Because the Night - in praise of impromptu gigs

There is something to be said for spur of the moment gig going. Yeah it's great the anticipation of a gig weeks or months away, the build up, listening the artists in preparation, finding out if friends are going. But just going out and catching live music must be one of the greatest thrills for music lovers. It is for me anyway.

So last night with nothing planned I'm scrolling Facebook and spot a post from my gig buddy Stewart saying Humbird and Luke Callen are playing a popup gig at the Pianodrome in the Old Royal High School in Edinburgh. 

I'd missed Humbird when she played the Waverley Bar in July - like last night finding out a few short hours before the gig. I was not going to miss her a second time. 

Bit of background, I'd seen Humbird (the stage name of Siri Undlin) when she was part of Rachel Ries 'Her Crooked Heart' project, a super group of talented female performers a few years ago in a packed bar in Leith. I'd been following her on Bandcamp ever since thanks to hand written cards they handed out that night with their socials and music links.

I arrived at the 'Resonancy Bar' ordered a refreshing pint of Bellfield IPA and bumped into Stewart, quick catch-up and then we met Siri and Luke who were friendly, easy company. then it was show time.

The set was short, just twenty minutes. A traditional folk song, a Dolly Parton cover then one original apiece - Minneapolis for Luke and North Country Girl for Siri (inspired by the Dylan, but from the North Country Girl's perspective) finishing with a Blaze Foley cover. It was the distillation of a popup gig - this is what we do, here are our influences. If indie folk Americana were manifested in a punk gig this would be it. Here we are.

All too soon it was over.

Postscript: Luke and Siri had tickets for the main show next door in the Pianodrome and said they'd pop out and tell us what it was like. Siri was as good as her word and we joined a packed house as standing latecomers to catch part of the set by the Brothers Gillespie from Northumbria - high English folk harmonies that were a revelation for me. The headliner was Kate in the Kettle a fiddle, viola and cello trio whose take on folk was mesmerising in its scope verging on classical and jazz to these ears.

There should always be room in your life for impromptu gigs, be open to the possibilities and be prepared to be startled.

humbirdmusic.com/ 

lukecallen.com/

pianodrome.org/

Frazey Ford at La Belle Angele...at last

 This was a gig that i thought would never happen. Tickets bought early in 2020 for a date in June that year. So before Covid 19 hit and closed down the world and live music with it. Even this rescheduled date at the end of November 2021 had that 'it might not happen' mood preceding it. A cancellation was only ever a positive Covid test away, for the band, the venue, or me.

I was grateful, then, to find myself at the venue duly masked, queued and reflecting on the last time I'd been at La Belle Angele to see Anais Mitchell weeks after that other disrupter Donald Trump had become American President.

Frazey Ford though was a balm sorely needed in these troubled and anxious times. She's been called Americana and she is but it was telling, for me anyway, that pre-show the music playing was Al Green. It seemed apt to me as Frazey's music now is a soulful and funky groove that the Rev. Green would be proud of. Mainly featuring the music from 'U Kin B the Sun' Frazey moved through her songs backed by a band (key players from the album sessions) that gave life to those songs with soul and sophistication. her songs reflect on life with all its nuances and affirm that life with joy.

As this gig turned out to be my last live experience of 2021 thanks to Covid 19's Omicron variant it was certainly a good feeling to leave with a smile on my face (obscured by a mask).

https://www.frazeyford.com/

*******

Another hook for this gig was the appearance of support act Gwenifer Raymond. It is not often I see an act that is purely instrumental and this one was mesmerising playing a punk folk blues inspired by 'American primitive'. One woman and a guitar that's all. The sound she creates reminded me of the folk guitar of Bert Jansch and Davie Graham but heavier and riffier. Well worth catching if you get the chance.

https://gweniferraymond.com/

American primitive guitar

Waxahatchee 1 year Anniversary St Cloud livestream - 'live' in Kansas

To mark the 1 year anniversary of the release of St Cloud Waxahatchee performed the album 'live' from La Villa, Kansas City.

 

I've been listening to Waxahatchee for some time now and it was the album St Cloud that really caught my attention. For me Katie Crutchfield has hit her stride. By that I mean that her vision and its realisation, the reason I've been an on and off listener for a few years now, has with St Cloud hit that sweet spot where I fully get and appreciate what she is doing.

The album was released a year ago and has been a favourite of mine since even naming a Spotify playlist after one of its stand out tracks 'Can't Do Much'. Released around the time that the world as we know it went into the rolling Covid lockdowns that have defined our existence since. The album was never toured. This aniversary gig was to present a band performance to a worldwide audience to say thank you for your support. It was worth the wait.

Filmed inside La Villa, Kansas City the airy white space with arched windows and a mix of dried and fresh flowers provided an open and bright, hopeful space to explore these songs.

This was a track by track run through of the album. That statement downplays the presentation - this was a band playing live with heart and sublety allowing the space for these songs to flow and connect with the audience.The band filled the space with a nod to the venue's bright and airy tones all washed out denims and flowers. It seems in these troubled times we need to keep hope, life and beauty to the fore. The band made it seem effortless and what they created was truly beautiful.

 

Those yearning melodic tunes with evocative lyrics -  we leave love behind /without a tear or a long goodbye or Swallow my pride/it's mine to quell/ I'll put you through hell/illput you through hell/ I - release a ramble of a sigh.

 

The mix of venue, band, lyrics and the sheer quality of this set of songs creates a mood at once light and hopeful but with a biting undercurrent that suggests an indie intelligence informing a natural and true americana heartbeat. This is a music that dwells in that cosmic american terrain explored by Gram Parsons where country, folk and rock cross paths. If this was the 1990s Micheal Stipe would be popping up on harmony vocals. He doesn't and those aching harmonies are left to the band members and hit the mark every time.

There are glimpses of the joy of this live set from the band - from Katie herself as the the main focus of the camera, but catch the sheer unbridled joy of the bass player as she delivers her harmonies and delivers her bass lines. This must have been a release for band members on ice for a year and now able to do what they do and do it so well.

 

In a blur of georgeous melodies and subtle playing we're onto the last song and the realisation that the show is nearing its end. What a blessing it is that once the album is complete the show continues with a cover of Dolly Parton's 'Light of a Clear Blue Morning' which starts tender and reflective before gradually building in intensity to a driving cathartic end everthing is going to be alright/it's gonna be ok.

With a bow to the audience and a nod to the band Katie vacates the stage as the band bring the show to an end.

Thank you Katie Crutchfield and Waxahatchee for your time, your beauty and your hope. It's gonna be ok.

Jess Morgan - Brig Below, Leith

When, as a fan, you somehow find yourself back listening to a voice that you immersed yourself in a few years ago but has been crowded out since by new voices the sensation of rediscovery can be a wonderful experience.
Needless to say that was my experience catching Jess Morgan live after a gap of three years. When I saw her live at Leith Folk Club then the honesty of her songs captivated and her music was a regular soundtrack around my house, particularly the albums 'Langa Langa' and 'Edison Gloriette'.
This new encounter with her music sees her presenting a selection of songs through the flow of  autobiographical story-telling which was engaging, humorous and poignant. The travails and travels of a creative soul finding her way in the world at times succeeding, other times facing the compromises of others and finding a way through them to a better place with a fuller sense of who she is as a songwriter and a human being.
What struck me is how much Jess's songs have stayed with me over the years and how the newer songs from 'Everything I did last year'  a collection of singles from the past year or so had stuck with me. There was not a song that did not affect me or that didn't feel like an old friend.
I love the magic of music. That way that I can't entirely tell why I like a song and singer or the sound they make. Is it the tune, the melody, the construction, the words and how they fit together to tell a story or create an impression, is it the voice and what it sounds like, bringing warmth and meaning to the words, is it the instrumentation and how that adds colour and shading to the poetry? I n a live setting is it also the human being who is sharing their feelings and stories with the audience. In truth it is all of these things.
Thank you Jess for sharing your story with the room at Brig Below. It was a joy to hear you again.

 http://www.jessmorgan.co.uk/

I am the audience - Ned Roberts at Leith Depot

It was one of those cold winter nights in early spring that Scotland is famous for with added hail. Wednesday night too. However that really is just an excuse and a lame one at that. But I'll get back to that.

I first heard of Ned Roberts when he was playing support for Anais Mitchell a few years back and he'd impressed me with his songs and his voice. It being the modern age I downloaded an e.p. to my iPod and listened for a while before other more insistent voices and music made my memories of this engaging singer fade.

Fast forward a bit and somewhere I discover that Ned has a new album coming and that he's touring. even better he's playing in Leith!

Now back to that audience. You see Ned was playing Leith Depot on a night organised by local singer songwriter Kat Healy and there was support from a local singer called Purdie. I turn up two songs from the end of Purdie's set. There's not a huge crowd and it's early I say to myself. As the evening continues through Kat's set of finely observed songs of relationships I begin to piece together who the groups of people in the room are. Purdie has a group of friends with her who are thankfully settling in for the night (it's Baltic outside so who could blame them). Over by the bar is a group who are with Kat. So that leaves me and three other people.

The headliner takes to the stage and works his way a mesmerising mix of his old and new songs. He's got a rich voice that works well on his well crafted songs like 'Drifting Down' 'Hazy Days' 'Angel Station' and 'Lights on the River'. There's some nice guitar playing and that rich deep voice works well with the songs that recall Nick Drake, James Taylor, Leonard Cohen and a bit of Dylan (a

fair bit of moothie accompanies the playing and singing).

Of course he's not a household name but you can't help thinking, well I can't help thinking that after playing a full Pleasance Theatre a few years back albeit supporting the more established Anais Mitchell he should be pulling in a few more punters.

For now I feel like I'm glad to be part of the small group who came along to see him. I have to say he doesn't disappoint and would say unreservedly that you should seek out his music and certainly his gigs. There's room.

Bandcamp https://nedroberts.bandcamp.com/

Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/nedroberts/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NedRobertsMusic

Kat Healy https://www.kathealymusic.com/