Music / Previews
Americana, Blues & Country Picks: Apr 2016
March was great eh? The Bros. Landreth burnt down the Tunnels with an inspired set of Little Feat styled country blues with a dollop of Allmans; meanwhile the Golden Lion presented its bid for gig of the year with a triple bill of tremendous variety and quality that drove a packed house into a guitar led frenzy. Oh, and the Happening’s Good Friday offering was an extraordinary performance by the Black Feathers. There is a tremendous variety on offer this month too, with plenty to satisfy all tastes and a particularly fine run of shows at the Tunnels. Oh, and if you were unlucky enough to miss Nathaniel Rateliff and Night Sweats, then consider catching St Paul and the Broken Bones at the Trinity, they’re easily the equal of NR and a fabulous night of gutbucket soul is guaranteed. Seriously – watch this and buy a ticket. Stop Press…Colston Americana Line-up Announced and includes the mighty Whte Buffalo and magnificent Lucinda Williams.
Thunderbolt, 01 Apr
The Thunderbolt provides a very special start to the month with a four band line up headlined by Yola Carter (you’ll know her from her work with Phantom Limb), currently working on her debut LP Orphan Country and with a belter of an EP already available. If the songs on said EP are anything to go by then the new LP is gonna be a country / soul monster and this is a great chance to see whether the ‘bolt can contain Carter’s magnificent voice. Support comes from Harry and the Gondalas, Newton Country & Duncan Stagg and the Threadbare band.
The Louisiana, 01 Apr
Bronze Radio Return are a six piece from Connecticut and if you check out their website you’ll find an impressive collection of massive numbers relating to all sorts of streaming, hits and telly stuff. You’ll also find some well-crafted music that whilst it has a roots sensibility is performed with a huge dollop of pop nous and some dance beats that will get yer booty shaking. They’re touring their new (and fourth) recording Light Me Up and the British leg brings them to the Louie. As regular readers know the ABC Picks has a broad approach to genres, so if these guys don’t seem authentic enough for ya, then you need to have a word with yourself about musical snobbery. Sure these guys are gonna appeal to young ‘uns, but if their telly-friendly rootsy pop proves to be the gateway to fans discovering something beyond the mainstream then that’s a great thing – right?
The Snug, 02 Apr
The Husky Tones are midway through a quite extensive tour that included their debut at the legendary 100 Club in that London. Their debut LP Time for a Change has been picking up rave reviews and they’re in town for a show in the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft. It’s a value packed bill that also features Chasing Whiskey (purveyors of Dickensian folk / blues) and Lady Nade (soul folk mix up with a distinctive voice that I’d struggle to describe without referring to Nina Simone and including sultry and husky). Meanwhile resident DJ Butcher will be playing records that will cover “…Dirty RnB, sleazy instrumentals and hot soul..” (ooh er missus). This is a free admission show and deserves to be jam packed given the quality of the bands playing and it’s a superbly diverse range of sounds too, so get your horizons expanded and accept that your ears are going to get a bloody good seeing to.
LADY NADE one of the most distinctive and soulful voices on the Bristol scene, LADY NADE sings, plays the guitar and writes Modern folky-soul songs enjoying experimenting with pop jazz and blues. “Blues in tone, Jazz in flavour, LADY NADE is a singular voice, a commanding alto haunted beyond its years, oak deep and rounded, the kind you’d expect to hear spun from a thick cut of shellac at 78rpm” (Venue Magasine)
BUTCHER res. DJ spinning Dirty R’n’B sleazy instrumentals and hot soul for your delight
Tunnels, 07 Apr
J W Jones may well be from the same country as The Bros. Landreth but rather than going for country soul, he’s producing music informed by the blues greats – fluid guitar lines wrapped up in a classic blues band sound (but with a pleasing twang). He’s released eight albums and garnered critical acclaim for both studio & live work and it will be a real treat to see him in the intimate setting of the Tunnels. His sound harks back to the big band sounds of the late fifties and early sixties when the blues was coming out of the Delta and in to the city but before it got too rawk, so there’s a real soulful rock n roll feel to his work.
Tunnels, 08 Apr
The RGBR specialise in rockabilly inflected blues although there’s more than a beaucoup of Dr Feelgood about their sound, suggesting Wilko jamming with the Stray Cats. This evening promises to be rather special as the trio are bringing extra musicians on stage for a live recording. Support comes from raucous punky country rock outfit the Road Zombies, debuting a new line up.
Tunnels, 10 Apr
Oddly enough despite his name Outlaw’s take on Country is less outlaw and a little more mellow, a little more traditional; if you dig GP, the Eagles, the Burritos et al then you’re really gonna like this guy. He himself has described his sound as “…SoCal Country. It’s country music but with a Southern California spirit to it”. The music is very easy on the ear and he has a delightfully mellow voice – this isn’t fake Nashville big hat nonsense but simply well played beautifully crafted traditional Country played with heart and passion.
Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires
Colston Hall, 15 Apr
Charles Bradley has a hell of a backstory that sees him go from impersonating the hardest working man in show business (RIP) to headlining the Colston Hall, but more importantly have you heard his cover of Changes? For the non-headbanging community Changes is a ballad released by Black Sabbath on their impeccable Vol 4 long player (and incidentally butchered by Ozzy on a god-awful version with Kelly O); Bradley has rerecorded the tune with a slow burning Stax vibe and to be frank it grooves like a bastard. This is no surprise mind as he’s part of the Daptone stable and has the voice, moves and band to take any song and turn it into a belter. Let’s just say there’s a new hardest working man in show business, and if you think that’s an overexcited comment check out this show (it really kicks off around the 6 min mark if you’re impatient).
Tunnels, 18 Apr
It’s highly likely that the last time RF were in town, they were supporting the Jayhawks at the Academy (albeit in a reduced duo format) and this gig will have a bittersweet vibe as the band are apparently ceasing touring after a run promoting their 11th recording You Can’t Go Back If There’s Nothing To Go Back To. Given that state of affairs this show is likely to sell out so score tix pronto. If you’re not familiar with the outfit, then you are in for a treat as they have in Willy Vlautin a published novelist who turns out beautifully lean vignettes of American life bundled up in laid back mellow grooves.
is needed now More than ever
Lantern, 18 Apr
Giant Sand is essentially Howe Gelb (raised by wolves…allegedly) and a revolving cast of musicians that have produced a massive discography over the past coupla decades. Given that the band has included members of Green On Red and Calexico, you won’t be surprised to hear that the band are at the spookier alternative end of the spectrum (no, not alt-country, but some roots sounds that really are an alternative to both country and the alt). There’s some languid tunes to be heard, jazz inflections and thought provoking lyrics that stray well off the beaten path. The band are accompanied by Jason Lytle (out of Grandaddy) and they’re well matched as Lytle hasn’t been afraid to push boundaries either, whether with Grandaddy, on his solo albums or on the multiplicity of collaborations he’s made in between band and solo work. A challenging night if you like to stick with genre tropes but a rewarding one if you’re willing to open up your mind.
Wilko Johnson + Joanne Shaw Taylor
O2 Academy, 21 Apr
Hand up anyone who needs to be told anything about Wilko? The last time he hit town he was at a sold out Fleece seemingly on his final run of dates, but just for once fortune favoured the brave and Wilko is in rude health and that is a very good thing. Needless to say he is dynamite live – proper old school rhythm n blues played with heart and soul (and one of the most frightening thousand yard stares in the world of pop). Meanwhile Joanne Shaw Taylor complements Wilko with a more traditional take on the blues trio sound. She’s an exceptional player, writes great material and is fine voice; her voice has grown huskier over the years and live the songs really come to life.
Tunnels, 22 Apr
Hayes Carll’s fifth studio album, Lovers and Leavers, will have been on the shelves (both physical and virtual) for a coupla weeks by the time he stops off at the Tunnels. As well as being a very capable song writer, Texan Hayes has a sly sense of humour that brings to mind Lyle Lovett (don’t take my word for it, check the video for She Left Me for Jesus below) and his music has a delightful retro honky-tonk swing to it that differentiates it from some of the generic Americana around.
Tunnels, 25 Apr
Adopted as an infant Diana Jones grew up in a non-musical environment but started writing songs at age 11, which didn’t make sense until she met her birth mother’s family, heard the folk songs they’d been singing for generations and realised making music was in her genes. It was an unlikely transformation for a woman who was raised on Long Island, is an accomplished portrait painter and trained early on as a classical vocalist. But Jones has an uncanny affinity for Appalachian music and she has since claimed it as her own. With half a dozen recordings to her credit Jones has a range of originals and covers to draw from and if you have a hankering for something that harps right back to the roots of country music (and therefore rock n roll and all its various offspring) then this gig is a must.
Golden Lion, 26 Apr
The Rosellys are embarking on a slew of UK dates and this is the first of a few local shows mixed in with their out-of-town dates. They’ve recently taken part in an innovative online concert (read all about it here, along with some interesting views on music vs. social media) and the gig will be available for the first few days of this month). They’re going through a purple patch as both a live and studio band, so get out and catch ‘em while they’re hot. Label mate Don Gallardo is joining them – his latest LP Hickory (a star studded affair packed with classic folk tinged country) has been receiving much critical acclaim and this will be a welcome opportunity to hear a fine song writer in a relatively intimate setting, and with any luck we may get a Dead cover as Gallardo has been known to perform their music with his band, check it here.
Thunderbolt, 28 Apr
The Long Tall V is putting the finishing touches to his latest LP (new video and more details will be up on B247 soon) and will be previewing tracks at the Thunderbolt – although those used to his cosmic riffology will be seeing a different Vistic as he abandons the guitar for some ivory tinkling and lead singer swagger in front of an expanded band. The Montgomerys are on the bill too, bringing their belligerent yet melodic country rock to the stage and those who’ve seen them recently know their set is jammed with great material from their debut LP Alligator Joyride. Now those two bands alone make for a mouth-watering bill but as Mike Crawford & the Various Sorrows are playing too, this gig has the making of show of the month. Crawford has been rehearsing material and those lucky enough to catch his support set with Dan Stuart will know he’s brewing up something special.
Further Ahead
If you’ve a need to plan further ahead (highly recommended to avoid the sold-out Blues) then here’s a glance ahead at the Beards, Blues & Twang heading our way over the next few months:
Long Ryders, Fleece: Tuesday, 03 May
Blues Festival, Cheese n Grain: Sunday, 08 May
Mandolin Orange, Tunnels: Monday, 09 May
Laura Cantrell, Lantern: Friday, 13 May
Simon McBride, Tunnels: Wednesday, 18 May
Jo Harman, Tunnels: Thursday, 19 May
Ian Siegel & Jimbo Mathus, Tunnels: Wednesday, 25 May
The Rosellys, Golden Lion: Thursday, 26 May
Eric Bibb, Cheese n Grain: Sunday, 29 May
JJ Grey & Mofo, Tunnels: Sunday, 29 May
Bonnie Raitt , Colston Hall: Thursday, 02 Jun
The Husky Tones, New Moon: Saturday, 04 Jun
Urban Voodoo Machine, Fleece: Sunday, 05 Jun
The Deslones, Tunnels: Thursday, 16 Jun
The Rosellys, Kingsdown Wine Vaults: Friday, 17 Jun
The Delta Saints, Tunnels:Friday, 24 Jun
Joe Bonamassa, Colston Hall:Tuesday, 05 Jul
Americana Festival, Colston Hall: Friday, 15 Jul
The Rosellys, Golden Lion: Saturday, 23 Jul
Jayhawks, Lantern: Saturday, 03 Sep
Sari Schorr, Tunnels: Wednesday, 14 Sep
Beth Hart, Colston Hall: Thursday, 17 Nov
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Colston Hall: Saturday, 19 Nov
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