Preserving the Performance: [Jan Recap 2023 ] 001
Welcome to "Preserving the Performance: [Jan Recap 2023] 001
I'm starting this monthly blog where I'll be sharing my experiences and insights about the concerts and artist management . What us, Adele & Andy are up to As a music lover and industry person, I have a passion for capturing and preserving the magic of musical performance.
This year started off slow, but that's normal for January. It wasn't until 16th that I had my first gig audit was at the Bedford in Balham. I was there to support my friend and artist Ross Macintyre, who is back with new music for 2023. This gig featured the drummer from his newly formed band and marked the launch of his latest single, Good Enough For You. Check out the video below to get a feel for it.
Two days later, I visited the Green Note for the first time this year. It's one of my favorite venues in the UK because of its listening room style and intimate feel. The gig I saw was by The Marriage, an Americana duo consisting of Kirsten Adamson and Dave Burn. I went in blind, having only booked the ticket based on a YouTube video I saw on a gig listings page. They were outstanding, with a nice mix of fast and slow numbers, and their harmonies were sublime. The room was sold-out.
A few days later, on January 18th, I went to Sound Lounge for my first gig there of the year. The room was unusually quiet, and I didn't see many regulars. I was there to see Paul Sexton presents Jess Thristan. Her powerful vocals and distinctive sound made the set fly by to quick . Jess has some real catchy songs, with "Refund" being my favorite. You can watch the full set here.
The following Saturday, the 21st, I was back at the Green Note for a rescheduled gig by Hannah Johnson & The Broken Hearts. Hannah was accompanied by her dad on the lap steel guitar and guitar. She brought her traditional sound, playing a mixture of her own songs, old country songs, and some deeper cuts. The two 45-minute sets were great, and it had probably been about 3 years since I last saw her perform. If you get the chance to see her, it's a must for traditional country fans. Catch the full set here
On Tuesday, the 24th, I had the first of three gig nights, starting with two nights at Americana Fest. Americana Fest is spread across multiple venues in Hackney, and one wristband for £30 gives you access to all venues. After a 2-hour drive across London makes it a lot easier to get back as night, I headed to Oslo to catch Izzie Walsh. I met friends Trevor and artist Stephanie Wade during the set, and Izzie announced that she was working on her debut album. Her dark Americana sound is always a treat to watch.
Next, we stayed in Oslo to catch Eddie Smith and the 507. Eddie has some incredible vocals, and I highly suggest checking him out. They have their debut album coming out in September. He has a real mix of blues, country, and Americana with super catchy melodies and powerful vocals.
After that, we headed to Night Tales to catch the fast-paced fiddle action of the Noble Jacks. They brought their fast-paced, danceable tracks and sing-along moments, and the lead was notably without his drum, probably due to the show's style of only having 30-minute slots.
After wandering about a bit, we headed to Moth Club to catch Andrew Waite as part of the Canadian Club House showcase. This was Andrew's first time playing over here, and he was backed by a full band, including a saxophone player. The combination of the electric guitar and saxophone playing a duel was excellent.
American Fest Day 2: The first act was Kristen Adamson, who I saw as part of a marriage a few weeks ago. She was showcasing her new album before heading to Celtic Connections for its launch. Before her set, I spoke to Jess T, who said she was here because of a short story I posted a few weeks ago about the Green Note Duo gig. The set was 30 minutes of songs from her new album, "Landing Place", which I highly recommend you check out. The highlight of the set was "My Father's Song".
We stayed in Oslo to catch Ferris and Sylvester's first gig back since returning from Nashville and the unfortunate premature birth of their child. The set was a full-band affair, and their songs were excellent, with some beautiful slow, sentimental songs where they both crowded around one microphone for an outstanding harmony sound on the tender numbers.
Next, we headed to Night Tales to catch The Wandering Heart. It was a full-band set, and the first time I had seen Tara on the keys. The set featured all new songs, and the buildup was just wow on the last song watch it below. As usual, their harmonies were spot on, and it looks like a new album is on the way.
After that, we went straight to Moth Club to catch William Price, who I thought I had never seen before until he came on stage, and I realized I had seen him at Black Deer Festival last summer. He is shy until he is on stage, with a soft speaking voice, but when he sings, it cuts right through. He made a joke that you probably only know him if you were a Vodafone customer, as they licensed one of his songs for use on their hold music. See the clip below for his performance of "Breathless." The way his voice cuts through the room was silent at times, apart from when he had to make jokes for people to be quiet.
Back at Night Tales, we caught the Blue Highways a Brother Band, with a slightly rocker edge. They made jokes about this being on the border of Americana. Having not seen them for at least four years, they were still in top form. I always say this after Americana Fest: I should take the day off after, as starting work at 7 AM and finishing at 4 PM, then going straight to the fest and getting back at 1 AM is a slog for two days.
On the 27th, Adele and Andy, who I manage, were streaming live four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at 8 PM, and Thursdays at 10 AM. They were on the front page program, playing to over 5,000 people. At one point during the last few days, they hit 7,000 followers, which is a huge achievement given the hours they have put in. They are now full-time musicians, funding their new album through their streaming.
In the evening, I attended the Graham Steel Music Company Awards in Bracknell, at the Acoustic Couch, about 30 minutes from me. I was there mostly to see Tu-Kay and Ryan, who were unable to perform at the Christmas party at the end of December. They brought their usual mix of perfect harmonies and folk tales. It was great to see them live, as we have had regular chats online. The first time I caught them, I hosted them in an online writers' round. They won an award for Best Duo on the night. I was introduced as the Americana guy when they were going through who was there from a PR side. Graham Steel is responsible for over 200 independent music gigs across Bracknell in the last year.
The following night, it was the A&A 7k celebration party on Twitch.
On Sunday, 28th, I went to my local folk club, Twickfolk, which is only a 5-minute walk away. They were celebrating their 40th birthday with a powerhouse vocal performance by Luke Jackson, who opened with an a cappella number. Jackson's storytelling abilities and vocal range are truly amazing. The moment he started singing, I have been hooked since.
On Tuesday, 31st, there was a big gig clash of the year: Lucy Grub's headline show or Vic Allen's album launch. I had tickets to both and knew a lot of people who would have gone to both. Fortunately, both were well-attended. I went to Vic Allen's album launch and it was well-attended. It was nice to see Vic again, along with her band. I believe the last time I saw her was with Buckle and Boots. As expected, she played the album in full, but on the night we were treated to her debut piano performance. Although she was slightly nervous, she was perfect on the keys. The entire gig was magic. It's nice to see her full band every now and then, especially when there are enough people to cover the cost of the band. The album is about her love of traveling. even thought she was slightly under the weather your would have never known
see you all next month for another update of where I have been to gig and who I have been watching
