Music / Previews
Americana, Blues & Country Picks: May 2016
April was a blast – CRH Promotions and the Tunnels laid on a run of five excellent shows all of which would more than likely feature in a discerning fan’s top ten gigs of 2016 (have a look at the Diana Jones review here, which includes links to the other shows); Yola Carter debuted some fantastic new material in a rammed Thunderbolt and May promises just as much. We have a few more Blues acts, quality Americana and some fine Country; oh, and for those who’ve asked why the ABC Picks have ignored the excellent Gov’t Mule, well, the ABC Picks lost a turf war with the Metal and Prog Picks, so you’ll find the preview here amongst some other rather excellent music for the more open minded music fan. Plenty to enjoy in May then – see you down the front.
Fleece, Tuesday, 03 May
The Long Ryders should really need no introduction if you are a fan of, well, damn good music. They burst on to the scene during the days of the Paisley Underground and made something of themselves in the UK – appearances on Whistle Test, charting singles and LPs and some storming live shows. Then they broke up. There have been some reunion gigs since, but this one is based around a rather splendid career retrospective – Final Wild Sons – four discs covering virtually all of their studio work supplemented by outtakes, B Sides and a live gig. Peerless stuff and at a very reasonable price at most record emporiums (virtual and fleshy). If you haven’t seen them you can expect Byrds / Burritos / Springfield licks and harmonies delivered with some commendable heft and plenty of vigour (a couple of the inkies lumped them in with Jason and the Scorchers as cow-punk bands; mind you, they often played Pistols tunes live). Find out more via our recent interview with Sid Griffin,
Cheese n Grain, Sunday, 08 May
Well, for a blues festival, there’s plenty of variety on a bill that also represents value for money (twenty four quid for six bands: you can do the maths). Martin Turner, founding member of Wishbone Ash promising a set featuring Ash music, cuts from other projects and solo material; Corky Laing out of Mountain, who played the drums on that band’s three seminal recordings and has worked with numerous other players over a storied career; Zoe Schwarz Blues Commotion a remarkably prolific newish outfit that have produced four LPs in the space of three years (or roughly the amount of time it takes The Edge to decide which hat to wear to the studio); rising blues rockers Albany Down, touring their newest album The Outer Reach, an agreeably crunchy record that will please any fan of the classic blues rock bands of the seventies; Red Butler a young outfit working up new material for their second LP alongside The Luke Doherty Band featuring something of a prodigy in Doherty, who’s been playing since he was knee high to a Marshall stack.
Tunnels, Monday, 09 May
Mandolin Orange, hailing from North Carolina, released their debut back in 2010 and have been steadily building up a reputation for cracking live shows ever since, performing material from their four recordings; tunes steeped in Country / Folk with more than a little hint of Bluegrass. Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz are accomplished musicians and their voices blend effortlessly, and they’re damn fine songwriters too, so if you fancy a night of quality heart-warming music, get down to this show and get some healing.
Lantern, Friday, 13 May
Rightly lauded as a pioneer of modern Americana (via ten years of her radio show The Radio Thrift Shop and three critically acclaimed albums), Cantrell has a beautiful unique voice and is a damn good songwriter. She’s a new live recording out, drawn from several shows recorded for the BBC, including material cut at Peel Acres (JP famously described her debut LP Not The Tremblin’ Kind as “my favourite record of the last ten years and possibly my life”) and the show will be a blast given the acts she’s bringing with her: My Girl The River, Sid Griffin, George Breakfast and Liam McClair…it could get rowdy.
Tunnels, Wednesday, 18 May
Coming from the Emerald Isle and playing the guitar means that inevitably there will be comparisons with both Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore, and whilst comparisons like this can be reductive there’s no doubt that Simon McBride deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as his illustrious predecessors. Like the two fellas mention McBride really comes alive on stage, lyrical solos, riffs and grooves and unlike some guitar players out there he has a genuinely decent voice, soulful and somewhat careworn. His tunes are good too, genuine songs that aren’t there just to provide a launch pad for a solo.
Tunnels, Thursday, 19 May
If your first European date is opening for the Cranberries in front of 7,000 people, then you have to be fairly confident and rather determined – and Jo Harman has certainly been working hard to make a name for herself. She’s a bit of a road warrior and has played extensively here and abroad supporting her debut Dirt on My Tongue; received some great press and released a live side recorded at the Albert Hall and is working up material for the next album. Although lauded by the blues press online and on paper, Harman’s material has its roots in the blues but there’s both a soulful vibe and a pop sensibility about her material.
Tunnels, Wednesday, 25 May
Ian Siegal is a fascinating character – busker, band leader, solo artist; he’s played with numerous musicians across a wide range of genres and has also performed a programme of Billie Holiday songs with the French Orchestre National de Jazz. He’s a natural on stage, an accomplished slide player, gifted song writer and a highly engaging stage presence (his mid-afternoon slot at the 2015 Ramblin’ Man was a blinder). Joining Siegal for a VFM night out is Jimbo Mathus, like Siegal a fella that has paid his dues, but in his across the Southern States, and a vibrant performer. He’s recorded at the famed Dial Back Sound, (proprietor Fat Possum Records’ Bruce Watson), and has a nice rootsy sound with a soulful vibe. He’s also to be commended for having played in both Johnny Vomit and the Dry Heaves and Squirrel Nut Zipper, surely the most entertaining band names of the year.
Golden Lion, Thursday, 26 May
Leeroy Stagger has toured with Steve Earle, The Pixies, Los Lobos, Tegan and Sara, Evan Dando, Ron Sexsmith, Modest Mouse and George Thorogood, which is a pretty eclectic mix by any standards. The Canadian is a gifted singer and songwriter, eight recordings in to his career, which startied out from a punky background and that influence is there in some of his nosier songs. Our own Rosellys are there too – the band are mid-way through a rather extensive tour and it’s pleasing to see that the band have been making plenty of local appearances amongst the national dates. It’s also great to report they’ve been asked to take part in The Summer Pie Festival in Palma Mallorca, but then the band are no strangers to international dates as they regularly tour the States to great acclaim from both their peers and the public. So really the Golden Lion is providing a brace of international acts for your delectation – it would be awfully rude not to attend eh?
Cheese n Grain, Sunday, 29 May
It’s hard to believe but Eric Bibb has been performing for five decades and has released 36 albums – making even the ridiculously prolific Prince (RIP) look tardy and lazy in the studio, and incidentally equals Dylan’s studio discography. Musically Bibb is all about the acoustic…jazz n country are all part of the mix and given the proliferation of blues power trios and blues rock bands, his sounds are a welcome counterpoint to all the electric mayhem on the circuit. He has a mellifluous voice and his guitar picking is exquisite (oh, and a killer taste in hats) so if you’re having a tense time of it then this show will be a total tonic.
Tunnels, Sunday, 29 May
J J Grey has a knack for writing swampy greasy rhythm n blues tunes, a world weary yet powerful voice and a keen ability to write appealing lyrics; Mofro (no, I don’t know what a Mofro is either) are a well drilled guitar and horns outfit that are in their element onstage. A bit of a coup for the Tunnels and highly recommended, but make sure you bring your dancing feet as the band paly the kind of tunes that you’re feet can’t ignore. A great way to finish a month of fine, fine music for sure.
Further Ahead
If you’ve a need to plan further ahead (highly recommended to avoid crying in to your beer when gigs sell out) then here’s a glance ahead at the Beards, Blues & Twang heading our way over the next few months:
Bonnie Raitt , Colston Hall: Thursday, 02 Jun
Urban Voodoo Machine, Fleece: Sunday, 05 Jun
The Deslones, Tunnels: Thursday, 16 Jun
The Rosellys, Kingsdown Wine Vaults: Friday, 17 Jun
St. Paul & the Broken Bones,Trinity: Thursday, 23 Jun
The Delta Saints, Tunnels: Friday, 24 Jun
Joe Bonamassa, Colston Hall: Tuesday, 05 Jul
Henhouse Prowlers, Tunnels: Tuesday, 05 Jul
Americana Festival, Colston Hall: Friday, 15 Jul
Lisa Mann, Tunnels: Tuesday, 17 Jul
Eve Sellis, Tunnels: Thursday, 19 Jul
The Rosellys, Golden Lion: Saturday, 23 Jul
Aynsley Lister, Tunnels: Friday, 05 Aug
Jayhawks, Lantern: Saturday, 03 Sep
Sari Schorr, Tunnels: Wednesday, 14 Sep
Kirk Fletcher, Tunnels: Sunday, 25 Sep
Sara Watkins, Tunnels: Tuesday, 08 Nov
Laurence Jones, Tunnels: Sunday, 13 Nov
Beth Hart, Colston Hall: Thursday, 17 Nov
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Colston Hall: Saturday, 19 Nov
Gangstagrass, Thekla: Friday, 25 Nov
Chantel McGregor, Tunnels: Thursday, 08 Dec
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