT goes back a lot further than that though; they were the first band I ever snuck into when I was underage. When I say I “snuck”, I mean my Mum wanted to see them and didn’t want to go alone so she took me to their gig at the Yamba Bowling Club when I was 17. They played a 3-song encore that lasted around 30 minutes (1 song was an 18 minute epic)! My tiny mind was blown and I’ve been an awe-filled devotee ever since. I’m hoping for similar weather to last year to create a really authentic Australian heat in their performance.

In early 2011, at my first Celtic Connections festival, I stumbled upon the unfathomable magic of The Staves. I followed them obsessively from that first encounter and they were responsible for introducing me to one of the biggest influences on my musical taste in the last decade; Communion. They also provided the soundtrack to one of my favourite roadtrip memories; driving across Tennessee from Knoxville to Lynchburg and on to Memphis, in early winter when “Dead & Born & Grown” had just been released. That album, to me, is quintessential English Americana and it makes perfect sense to see them high up on the bill at Black Deer. Always good fun, down to earth people but completely surreal performers.

If I’m going to talk about incredible performers and “English Americana” then I have to mention Yola. “Walk Through Fire” is going to be on every “Best Of” list this year. The songs on this album are deeply personal and that comes across in Yola’s delivery each time; she means every word, but they’re also extremely listenable. Yola treads a fine line between being absolutely unbelievable and completely relatable, and the live setting is where she connects those identities in front of the audience. Her voice is more powerful and her personality more raw when she’s on stage and I adore being in the crowd when she goes to work. Paul Cauthen is another force of nature when it comes to live performance. He doesn’t need to play up his smooth Texas accent to make you weak at the knees, it’s all there in the boom and bass of his voice. He draws on soul, gospel and traditional country with little sparks of southern rock, funk and R&B thrown in; it’s a heady blend, man! Irresistible.

There’s some big names on the bill, some actual legends, and I’m obviously not going to miss those artists but one of the best things about festivals, for me, is the “discovery” moments. Martin Harley was one of mine at Belladrum last year so of course I’m thrilled to have another chance to see him play. Lucy Kitt impressed me with an early afternoon set at Ramblin’ Roots Revue in April and again at Red Rooster Festival earlier this month. I’ve lost track of how many times someone has asked me “Do you know William Crighton?” over the years. I don’t know him. That is to say, I’ve never seen him live. I don’t even know how it happened but I’ve been following The Hungry Mothers online for a while now and I’m excited to see what they bring to the stage.

Really, there’s too many highlights to mention right now, and it’s all futile speculation pending some kind of timetable, but needless to say I’m very excited for this year’s instalment of Black Deer and I’m looking forward to a smooth journey in and out of that faraway park in the deep south of England. There’s nowhere else I’d rather spend my first days of summer.

Shakey Graves – SWG3 TV Studio

Live music, Music Review

It’s been more than a minute since Shakey Graves played to an audience in Glasgow. The artist from Austin, Texas was scheduled to appear at The Art School back in March of this year but the so-called “Beast From The East” snowstorm brought an early end to his tour and Scottish fans were left bereft for the time being as the show was cancelled, rather than postponed. Gratefully, another tour was announced for the Autumn but in the wake of the Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh Building fire an alternative venue was chosen and ultimately the gig took place in SWG3’s TV Studio – the very same room Shakey Graves last played in Glasgow over two and a half years ago.

Shakey Graves is the nom de plume of Alejandro Rose-Garcia, whose reputation precedes him through a kind of cultish following. He’s far from the mainstream as far as UK music press is concerned, yet he can find a devoted audience on just about every continent. This latest tour is in support of his new record Can’t Wake Up, released in May on Dualtone and, as anyone familiar this artist will attest, it’s a vastly different sound he’s touting these days.  Gone are the crunchy blues guitar riffs, raw-worn vocals and erratic one-man-band percussion. In their place is an overall more polished, controlled production; the lilting melodies and jaunty accompaniment have a kind of soft-focus and even Rose-Garcia’s voice is pastel-toned. Lyrically the songs are as mythical and mystical as anything in the alt-folk /Americana / country blues / southern rock canon, but with an added dreaminess that elevates them from being intensely personal to universally quizzical.

How then to marry these diverse sonic themes into a cohesive live set? Well, if anyone can do it and do it convincingly, it’s Shakey Graves. A stunning support set from Pennsylvanian artist Petal precedes the main event and is tragically disregarded by sections of the audience. Not even her exquisite cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Silver Springs could grasp the attention of many but it’s nothing personal; for reasons beyond comprehension the crowd are as distractedly chatty throughout the entire show.

Arriving solo to the stage Rose-Garcia begins in familiar territory that sees the most vocal of his audience joining in. Armed with just an electric guitar and his suitcase kick drum and tambourine combo Roll The Bones glistens. The Perfect Parts swings into a pretty rendition of Pansy Waltz before he is joined by the other three members of his band. Christopher Boosahda on drums, Jon Shaw on bass and Patrick O’Connor on guitar complete the Shakey Graves touring line-up as well as being the core performers on the latest album. Immediately the more sophisticated beat behind Big Bad Wolf introduces the next chapter of the show gently. The mesmeric chirp of guitar on Mansion Door distracts from the darkness in its lyrics while the airy shuffling blues of Dining Alone lays its misery bare. The mood is never quite sullen and Rose-Garcia’s expression always tells more than each tale reveals.

Unknown Legend is the point where it really comes together, where the band and crowd are fully invested and committed to the groove; guitars are playing off one another, smiles are being exchanged and Rose-Garcia is especially talkative and comfortable in his banter. Excuses capitalises on this sweet moment with particularly dynamic playing – loud drums against soft vocals – matching the urgency of the lyrics “I can’t wait for summer, I can’t wait for spring / I can’t wait for someone who can’t wait for me”. It’s a natural climax at this point of the night and is followed up with yet another change of pace. Adequately sweaty for now, the band takes their leave to allow for a set of rootsier acoustic songs; Tomorrow, Family Tree and City In A Bottle prove to be definite crowd-pleasers with phones hoisted to film throughout, while the poignant Word of Mouth closes out the set in hushed awe. It’s a lengthy moral that ebbs and flows, drawing the crowd in until they’re hanging on every word. Shakey Graves is the complete entertainer at this point; he sticks his plectrum to his sweaty forehead for a time and dances on the spot. The crowd goes nuts. As the band returns and is officially introduced there’s a sense that the night is still just warming up but quickly then the realisation that we are, in fact, nearing the end settles and the crowd becomes restless and shouty once more.

A boisterous and out of tune singalong ensues on Dearly Departed which, from the band, seems to lack effort in the face of such an energetic reception. Rose-Garcia acknowledges the strict curfew saying “I’m not even going to fake going off” as he ventures one final morbid tale; Late July. The ending hits hard and he blows a kiss from the stage before waving farewell to his adoring fans. With such an extensive back catalogue to choose from, sixteen songs is never going to feel like enough for the cult of Shakey, but they take what they can get and show their fervent appreciation. It’s not so hard to settle for quality over quantity and there’s no disputing; this was a quality performance.

Kacey Musgraves – Clyde Auditorium

Live music, Music Review

“Born in a hurry, always late / Haven’t been early since ’88.” Could a truer opening line have been delivered? 20 minutes after she was due on stage the silhouette of Kacey Musgraves emerged behind a glow of goldenous light. With her band already positioned, distinctly indistinctive in their matching pastel suits, she set her pace with Slow Burn, the first song on her latest album Golden Hour.

The new record is mellow and even by pop-country standards and so it follows that its live incarnation, the “Oh, What A World Tour”, should be equally refined and engaging. It’s another 2 such gentle songs, Wonder Woman and Butterflies, before Musgraves visits any older material and when she does it sounds refreshed and renewed to her current mood. Keep It To Yourself leads in with a Springsteen-esque guitar tone before the pedal steel takes control and steers it into blatant country territory. More bitter than sweet, Merry Go ‘Round elicits the first big singalong of the evening and it’s hard to feel the isolated heartbreak of the song in a room full of voices. High Time is another crowd favourite and sees Musgraves stepping out of glam-mode, relinquishing her powder blue stilettos in favour of bare feet, then later some fluffy blue slides. It’s Casual Kacey time, despite the sequinned trousers and rhinestone-laden denim jacket.

On any scale a Kacey Musgraves show is certain things; honest, personal, fun. You can sense this from the flow of the songs and the onstage banter. While the music is perfectly polished, as it needs to be with a six-piece band behind her, Kacey is not above engaging with her audience in a way that makes her special among Nashville’s starlets. She feels her way between the songs as if the stage is smaller, the crowd is closer. It’s an intimacy that’s hard to pin down but it’s very real. She created the same atmosphere nearly 8 months back when she headlined the final night of C2C – Country To Country just across the way at the much larger SSE Hydro. Unlike then however, tonight she only has to play for her audience, rather than swaying a festival crowd, and she does so with much credit to her band. After taking time to introduce everyone on stage, and thanking all her crew behind the scenes, she brings the band together out front for a light-hearted rendition of Family Is Family.

Velvet Elvis sees sections of the stalls up dancing which Musgraves encourages, “This is a better party like this”.  It’s a gentle momentum to maintain with songs like Happy & Sad and the sweetly melancholic Space Cowboy but the crowd carries it on, finally arriving at the upbeat empowerment anthem Follow Your Arrow. Leaving the crowd in a jubilant state, Musgraves and band make a swift exit and remain obscured for several minutes before returning to frenzied applause.

It’s a mixed bag encore opening with the achingly delicate Rainbow before detouring into a humorous but ultimately unnecessary cover of NSYNC’s Tearin’ Up My Heart. The only redeeming aspect of the cover is that it features the support act, the very talented indie singer-songwriter Sophie Allison, aka Soccer Mommy, in a choreographed dance routine. Nevertheless, the mood is lightened sufficiently to close the night out with brilliant rainbow strip lights and a dazzling mirror ball as High Horse wraps the night in its fuzzy disco charms. In the last twinkling light before the stage fades to black Kacey Musgraves waves a sincere farewell to her adoring audience and they respond with mutual gratitude; each wants to thank the other and no-one wants to say goodbye. It’s the way every show should end.

Lord Huron – The Sage

Live music, Music Review

“We’ve always been a ghost-friendly band” quips Ben Schneider. “It’s good to see they’re out tonight especially in the upper levels. They’re going fucking nuts up there by the way” he jokes while he demonstrates an exaggerated style of dad-dancing. It might be a surprise to UK fans of Lord Huron to find the band booked into such an extravagant venue as Sage One in the beautiful Gateshead complex but by the end of their spirited performance there could be no doubting, this is a band who belong on the big stages.

Other venues on this leg of the Vide Noir tour have been as varied as any the band has ever played; from a night at London’s famous Roundhouse to the obscure Sheffield nightclub, Plug the night before their appearance in the north-east. Schneider points out that they’ve never played on this side of the river before and it seems by the crowd’s response that they’ve also travelled from outside the local area. This is the second round of touring in the UK for Lord Huron this year and they’ve made certain to cover new territory once again, bypassing Manchester in favour of Liverpool, and leaving out Scotland, Ireland and Wales altogether. It’s perhaps unsurprising then to find rows of empty seats in such a grand concert hall, for a band who typically fly under the mainstream radar, however this void in no way diminishes the band’s performance. The energy radiating from the stage throughout their set is just enough to reach the souls at the very back of the hall without black-braining them in a cacophony of distorted guitars, storming bass, luscious harmonies, turbulent percussion and eerie theramin. All these sounds exist within the space but never is one found wandering aimlessly.

The set is heavy on tracks from the latest release, “Vide Noir”, which sees the band experimenting a bit more with the dark side of studio magic. There are times, before the band first emerges on stage and at occasional intervals throughout, where a mysterious voice urges listeners to “follow the emerald star” while a jazzy lounge tune grooves in the background. These mellow moments are offset by Schneider’s resonant vocals and Miguel Briseño’s pulsing bass. Opening with the buoyant but chorus-less teaser Never Ever, the band lay their intentions bare: We came to rock! The feeling is mutual, at least on the floor where punters are bouncing around, fists pounding the stratosphere in attempts to reach a heightened state of elation.

The World Ender is a dark and brooding tale that brings everyone crashing back to barren earth, unsure how they arrived and curious to see what fates await. Meet Me in the Woods continues their journey into the unknown before emerging through the black magic of Secret of Life and the character study of a chance meeting with an undead World Ender in Dead Man’s Hand. Schneider’s hair refuses to be contained beneath his fetching fedora and the hat meets the ground at regular intervals as the band lift off on more raucous songs like Back From The Edge and Ancient Names, Pts. 1 & 2. There are also times when Schneider removes his headwear for romantic effect as on the crooners Wait By The River and When The Night Is Over. There’s a sonic theme to these songs on the record that is well spaced in the live set, always keeping the crowd in anticipation of their next wayward turn.

The echo of an owl, a distant thunderstorm and crackling campfire lead into a string of crowd favourites from the band’s debut LP, 2012’s “Lonesome Dreams”. Ends of the Earth, Ghost on the Shore and She Lit A Fire instantly transport devoted listeners back the band’s earlier explorations while providing an atmospheric shift in the tone of the evening. It’s subtle but cleverly crafted. Moonbeam and Hurricane stir up the crowd with additional guitarist Brandon Walters and keyboardist Misty Boyce having their own dance-off either side of drummer Mark Barry. It’s a fun set and the audience can’t help but catch the vibe too.

Between the pulsating green lights that silhouette the band on the Ancient Names twin-set there’s a romantic interlude from “Strange Trails” in the form of La Belle Fleur Sauvage and Fool For Love which sees Schneider throwing flowers into the audience before accepting certain death in a bar fight over the object of his affection. It’s the kind of dramatic contrast fans have come to expect from the last two albums and it’s well received by the audience, by now hustling to keep up with the twists and turns of the night. Way Out There takes them gently by the heart and leads them through the dark spectral landscape. The set winds into its natural close with Time to Run. The energetic acoustic anthem is embellished with flourishes of Tom Renaud’s gloriously crystalline guitar, playing out the main set before another haunting voiceover recites a poem composed explicitly for the Vide Noir shows featuring, among its lines, every song title from the album. It’s weird but it fills the void left by the band’s departure.

There’s no need for an awkward, forced encore – not that the crowd weren’t demanding one anyway – and when the band re-emerge from the darkened recesses at the edge of the stage they bring yet a new energy with immortal hit The Night We Met. The song has been popularised by its use in various TV drama series but the core fans knew it as the bittersweet album closer to “Strange Trails” over 3 years ago. On this occasion there’s a hopeful sense that Lord Huron will return to UK theatres of this scale in the not too distant future, to wow new audiences with their unique stories, curious characters and vivid soundscapes. Nothing could exemplify this more than the jubilant finale, The Stranger. Delighting their audience with arguably their most successful single and following it up with one of their least known tracks is the kind of stunt a band like Lord Huron can pull off in any setting, such is their devoted listenership and the inspiring diversity of their catalogue.

Rumours of another turn through Europe next year have left fans hanging on the edge of the known realm, aching to see what mysterious encounters lay beyond.