Live Reviews March 2006
Quick-links to sub-sections:
David Olney – Green Note, Camden - 1st March 2006
Emma Tricca and Joe Wilkes – Green Note, Camden - 2nd March 2006
Morning Runner with support from New Rhodes - Night & Day Café – Manchester - 6th March 2006
The Rifles with support from Milburn and The Upper Room - Manchester Roadhouse – 8th March 2006
The Like - Manchester Academy 3 – 9th March 2006
The Raconteurs - London Astoria - 23rd March 2006
Lisa Redford - Night and Day, Manchester - 23rd March 2006
Jacobites - 12 Bar Club, London - 29th March 06
Marc Olsen and the Creekdippers (featuring Victoria Williams) - Bedford Star Club - 31st March 2006
Reviews include: David Olney, Emma Tricca and Joe Wilkes, Morning Runner with support from New Rhodes, The Rifles with support from Milburn and The Upper Room, The Like, The Raconteurs, Lisa Redford, Jacobites, Marc Olsen and the Creekdippers (featuring Victoria Williams).

David Olney – Green Note, Camden - 1st March 2006
Review by Pete Gow

For the last six months, Immy & Risa along with their staff at Green Note have been working at securing their reputation as North London’s live music venue of choice. This investment has been rewarded with audiences, in ever swelling numbers, turning up and enjoying an intimate setting, good sound and an eclectic taste and range of live music.

Aside from all the hard work, if any one thing will cement Green Note as a venue of credibility & worth, it was securing the attendance of, then packing the place out for, a show by legendary country songwriter David Olney.

Olney began as one of the new wave of country musicians that had their origins in Texas during the early seventies. Other offspring from this maverick collective include, the legendary Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clarke, Rodney Crowell, John Hiatt & most famously Steve Earle. Over the years Olney has been in the commercial shadow of his peers but has steadfastly gone about his business and through a commitment to live performance has gained a cult following to rival anyone of the above named performers.

Olney took the stage at Green Note to the kind of crowd the late Van Zandt usually drew. The guy behind me had flown in from Norway just for this performance & the couple next to me had been to virtually every gig that time money & commercial travel itineraries would allow…. he was even bootlegging the show.

Olney rewarded everyone with a magnificent performance. Drawing largely from last years ‘Migration’ album, he gratuitously dipped into his vast back catalogue where the quality, strength & depth of his song writing shone. ‘Lenora’ and ‘My Lovely Assistant’ from the latest record were actually much more convincing given pared back arrangements, but with backing guitarist Sergio Webb on hand, Olney was able to rock & blues out where appropriate, never better than on an incendiary reading of ‘Wait Here for the Cops’ from 1992’s Border Crossing.

Elsewhere the set was a finely balanced selection of intimate ballads, rugged blues & well chosen covers, which included ‘Chain of Fools’, an unidentified traditional English ballad & a heart wrenching version of Townes Van Zandt’s ‘Rex’s Blues’.

Overall, the evening was a real triumph. For Olney it was a night of magic on the road before an appreciative crowd. For the audience; As first timers there can be no better setting for hearing this artist, while for the devoted, it is a pleasure to see such a legend in a venue like Green Note. Finally for Green Note, their reward comes in the knowledge that acts of this stature are now, hopefully, to be the rule rather than the exception.
Emma Tricca and Joe Wilkes – Green Note, Camden - 2nd March 2006
Review by Pete Gow

For my second visit in two nights to Camden’s Green Note (see David Olney review) I was again rewarded with a fine evenings entertainment. On this occasion it highlighted the quality of folk & roots music being made right here in the Capital, and showcased two outstanding talents promoting their latest releases.

Joe Wilkes is a young folk guitarist who is starting to generate a well-deserved buzz around his debut album ‘Spotlight’. What becomes immediately clear is that Wilkes is a superb guitarist; His intricate finger picking style, incorporates percussive, bass and lead, calls to mind John Martyn before he gave himself over entirely to echo plates. As a performer, Joe is equally as engaging, although in a much more self- deprecating manner (He told his audience to feel free to chat through his set, as he did not feel he was famous enough to command any silence). Try as he might though, he could not prevent the crowd from shutting up and listening as he took us on a guided tour of ‘Spotlight’, folk music that is English by definition, and although very contempory you can draw a line from Wilkes through Nick Drake to Bert Jansch with many points in between. If songs like ‘Too Late to Pray’ and ‘This Time Won’t Last Forever’ sound even half as good as they do live then it wont be long before Wilkes can command, and expect, a level of silence challenged only by the local municipal library.

Emma Tricca is on the verge (or not quite on the verge, if the on stage banter is to be believed) of releasing her second album, ‘Good Morning Diner’. She is a seasoned performer, particularly around London & has gained some notoriety for her strong guitar style & elegant Baez- esque voice. She is slightly more difficult to pin down stylistically as there are obvious folk elements to her sound, particularly live, but she does lean toward a West Coast Americana style, especially on her new album. Her opening number, a cover of Arlo Guthrie’s ‘Coming Into Los Angeles’, drives this point home. Their follows a quick dip into her debut for ‘Martin & Me’ and then it is full steam ahead into material from Good Morning Diner.

Stripped bare of her band Tricca’s new songs stand proud & while ably backed by long-term guitarist Martin Brown, there is more than enough substance in both lyric & melody to withstand being reduced down to even a single vocal & guitar. Browns presence & masterfull guitar work (…there was a lot of it about tonight) lends texture and colour, particularly on standouts like ‘It Doesn’t Matter Anymore’. Further augmented by Helen Keen on banjo for the shows mid- section, title track ‘Good Morning Diner’ took on a whole new feeling from its recorded counterpart, showing the versatility of any well-written song.

Our forty-five minutes was over too soon. Leaving the stage briefly, Emma returned with a delicate run through Bob Dylan’s ‘Love Minus Zero/ No Limits’, which drew a lengthy and enthusiastic applause, entirely commensurate with the standard of performance we had been treated to over the course of the evening. A drink on the house for local talent & local venues like Green Note that open up their stage to them. Slainte.
Morning Runner with support from New Rhodes - Night & Day Café – Manchester - 6th March 2006
Review by Dave Adair

The strolling Bristol outfit, New Rhodes set about relaxing the Monday night crowd into the gig feel, with an amiable performance of focused soft rock. They catch the attention early on, riding through Death Cab For Cutie territory in ‘You Give Me Something That I Can’t Give Back’, displaying an endearingly comforting nature coming out through the vocals of James Williams. Lamenting reflection takes over in the powerful ‘Cowardice’ that has the guitars coming taking over and rising up to induce some toe tapping. This allows you to get into the mood of the set and shows New Rhodes to be a compact outfit. They have obviously garnered a great deal of drive and belief from shows on the same bill as Delays, Hope Of The States and The Killers (no, I haven’t heard of that last group either!).

It is evident from the outset that the Morning Runner lead man, Mathew Greener has had a reflective day. Their debut album ‘Wilderness Is Paradise Now’ is released and they have a sold out show in Manchester. They treat us to a darkly searching cup of bewilderment, ‘It’s Not Like Everyone’s My Friend’ which has been their source of energy and drive throughout their journey, enabling them to attain a record deal and keep climbing. The nostalgic Greener shares a piece of the band’s history by throwing his all into the first song they ever penned ‘Punching Walls’. This clanging, born of frustration portrait of Morning Runner’s longing nature provides for a poignant moment, leaving the whole room captivated.

The pace picks up with highlights from the debut album in the form of ‘The Great Escape’ and the downtrodden, fiery 70s Rock N Roll flirting ‘Gone Up In Flames’, adding urgency to matters. A coated set is rounded off in the encore by the yearning piano led ‘Frayed Edges’, turning into a display of sobriety, as Greener’s vocals abandon its rawness to give a glimpse of the crispness in his armour. Morning Runner made a connection with the crowd tonight, something they have been accused of not quite achieving in the past. It appears on the evidence of tonight’s effort that the crowds will continue to grow, along with this honest Home Counties outfit.
(www.morningrunner.com)
The Rifles with support from Milburn and The Upper Room - Manchester Roadhouse – 8th March 2006
Review by Dave Adair

A relaxing, yet feeling packed set is being delivered by the breezy Brighton band, The Upper Room. Singer, Alex Miller displays searching indie-soulfulness and throws his post-mod voice clearly around a swelling crowd to promote the bruising lyrics in ‘All Over This Town’. It is no surprise that they busted the top 40 with this effort recently, as the number gains even more striking sincerity in a live setting, with the lamenting of small town attitudes being something that many people could connect with. ‘Black & White’ finishes off a brisk set and is packed poetic honesty and sweeping guitar hooks, ensuring that The Upper Room will be visited again by those with an eye for a searching melody.

That hype machine must need re-oiling soon having been at work once again, ensuring that the vast majority of the sold out crowd are like Big Brother fans at eviction time for the arrival of Sheffield’s latest indie darlings, Milburn. The set starts off with some swirling power-skiffle, before the sound evens out out into a post-mod rock out that is best encapsulated in ‘Send In The Boys’ and ‘Storm In A Teacup’. These two numbers shake hands with another band from Sheffield whom we have heard a great deal about of late. The exuberance of one member of the crowd who clambers on overhead pipe and makes several trips to the stage, is too much for the security and he is unceremoniously escorted from the venue, despite the mid-song (and in tune!) cry of “leave him alone” from front man Joe Carnall. Milburn’s swaggering musical style and friendly crowd banter certainly made for a carefree forty minutes.

It took a little time for Londoners, The Rifles to get used to the fact that their sold out gig is now around two thirds full, but the scattered crowd soon hook up to the sound that pivots between Hard-Fi and The Jam. Latest single, ‘Repeated Offender’ and previous single ‘Local Boy’, stand out for their hard hitting urbane nature and has those with a penchant for raw, retro sounds fully satisfied. Lead man, Joel Stoker does his utmost to resurrect the lively spirit and his gritty vocal assault makes the punk shaded ‘Fat Cat’, a gripping spectacle to witness. The Rifles have the sound and lyrical skill that everyone hoped The Ordinary Boys would have achieved, so let’s just hope that Joel manages to avoid the lure of Big Brother and concentrates on building from their already punchy and provocative base.
(www.milburnmusic.com)
(www.therifles.co.uk)
The Like - Manchester Academy 3 – 9th March 2006
Review by Dave Adair

“Somebody get naked, or I’m not gonna play.”

Z Berg, the cheekily beaming leader of the female dominated trio The Like, exclaims prior to performing the hazily poetic ‘You Bring Me Down’. Possessing the calming assuredness of Beth Orton, she floats her voice above the melodious bass of Charlotte Froom and the clanging percussion of the nimble Tennessee Thomas. This piece of sombre reflection only makes all the more invigorating, the frantic Souixsie and the Banshees sprinkled with a bit of Queen Adreena spice that soars out in ‘The One’ and the title track from debut album ‘What I Say And What I Mean’.

The prodigious Los Angeles lasses, occasionally exchange knowing glances with each other. This, no doubt, is their way of acknowledging that their deep seated emotion, age-defying insight and searching feeling is hitting home big-time tonight. Berg, in half jest, introduces the closing number ‘(So I’ll Sit Here) Waiting’ by exclaiming that they don’t know how to play anymore. However, the hanging Placebo guitars and painstakingly sung lyrics, obviously borne out of much head-wrenching bewilderment and contemplation, implies that so much is put into each number on this 35 minute journey through the cognitive processes of three of life’s thinkers. No-one in room could leave claiming to be short changed.

(www.ilikethelike.com)
The Raconteurs - London Astoria - 23rd March 2006
Review by Nic Fildes

The hype around Brendan Benson and The White Stripes has at times matched the tech-industry's market-inflating success at the end of the last century. Little surprise that with Benson and Jack White recruited members of the Greenhornes to form The Raconteurs, ears pricked up on both sides of the Atlantic. But with only a single to go on, the jury was out on whether this was a Loose Fur-style muscle-stretch or a full-time day job posing a threat to other commitments. Stranger things have happened - Clapton left Cream at their peak to try and join The Band for instance.
Thus anticipation was high at a nearly sold-out Astoria (not bad on the back of a solitary single) as the band appeared dressed in uniform leather jackets and denims. Pleasingly, the rocking music that sprang forth over the next hour wasn't White Stripes plus Benson nor Benson with White on lead. Instead it was a true collaboration and as with most great gigs, you could feel the band's excitement - these guys looked to be genuinely enjoying themselves. None of the songs on display featured one vocalist, Benson, White and bassist Jack Lawrence all sharing duties. This worked best on one tune where Benson, who has a great voice even away from the power-pop of his solo work, and Lawrence doubled up on vocals while the higher-pitched White took the chorus. On numerous occasions, White even tried the old Springsteen (not that it was his originally) trick of barging onto Benson's mike to share.
After the first few blistering tunes, White switched to an acoustic and although the volume dropped, strong harmonies and vocal interplay maintained the intensity. Benson and White seem to know each other inside out, later evinced by a dual guitar solo which sounded very tight for a band still finding their feet. Later, the keyboard player threw on an electric and took on the riffing duties while White stayed on the acoustic, a testament to the quality of musicians on display. White himself didn't shirk his duties as axe-god, shredding his fretboard as we've come to expect and hopping around the stage blindly. At one point, he kicked over an idle guitar suggesting he's afforded more pogo room with The White Stripes or that he's become accustomed to larger stages.
The songs all stood up, with the two already released amongst the weaker sounding songs. One immense tune bordered on Iron Butterfly territory a massive hammond organ sound overlaying screeching guitars. Another almost sounded like Deep Purple based on a massive riff with dense punchy vocals. But don't think this band specializes in retro English metal - far from it. There's certainly a backward-looking glance at their rock predecessors, as with the White Stripes, but this is fertile ground for both players and audience, even if dad might like it.
Having said that, the highlight of the hour-long set was a stonking cover of Love's 'A House Is Not A Motel.' Played with such verve, you'd almost swear it was one of their own as The Raconteurs breathed new life into a song that hardly needed it. Drummer Patrick Keeler shone brightest, his drums right up in the mix driving the song faster. With Calexico's 'Alone Again Or' bringing the house down every time they play, it seems the Love revival is going from strength to strength.
As a taster, this curtain-raising show prior to the release of the album in May could hardly have been better. Get ready to book early for a bigger tour somewhere down the track.
Lisa Redford - Night and Day, Manchester - 23rd March 2006
Review by Ian Foster

With the onslaught of new singer-songwriters around being touted as the ‘new whoever‘, it’s easy to be sceptical about going out to see anyone new to the scene or up and coming. However, at Manchester’s Night n Day on a cold March night, singer-songwriter Lisa Redford held an audience totally captivated and cheering for more. Making her debut at the respected venue, Lisa, who usually plays solo or with the brilliant Alan Cook on pedal steel and dobro, was joined this time by James Youngjohns on violin from the lovely Manchester based band Anna Kashfi. Not a total newcomer either, Lisa has already released two highly acclaimed independent albums Slipstream and the latest, Lost Again, which was produced by ex Guthrie Gabriel Minnikin. Both albums have received airplay and praise on Bob Harris‘s Radio 2 shows and contain all original material written by Lisa as well as a stunning live cover of Neal Casal’s Fell on Hard Times which appears on Lost Again.

Starting with the lilting melody of the catchy title track from the latest album, highlights in the set include the beautifully nostalgic Dragonfly with the combination of Lisa‘s finger picking and James‘ violin working especially well here, adding a moody and haunting quality. The song has already received much acclaim as it was featured on a Bob Harris ‘Best of British‘ special and it‘s easy to hear why. Lyrically, the song tells the story of a road trip and Lisa’s voice begins in a very low sultry tone during the verses before hitting an incredibly high falsetto in the uplifting chorus. Other highlights include a song from Slipstream, the wonderful heartbreak ballad Don’t Tell Me that really reveals the raw strength of Lisa’s powerful voice, and brand new song, the punchy Come Back Down, that has a very memorable hook. Lisa’s songs have a very classic feel, like she is carrying on that singer-songwriter lineage from the likes of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. However, the songs also possess a strong Americana influence that makes her own distinct sound. Her songs to me evoke a female Teddy Thompson or Josh Rouse, and the afore-mentioned Casal, she shares that same gift for writing deceptively simple, gorgeously melodic and well-crafted songs.

Inbetween songs Lisa is charming, funny and very natural, as if she’s been performing forever. Like her American contemporaries Mindy Smith and Tift Merritt, she has bundles of charisma and stage presence, possessing that same ability to leave you spellbound by the emotion of her voice and onstage personality. Live, her voice really has immense power yet great control too and reminds me of the same heart worn tender vibrato of a young Emmylou Harris. Lisa’s voice is purer with a warm timbre, but has that same raw emotion in her voice that makes you feel she has lived through all the heartbreak she sings and writes about.

Having already supported the likes of Chuck Prophet, Eileen Rose, The Deadstring Brothers, The Arlenes, and Peter Mulvey, Lisa is most definitely one to watch. Don’t miss her performing at festivals this summer or on her future supports to Jeff Black, Corb Lund and Gina Villalobos.
Jacobites - 12 Bar Club, London - 29th March 06
Review by Michael Sullivan

I really thought it'd be a rubbish gig without Nikki and that it'd be pretty maudlin, like the gathering outside the Dakota after John Lennon's death, or candle-lit vigil after Kurt Cobain's death. I had intended to go, show my face and head home early. Though I was shocked and numbed by the news, I didn’t want to be a part of a mass, Diana-like, grief demonstration. Oddly I even imagined local TV news turning up to intrude.

Dave Kusworth was wondering around in his patented Birmingham glam fashion; mixing trainers and polka-dotted shirt and bandana. There was Paul Caton in spotted tie, striped shirt and black cardigan looked like he'd dashed down straight from the office (I wondered if Paul might actually work as a broker in the City, like Heartbreaker star - Walter Lure - I love that kinda duality). Darrell was dressed for rock'n'roll business in his charcoal coloured pin-stripe suit.

They took to the stage. The tiny venue was filled with the heart-warming sounds of a tri-acoustic guitar assault. The sound of a warm full-body bear hug from an old friend - Dave on a battered 'blonde' Martin, Darrell twiddling with his slide, Paul on the lead riff.- 'Big Store'- From the opening strums I knew it was going to be great - Then they moved quickly into 'Pin Your Heart to Me' and I think the whole place was shouting the chorus - it was glorious - other songs - 'Kings and Queens' , 'Shame for the Angels', 'Fortune and Fame', 'New York City' - T REX - 'Silver Street ' - 'It'll All End Up In Tears' - 'You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory' - segued into 'Lonely Planet Boy' - 'Debris' - Ronnie Lane/Faces (sung by Darrell). Returning for covers -, '1st Cut Is The Deepest', 'Where Do You Go To My Lovely' - according to Nikki Dave's favourite song!? As ever over too soon.

Nikki's voice, so entrenched in my head on some of those songs, was sadly missing. His sartorial elegance, his aristocratic demeanour - missing. All we had was a Nikki poster on the stage to look to when we expect Nikki's voice to come in. Jacobites' songs are classics. Nikki and Dave are as important as Jagger/ Richards and Lennon/ McCartney. But as they have always been more reachable, more closer to home they are probably loved more. I bet Nikki's up there getting St Peter to tailor a suit for him.
Marc Olsen and the Creekdippers (featuring Victoria Williams) - Bedford Star Club - 31st March 2006
Review by Keith Hargreaves

Bloody Hell….In June of last year Marc Olsen brought his multi-talented 3 piece to Bedford and played one of the most dynamic ,warm and uplifting shows I have had the pleasure of witnessing .The arrangements were loose and fluid and all designed to highlight the songs and the songwriting of one of the most gifted tunesmiths working today .It was a balmy blast. Last night Marc played Bedford again bringing the awesome multi instrumentalist Raz Russell back with him and his wife Victoria Williams .This was a different show altogether.

First up 2/5 of Lone Pine who opened with a series of songs that with one exception needed the other 3/5 ‘s .Playing and vocals were committed but each song lacked a definition which a full band sound would bring. Therefore plaintive bordered on self pitying –never the best thing. They were briefly joined by Victoria Williams for some backing vocals during the last number which certainly added colour but also an indication of the nature of the rest of the evening as they were not expecting her as she wandered on stage and I am not sure she was expecting to be there either .The song fizzled out and we all clapped at how crazy and informal everything was.

The main event featured Marc and Raz either side of the stage with Victoria centre .They came on and Victoria started into a ramble about a taxi ride she taken in Belfast the day before which eventually ended when the other two launched into the song. For the next three songs which were played back to back Marc and Raz played whilst Victoria flailed about looking for harmonicas, missing the beat with vocals, trying to catch the eye of either of her band mates and generally appearing distracte. It was completely absorbing for all the wrong reasons –you weren’t sure whether this was joyous anarchy or just a lack of respect for a paying audience. Marc and Raz’s playing was exemplary and the quality shone through despite an increasing sense of frustration from the two of them at the antics of the third. Then they did a Victoria Williams song and it was beautiful …heart stoppingly so. She was focused , funny and impassioned .

The evening continued in this vein Marc and Raz playing and singing whilst Victoria seemingly did what she wanted; interjecting with vocals or hitting bongos out of time with a ‘jotter’ notepad and her elbows , until she focused on one of ‘her’ songs when all the child like attention seeking fell away and the material (and the audience )was afforded a glimpse of how talented all three players really were. Eventually the gig ground to a halt and all three exited to solid applause but the audience confused by what they had seen did not even ask for more until they were told that if they clapped then an encore would be a pleasure …and it was .

This show needs to focus if it wants to avoid audiences feeling shortchanged . The delights of Marc Olsens songs were lost tonight to the sometime perplexing behaviour of Victoria Williams to the evident dismay of both himself and Mike ‘Raz’ Russell. There is an obvious tension and not a good one .Loose is great, as evidenced by the last gig here , shambolic less so .And it could have so good!