Music / Reviews
Review: Chuck Ragan, The Exchange – ‘Sings with every part of his body and soul’
I can’t think of many better places to celebrate Independent Music Week than at the Exchange. The venue has survived against all odds and is the embodiment of community and live music.
Chuck Ragan is in town on the second leg of his extensive UK (mainly independent venue) tour. His support for tonight was Guise AKA Jess Guise with Bristol based artist Hannah Rose Platt offering support for much of the rest of the tour.
Guise has been on my radar for a few years, and I was keen to get there early to catch her set.
is needed now More than ever
Jess beams as takes the stage and is full of smiles. The set opened with a familiar song, The Fun Part, her voice strong and beautiful over soft acoustic folk guitar and blew the cobwebs off a cold wet winters evening.
High Enough is a self-proclaimed obnoxious love/lockdown song which is highly relatable song for anyone who had a relationship during lockdown.
The showstopper for me was the new single Wish. I pre-empted tears for this one, mainly because it made cry-chopping sweet potatoes listening to it before the gig. The song details Jess’s loss of her father when she was 18 and living with that loss.
When she mentioned she plays her dad’s guitar she had me. I’m sure if he heard this song, he would be proud. I often wonder how artists can hold it together for such songs; I could see how much it meant to her to sing this song. S
he picked up the tempo next, so we were ready for Chuck. I’ll be looking forward to her full band tour and album.
Then it was time for Chuck Ragan and the Camaraderie, which comprises of Chuck on acoustic guitar and harmonica with Todd Beene on pedal steel guitar and vocals.
Straight away the combination of pedal steel guitar and Chuck’s vocals has me sucked in, with one fan transfixed with wonder as he filmed a little too close to the strings like it’s the first one he has ever seen.
The place was packed out and full of adoring fans. Chuck wastes no time and needs no warming up it’s clear as the set begins Nomad by Fate he bellows as it’s clear instantly that he is in his natural home!
This was my first show of his and I had high hopes. He smashed those out of the park. I was surrounded by the hardcore chuck community of people who had clearly been following chuck forever as they tried to make out their own voice over his booming voice.
Chuck Ragan’s voice is possibly one of the strongest I’ve ever heard, he plays and sings with every part of his body and soul.
A demolition voice that takes everything with it, blood sweat and tears. You can feel it in your chest, he doesn’t hold back at any point in any song his body constricting and feet stomping the stage floor.
Gravely doesn’t really do it justice, maybe a cement mixer full of passion soul, love, loss and glory. Delivered with consistent conviction of a man who has perfected his art.
Nothing Left to Prove sees Todd and Chuck both harmonise vocals with a perfect backing of the sliding pedal steel guitar.
With Guinness now firmly in hand, there was time for some songs from his album, Hot Water Music, Chuck’s band who will be doing a 30th anniversary tour later this year.
State of Grace got a huge roar and I guarantee everyone will be at that tour. This show was full of smiles and a crowd that was clearly making the most of seeing their idol in a small venue. For me, it doesn’t get much better.
Meet You In The Middle brings the show to the perfect conclusion. This man has little or no need for a microphone. What a show.
Main photo: Matt Barnes
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