There are times when watching live music can be a wondrous experience which transports you to a mythical time. This was one of those nights and in a way it was unexpected. I'd pitched up to Sneaky Pete's for a headline show by California based band Sylvie. I knew their Laurel Canyon sound and that's why I was there - a sucker for the sounds of the late 60s early 70s California Laurel Canyon set.
The premise of Sylvie is an intriguing one. Essentially Sylvie is Ben Schwab and some friends so a kind of mythical collective of shifting musical characters.
The myth deepens when you learn about about the inspiration for Sylvie and the eponymous album. Schwab's father, also a musician, was a band member and songwriter for Bad Anthony a band with Ohio origins who has moved to California in the early 70s recorded some unreleased demos and disappeared unsung and forgotten. when he heard these demos Schwab younger was inspired and alongside fuelling the concept of Sylvie he cajoled his dad to finally release the demos. They are now available - find them where you stream your music or on vinyl.
For the show in Edinburgh the Sylvie line-up was Ben Schwab, vocals and guitar with Keven Louis Lareau on second guitar and vocals and Laura Jean Anderson providing the Linda Ronstadt sparkle to the evening.
The enthusiastic crowd were treated to a trio at the top of their game after a long tour where 'you never know what you are walking into'. Something happened or didn't in Nottingham but what we were never told. The three voices together swapping leads and the guitars conjured up the pure enjoyment of music and the evocation of an evening at the Troubadour circa 1972.
Most of the songs were Schwab's including a couple of new songs which bodes well for a future Sylvie album. but a masterful take on Ian Matthew's 'Sylvie' gives the collective their name and the modus operandi of their music. There were other covers - Mad Anthony's 'Rina' where they were joined on stage by Paulo Nutini in an totally unexpected turn which had the audience reaching for the phones to capture the moment. They encored with Neil Young's 'Flying On the Ground is Wrong'. Yes this was a Laurel Canyon moment for the 21st Century that happened right here in Edinburgh.
Prior to taking the stage with Sylvie Keven Louis Lareau opened with an intriguing set of songs played to a backing track that included instrumentation, vocals and his own audience. What the hell happened in Nottingham? Regardless he warmed the audience to the US West Coast sound setting the scene for the headliners. He included a song that caught my attention 'The Girl That Turned the Lever' a 1971 song by Ernie Graham that links back to Nick Lowe and Ian Gomm. If you know you know. Sublime choice.
An opening set from Grayling was well received and it can't be long before she is headlining too.
https://sylvie-music.bandcamp.com/album/sylvie-2022-2
https://kevenlouislareau.bandcamp.com/
https://laurajeananderson.bandcamp.com/album/lonesome-no-more-ep
https://www.facebook.com/graylingmusic/
https://www.fulltimehobby.co.uk/artist/sylvie
