Review: Sam Outlaw,Tunnels

Sam Outlaw generously opened his set by generously referring to support Yola Carter as “…Crosby, Stills, Nash and woooaahhhh….” He was spot on. Unlike her recent raucous full band show at the Thunderbolt, this was a trio with Carter (resplendent in her “…hippy pyjamas…”) joined by Kit Hawes on lead guitar and Harry Harding on acoustic n bass; both providing the exquisite backing vox that led to Outlaw’s accurate praise. The trio format gave us an opportunity to revel in the craft Carter brings to her song writing; it would be easy to just talk about her (admittedly splendid) voice but the small band line-up gave the songs chance to shine. Sometime opened the set well but Mitch Thompson really hit the spot, and although we’re focusing on the songs Carter hit her stride early on that cut. A sort of revenge song her voice even managed to make scumbag sound like an endearment but then you get the impression she could drop the c-bomb in a song and it would sound gorgeous. Orphan Country was arguably the set’s earworm with its strong autobiographical narrative.

Hawes and Harding provided sympathetic backing throughout, the former delivering jazz inflected leads leavened with a country twang (Steve Howe meets Scotty Moore) whilst Harding proved equally adept with either funky bass or picking out acoustic leads and fleshing out the sound with folky chords. There was plenty of fun on stage too, Carter’s often hilarious tales about the material; the continual battle between her ‘fro and the guitar strap; the three in an endless competition to tune instruments the quickest (three nil to Harding). Rounding things off with a cover of Traveller Carter let rip once again leaving the crowd roaring their approval.

Sam Outlaw normally plays with a band but for this debut European tour he was joined by Molly Jenson for a lively ninety minute set of acoustic tunes. Fresh from an appearance in that London on the Andrew Marr Show the pair played a career spanning set that proved the stripped back format tests the mettle of any tune: Outlaw’s songs weren’t found wanting. Maybe it’s his residency in LA but the tunes aren’t run of the mill big hat chart fodder or overly earnest Americana but rather they manage to merge proper seventies sequin-less Country with West Coast Country Rock. Lyrically he avoids cliché and the songs tell some great stories, especially evident on Angeleno a flamenco inflected tale of a modern cowboy. Ghost Town was another standout moment, a bittersweet tale that will burrow its way in to your life by the second verse. Incidentally it takes balls to whistle on stage, but it takes a rather large pair to whistle the pedal steel parts on several tunes, which Outlaw did with great aplomb whilst disingenuously suggesting his steel man was trapped in customs.

Given the nature of his songs, Outlaw clearly has a sense of humour – Jesus Take the Wheel (And Drive Me to a Bar) turned out to be as delightfully amusing as the title suggests and meanwhile the equally delightful Friends Don’t Let Friends Drink (And Fall in Love) was introduced with a tale of how the video for the tune featured his friend’s children miming to a song about drinking and one night stands. The set was filled with asides and what can only be described as laugh out loud raconteuring whilst the back and forth between the two musicians showed an easy camaraderie that matched their harmonies and playing. In fact Jenson is an accomplished musician in her own right and it would be great to see her back for solo shows. The pair were clearly pleased with crowd response, and Outlaw was particularly impressed with the crowd joining in on many of the tunes. And speaking of the crowd, credit to them for knowing when to be rowdy and when to be quiet, bucking the trend for irritating blabbering during shows.

Outlaw is back in the summer for festival dates, he suggested after the set he’d be doing some indoor shows too, get smart, get a ticket when he comes back to town.

All pix by John Morgan