Music / Previews
Americana, Blues & Country Picks: Mar 2017
So the end of first quarter of the year is upon us and there’s plenty of reasons to get out of the house and invest in tickets to a show. Your friendly neighbourhood venues & bookers offer for your pleasure and delectation some world renowned talent; a phenomenal festival line up to test both your scheduling skills and bank balance; along with plenty of less well known (?) but superb talents that deserve your attention. Oh, and a world renowned guitar player who’s sold out the Lantern. Plenty of choice in terms of style too – all your ABC needs covered within our fair City. As usual holler if we are missing any local band gigs in the Further Ahead section and whether you pick a familiar favourite or chance your arm on a new act…see you down the front.
Bierkeller: Wednesday, 01 Mar
is needed now More than ever
This is the singer / songwriter’s debut solo UK tour and let’s just discuss the elephant in the room right away. Yes, Koch did take part in the X-Factor and after getting the elbow toured the States relentlessly under the watchful eye of Paula Abdul. Since then she’s moved to Nashville and has released an EP mostly comprising original material. Should the X-Factor thing bother us? Of course not, plenty of talented people have appeared on the show and we’re open minded enough to judge an act on their merits rather than their past surely? Her debut material is a world away from the telly talent show and anyone who covers both Skynyrd & the Allmans is worthy of some attention. There’s a decent support line up too Devon Mayson (country with a pop flavour) and Kris Barras (grizzly blues rock well suited to the ‘keller) so a value for money start to the month.
Anson: Thursday, 02 Mar
Drive by Truckers are arguably the best extant American rock band on stage and in the studio. Without question. Over the past two decades they’ve released some of the finest songs to have been both loved by those in the know and ignored by the fashion police. The band have done much to examine the South, both its past and present – notably on Southern Rock Opera and The Dirty South – but their latest recording is perhaps their finest yet, a passionate angry dispatch from the increasingly fractured US of A. Just check out What it Means to see where their heads are at right now. Joining DBT are Eyelids, Or a five piece outfit of guys who’ve played in quite a who’s who of alt / indie / whatever bands (The Decemberists, The Minus 5, Guided By Voices) and are signed to Tim Burgess’ label O Genesis. The band’s sound is delightfully reminiscent of the glory days of the Paisley Underground and will contrast with and yet complement the heft of DBT to provide a must-see double header of a show. This is a killer bill – a few tix left, get one.
Lantern: Sunday, 05 Mar
Friends as nippers, musical collaborators as teens and then a couple before finally tying the knot; the Grahams are consummate song writers and manage to take all the good stuff from the past half a dozen decades of roots music and spin it into something fresh, helped by their cliché free thoroughly modern lyrics and a soulful take on Americana. Interestingly back in 2014 they toured and recorded a load of songs linking the railroads to roots music (supplemented by a documentary film Rattle the Hocks) much like Mr. Bragg & Mr.Henry but without the mainstream attention, or at least not in this country; but packed with tunes easily the match of the Shine a Light project. Although a seated show this will still be packed with energy and will be sure to get yer feet tapping.
There are plenty of internationally renowned artists playing town in March, and there are plenty of international touring acts too; so it’s great to also be able to feature a fabulous home grown talent playing the home of British Americana. Platt has been hoovering up plaudits and fans and it’s not just because she has a beautifully haunting voice, but she’s a delightful teller of tales too, dexterously avoiding cliché and with lyrics that worm their way into your synapses and lurk there revealing more about the subject matter the more you play the tunes. The presence of Newton Country on the bill is an added bonus as this young outfit out of Bath are growing by leaps and bounds. If you’re suffering with the blues in this most murky of months, and can’t wait for the clocks going forward to lift your spirits – then this is the gig for you.
Lantern: Tuesday, 07 Mar
How can you sum up this guy’s work in a few sentences? If you’re a fan you will have snaffled up a ticket the moment this was announced, if you’re not…he’s played with the Hot Band, Joe Cocker, The Everlys, Clapton and more – including the Crickets FFS; he’s won Grammies (including one for Cluster Pluck, surely the most hilarious title for an instrumental ever) and been at dozens of seminal moments in recording studios and on the boards. The show is sold out mind, so if you didn’t get a ticket at least check out his work and keep your fingers crossed for a return engagement and, meanwhile, check out his oeuvre.
Marble Factory: Wednesday 15
Well yes, Monster Truck are very heavy and have very little A, B or C about their music (but they are an excellent live band), and yes, their show is fully previewed in the Metal n Prog Picks but…the support band are Picture Books, a two piece outfit that play some monstrously deranged blues with tremendous verve, passion and, well, lunacy. We all like traditional blues, we all like the blues rock power trios and we all like country blues. But anyone who lies the blues loves a band that messes with the genre and takes it somewhere else. And oh boy, do these boys take it somewhere else. Grab a ticket and stay for the headliners.
Colston Hall: Thursday, 16 – Sunday, 19 Mar
The Colston’s festivals are always a great mix of artists & acts, and this year’s B&J Fest is no exception, there’s a full preview elsewhere on the site but let’s pick out a couple of acts for your attention. Sari Schorr played a frankly blistering set at the Tunnels last year and returns for what will be a scorching show in the Lantern on Thursday 16th, accompanied by Northsyde, another incendiary blues act. Meanwhile Mud Morganfield (son of Muddy Waters) is in town bringing some genuine Chicago blues to the Hall on Saturday 18th; with the enticing prospect of Kirk Fletcher in support. Oh, the main hall will be graced by the maverick talent of Macy Gray on Sunday 19th, surely one of the most entertaining soul / jazz / blues singers of the past few decades.
Bierkeller: Wednesday, 22 Mar
This guy has been burning up stages for over ten years now – a couple of thousands dates that have seen him garner praise from Joe Bonamassa & Walter Trout (who has appeared on Bryant’s recordings more than once) as well as building a solid fan base. You can expect some fret scorching for sure, but Bryant has a decent voice and his Red Eye Band are no stranger to the groove so expect some nimble rhythmic support when Bryant wails.
Lantern: Thursday, 23 Mar
This fella shouldn’t need much introduction given the astonishing range of bands that he’s worked with over the decades – most of which have had as much commercial success as critical – and his mantelpiece has more than a few awards sat on it for the work. He’s also a recording artist with a disparate catalogue of material including soundtrack work. This gig (a bit of a coup for the Lantern) is billed as a “Solo Instrumental AV Set” and is seated so don’t expect a rambunctious night but rather an intriguing night with a guy who’s genuinely changed the sound of modern music.
Tunnels: Thursday, 23 Mar
Hugely successful back home in Belfast and across the Emerald Island, Hawkins is a soul shouter through and through. This date is part of a massive international tour with her band and she’s also working up material for an LP & tour featuring her solo at the piano (with an admirable charitable element – profits from the album launch being sheared with Aware NI, a support group for those dealing with depression). The band are semi-finalists in the International Blues Challenge, organised by The Blues Foundation in Memphis, and if they can have ‘em queuing round the block in Beale Street then you know there’s gonna be a great night in the Tunnels.
Fleece: Tuesday, 28 Mar
Of course Hayseed Dixie are the first band that spring to mind when any discussion of bluegrass adaptations of metal n hard rock tunes take place but this Finnish outfit take that splendid idea and add in a distinctly European flavour with all sorts of intriguing instrumentation – notably accordion and balalaika, as well as kantele (no, me neither but have a read here). They’ve a delightful sense of humour too – the new recording is Brothers in Farms, part of their whole agricultural shtick. They are skilful players and their adaptations are respectfully tongue in cheek and to be honest, the reinvention of the songs works beautifully. A cracking way to end the month and recommended – no need to worry if you’re not familiar with the source material because the tunes are catchy & memorable and a raucous night is guaranteed.
Further Ahead
There’s some tasty music ahead if you’re not totally knackered and broke from the delights on offer in March and the gig clash forecast is low (but a bit of a bugger – check out 06th April) but that’s just for beards, blues n twang, not only are the metal n prog picks jammed with rockin’ goodness but there’s some splendid punk & psyche coming to town. Not much beyond May yet but do speak out if you know different:
Alejandro Escovedo, Tunnels: Sunday, 02 Apr
Blackberry Smoke, Academy: Thursday, 06 Apr
Mike Zito, Tunnels: Thursday, 06 Apr
John Fairhurst, Tunnels: Thursday, 13 Apr
Newton Country, Thunderbolt: Friday, 21 Apr
King King, Fleece: Sunday, 23 Apr
Laurence Jones, Tunnels: Tuesday, 25 Apr
Michael Kiwanuka, Colston Hall: Wednesday, 03 May
Dan Patlansky, Tunnels: Friday, 05 May
Paul Rogers, Colston Hall: Wednesday, 10 May
Cattle & Caine, Louisiana: Friday, 12 May
Sheelanagig, Exchange: Friday, 19 May
Pix by John Morgan
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