Annie Dressner The White Room, Stanley, Co. Durham

Annie Dressner
The White Room,
Stanley,
Co. Durham

18th April 2024

This was a joy on two very separate levels for me. After getting married 45 years ago I left the ex-mining, market town of Stanley to set up a home 8 miles away, and we still have lots of family living in the surrounding villages.
So with that in mind, I was staggered to find an artist of the standing that Anne Dressner; whom I’d never seen play before, was playing a gig there in the White Room, a venue I’d not heard of. A tiny bit of research on FB shows a couple of friends are regular visitors and the coffee shop has been promoting acoustic gigs for several months now.
I appeared to be the last entrant at 7.30 and loved the way the quirky tables were set out with candles not unlike a Parisian cafe.
Like so many touring acts these days, support act Gary Stewart would later play bass and drum when Annie herself performed.
He introduced himself as a Scottish singer-songwriter who’s regularly mistaken for being Irish; which I kind of grew to understand as his soft Scottish accent has been diluted somewhat to become generic Celtic; which is no bad thing.
His first song, The Waking of The Kraken was very easy going with some delightful acoustic guitar playing; which set the tone for the next 45 minutes.
This was followed by a fascinating story that led into the more punchy, and dare I say it ‘punky-folky’ Take Me Down which was particularly well received by the audience.
As I type I’m listening to Gary’s latest album Lost Not Found and now; as last night I’m particularly impressed by Gary’s inventive guitar playing, which was very intricate and imaginative on Hot To Trot from that very album.
As his set continued he explained that apart from being a solo act and an integral part of Annie’s ‘band’ he is also in a Fleetwood Mac tribute act as well as having his own Paul Simon show; which begat the request for a Paul Simon song called Duncan that I’d never heard before; and Gary actually sounded very much like Mr Simon, which would bode well if he was to return in that guise.
Alongside another couple of his own songs (one I noted as being ‘dreamy’) Gary finished his slot with a gorgeous ballad called Song For The Asking which got a cheer from the table that had requested Duncan; and Gary later told me that it was the final song on Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water which I doubt I’ve listened to in 50 years, hence not recognising it!
Following a twenty minute break Annie came on stage alone and began her set with the graceful NYAK which I’ve loved for several years; and tonight it sent goosebumps down my back, with Annie’s crystal clear vocals and some very gentle guitar picking, which perfectly suited the acoustics in the room.
As the raucous reception faded away Annie was joined by Gary and Ed Blunt who would play keyboards and add harmonies too starting with a fabulously raw rendition of Black & White from her new album.
This was followed with a really special version of Do You Want To Start a Fight which was introduced with a fun discussion as to whether it should have a question mark or not. The song sounded so desperately personal, that you could hear and feel the angst in Dressner’s voice throughout.
Although it had appeared that very few in the audience actually knew who Annie Dressner was, I looked around the room and saw faces transfixed as they watched in wonder; which begged the question as to why no one else had ever tried to bring Culture to this backwater ex-mining town.
At one stage Annie explained that she was from New York but now settled in Cambridge, and as part of the story described writing Morning Sun (?) with David Ford, then asked if anyone knew him …. cue blank expressions …. at least they are honest folk in Stanley.
There were highlights dropped in like musical time bombs all evening; not least the charming re-working of I Just Realised and the song dedicated to Graham the owner/promoter; the punchy Big Grey Couch with its quirky Wurlitzer interludes, because it mentioned Bruce Springsteen; who he has his own acoustic tribute act.
Annie interspersed the songs from all of her albums with warm and funny back stories that helped create something of a familial feeling among the crowd, not least the story of her Grandmother that preceded the beautifully brittle Leather Chair.
It was one of those nights where I could write a thesis about each and every song; but will force myself to hold back but After The Storm, Should Have Seen It Coming, and the encore, a Magnetic Fields ‘cover’ Book Of Love, that she knew she couldn’t remember all the worlds of; but various members of the crowd and Ed Blunt …. helped out from around the room …. which is the reason I love live music.
Many readers know that I’m struggling to leave the house these days to go to gigs, but tonight in this fabulously intimate setting seeing and hearing one of my favourite acts made the effort well with while; and restored my faith in the restorative powers of Live Music.

https://anniedressner.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095399083542
https://www.garystewartmusic.co.uk/gary-solo/
https://edblunt.co.uk/

Ben Glover AND THE SUN BREAKS THROUGH THE SKY

Ben Glover
And The Sun Breaks Through the Sky
Goldrush Records

Another Quality Album From the Songwriter’s Songwriter.

As someone who’s known as a ‘songwriter’s songwriter’ (the likes of Mary Gauthier, Gretchen Peters and Kim Richey are fans and collaborators) it’s always good to have new material from Ben Glover himself – and this one has been a while in gestation – it’s six years since 2018’s award-winning “Shorebound”.

The first words on the album go to Mr G himself –
“It seems that life is largely about discovering one’s way back home. Home, of course, isn’t necessarily a physical location; it’s much greater than that. It embodies our true nature, who we are at our core. This discovery is made through relationships—with ourselves, with others, with the world itself and with that which is beautifully mysterious beyond our understanding. So, if there were a thread connecting these songs, it would be that they are explorations of these connections.”

So – how does this album measure up to that mission statement?

Opening track “Make My Way Home” is just that, writ large –
“I have searched for the meaning
I have searched for the song
I have searched for the place
In which I belong
Till I found it was always right here along
Staring me straight in the soul”.
Musically, it’s a soft-paced breathy late night, caramelly rumination on one of the big questions.

Title track “And The Sun Breaks Through the Sky” is up next – a tale of the dangers of nationalism (amongst other things) with its lyrical questioning throughout – warning
‘Bout waving flags of glory
‘Bout the dangers of telling stories”
There’s an obvious Irish perspective to this (Antrim is referenced) but it’s a much wider tale than that and oh so very relevant in these uncertain times across the Western world.

“There’s a River” re-investigates the theme of home
“Wherever you’re lost is where you’ll be found”
it’s the catchiest track of the first three, for what that’s worth with the aforementioned refrain at its core – a self-convincing and self-reassuring mantra that the journey is the destination.
Things take a quieter turn with “The Meadow”, a co-write with Mary Gauthier, where Glover’s voice is deep and weary – yet reassuring, in this search for home amidst the transience of life’s journey and the search for purpose.

“Lifetime’s Apart” is a third person well-observed tale as old as the hills – of small town entrapment and the search for the soul’s place
“We’re all in the same place
Lifetimes apart”
Glover’s voice has a tremulous tone in this and the spectre of Springsteen’s “Nebraska” is casting its shadow over the song.

“One Fine Day” (not the Chiffons song btw but a Glover/Kim Richey collaboration.) takes the listener back on the (soul’s) road of exploration and discovery – in Glover’s case it’s a (re)turn to nature and the purer side of life that beckons.
A staccato guitar figure and a chorus of Kim Richey, Jaimee Harris and Maddie Alldredge add an epic flourish too.

“Arguing with Ghosts” is very much Rod Picott in style, lyrically and melodically – it’s a discussion of the effects of genetics and of the dislocation from that and those from which we come.
Philip Larkin’s been there too, as in “This be the verse”…
“Break For You” which follows takes another side of the same feeling – of finding belonging as opposed to lacking it.
Like the rest of the album it’s sonically warm and dynamic, with Sam Howard’s double bass being an unexpected warm delight at the beating heart of the song.

The album finishes on the tremulous piano ballad that is “Till I See You Again”; another Mary Gauthier co-write, it features the celestial imagery and themes of Mary G’s recent output too; and is a gentle reflective wind-down blessing with the repeated “may” of every line and takes out the album perfectly.

Four years?
Well worth the wait I’d say.
Guest collaborators (lyrical and musical) like Mary Gauthier, Kim Richey, Neilson Hubbard, Will Kimbrough, Jaimee Harris all play their part, and many more transatlantic musical luminaries only serve to underline the quality that oozes out of every pore of this release.

Review by Nick Barber
Released 26th April 2024
https://www.benglover.co.uk/

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Vince Freeman Live at The Louisiana, Bristol

Vince Freeman
The Louisiana,
Bristol

Tuesday 9th April 2024

Set back from the river, this small music venue has a long history of hosting early gigs by artists who went on to become household names. The roll call, witnessed by a lucky handful of punters, include the likes of Amy Winehouse, The White Stripes, Coldplay and Muse to mention but four.
You may not have come across Vince Freeman yet, but tonight this British singer-songwriter is showcasing his debut album Scars, Ghosts and Glory and I get the feeling it’s one of those nights I’ll be remembering for years to come.

The vibe was intimate, and I’m gonna leave it there and just say that I’ve already been to four outstanding gigs in the past year where if there was any justice in the musical world, they should have been packed to the rafters and tonight was no exception.

First up, a support slot by the Brighton based musician, Si Connelly, whose strong opener, River Wild, showcased his many talents perfectly, intense strums creating a dramatic urgency over which, during the course of the song, he delivered an incredibly wide vocal range from gravel deep to oh so high falsetto.
A captivating set which balanced neatly with his jovial, relaxed stage presence: highlights include an unexpected and sublime version of Fly Me To The Moon in which he delivered his dynamic vocals with an old time twist and Hold Me which is a acoustic rock anthem strum teamed with heartfelt lyrics.
Over all to quickly, I have since learnt how prolific this artist is releasing five (yes Five!) albums last year alone and has supported the likes of Ocean Colour Scene and Dexys Midnight Runners so this hard-working singer songwriter is also one to look out for.

After a brief interval Vince Freeman and his band took to the stage. It’s an impressive six piece with Si joining them on lead guitar and b/vs.
The camaraderie all round was easily evident, a tight knit group, committed and excited to be playing these new songs live.
The release date for the album is June 14th and since landing from RMHQ, has been firmly on my playlist. IMHO it’s bursting with killer (no filler) songs: one that instantly oozed shivers on first listen was his collaboration with the Lost Frequencies on their gospel infused track The Sun Is Shining, cue a perfect opener to the set tonight. There is no doubt that Vince Freeman’s core strength as an artist is his seismic, soulful voice: with a stripped back, heartwarming and slow-paced delivery, he envelops the song as it resonated round the room.
Complete with the rousing organ keys of Mahlon Rhamie, plus Si Connelly’s higher choir like b/v’s, we were melodically transported to a little white chapel.

Leading straight into Powers, the first single off the album, enabled Vince Freeman to demonstrate just what a compelling frontman he is. On stage he is a born performer, feeling the groove with every fibre and translating it into a stadium worthy delivery.
He’s clearly enjoying every minute of a new era, after overcoming major health issues and rebooting his musical journey after Covid, this anthemic song honestly reflects a key moment about finding strength from within: he delivered it with an infectious passion.

As the gig progressed, the band really got to show what they can do. With no lull, my scribbles get less and less as I was reluctant to take time out from the action on stage.
Real highs for me include a rousing version of Oh What A Life, lyrically awash with personal childhood reflections and driven by a deep, commanding bass riff courtesy of Hugh Richardson and a beefed up rocky slant on the rhythmic single Won’t Remember Heaven.

Music aside, between the songs Vince Freeman was so full of genuine warmth and humour making it oh so easy for us all to feel connected in such a tiny space, and I am in no doubt that this artist has the ability to make a much larger venue still feel like a front room gig; for the crowd whilst putting on one hell of a show.
Whilst introducing one of the catchiest songs from his new release, Passing By, Vince explained the inspiration behind it being when during Covid, his music had to be put on hold and he set up a business selling coffee where he would regularly have quiet moments, watching people walking by, often with coffee from other stalls!

With a packed year planned, it’s hard to imagine Vince Freeman having such quiet moments ever again. Watch this space for his album review and meanwhile catch a remaining show if you are quick off the mark, then you can see for yourself why I’m so excited about having seen him.

The Scars, Ghosts and Glory tour continues in Newcastle (April 12th) Glasgow (14th) Sheffield (15th) London (16th) and Cheltenham (27th)

Review by Anita Joyce

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https://vincefreeman.com
https://siconnelly.co.uk

Sam Lee at The Glasshouse, Gateshead.

Sam Lee
The Glasshouse, (Formerly The Sage)
Gateshead
23/3/2024

Saturday nights in these parts are notoriously bawdy, hedonistic affairs, and on this March Saturday, the wind chill was so unforgiving that even before Sam Lee uttered a word, just stepping inside Gateshead’s Glasshouse felt like being cocooned in a warm, expansive sanctuary.
Very much a place far removed from the microclimate on the streets just across the River Tyne.
What followed was a journey into Sam Lee’s world of nature, tradition and conservationism. He’s authored an acclaimed book called The Nightingale and throughout the spring he leads campfire nights of folklore, whilst listening to this particular endangered species.
Taking us there on this chilly Tyneside night was not an easy task but with the help of his iPhone and his superb band he largely succeeded.

Talking of bawdy; Sam Lee has an intriguing backstory that involves exotic dancing in the West End of London.
On leaving Chelsea School of Art he had combined performing in hot pants and glitter at burlesque club nights, while during the day researching traditional songs at Cecil Sharp House (the headquarters of the English Folk Society).
A ‘double life’ as he puts it, which involved ‘being surrounded by dancing girls, attaching their nipple tassels and learning songs by old shepherds’.

The nights opener Green Mossy Banks was written for the movie The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry but wasn’t used as part of the soundtrack, while the following song, McCrimmon, a dramatic, sweeping soundscape was included in the film.
Both tunes are lifted from his most recent release Songdreaming, which he states is about our ‘interconnectedness with the land’.
Nature plays a starring role in most of his tunes, be it in the form of a bird, the moon or the healing power of plants. These sometimes-lengthy songs comprise many of folk music’s traditional themes.; Love and Death are portrayed in Sweet Girl McRee and Lay This Body Down, a song that includes a beautiful three-part harmony.

His set involves a mix of stories and songs, several of which had been handed down from previous generations. A self-declared ‘collector of songs’ tonight wasn’t a gig as much as it was an evening of learning and contemplation.
‘The Gypsies are our Native Americans: they practise a kind of shamanism mixed with Christianity and the old beliefs’ he explains.
Throughout, we are told about people such as Freda Black and the Connors family. The former, a deceased Romani Gypsy who, during the early 1900s had learned folk ballads from her grandparents; the latter an Irish traveller clan, headed by Nan and Buffalo Connors who taught Lee songs that had been in their families for generations, going unwritten and unrecorded, passed down via the oral tradition. Tonight Sam performed The Moon Shines Bright, a Gypsy blessing song, which he learned from the aforementioned Freda Black, combining it seamlessly with the well-known standard Wild Mountain Thyme (the recorded and video versions feature the now rarely heard Liz Fraser of Cocteau Twins fame).

Throughout, the content draws strongly on the folk tradition, case in point ‘Aye Walking Oh’ (an adaption of the Robbie Burns poem Ay Waukin O).
However, the musical arrangements are spectacular and fall somewhere between contemporary classical, prog and jazz, with the fiddle melodies being the most obvious nod to what we think of as Folk Music.
It all adds up to sounding like a live session on BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction, or as MOJO put it [songdreaming is] ‘an autumn-toned tour de force, it melds yoga pants-era Bill Callahan pondering, the twittering rhapsodies of Kate Bush’s Aerial and Incredible String Band cosmic wonder.’

Live, Sam Lee’s main instrument is his voice, he sounds like a restrained opera singer at times – on occasions he sits and plays a shruti box for added drone, at other times he stands and puts into practice his dance moves.
The iPhone was used once only, and that was Sam’s way of bringing the sweet song of the nightingale to Hall Two.
His band is excellent, comprising Louis Campbell (guitar and vocal), Joseph O’Keefe (violin), Joshua Green (drums), and Rob Dimbleby on grand piano and vocal.

They play 13 songs in total, including a deserved encore, which Sam introduces as an Aberdeen Song. ‘Lovely Molly’ is a fitting tribute to the many singers who have passed songs from one generation to another. It was Jeannie Robertson who made Lovely Molly famous – a song that featured on the 1963 Prestige release The Cuckoo’s Nest and Other Scottish Folk Songs. Sam had input from Jeannie’s nephew Stanley Robertson on the version that appears on his 2020 album Old Wow.

It has to be said; folk music is not what you would describe as all the rage with the masses these days. Yes, the Folk scene is cool within a certain section of society, which makes the way Sam Lee has gone about building this collection of songs impressively authentic and he has spent years tracking down people from traveller communities. For a well-spoken Englishman, building these relationships and establishing a level of trust with such a marginalised group of people must have been a daunting endeavour, yet equally rewarding.

For my money, Sam Lee is currently Britain’s finest folk singer and one of the most persuasive conservationist voices of his generation; there are others, such as Iona Lane and Johnny Campbell (who opened for him the following night in Leeds) whose material focuses on the natural world.
Though it is Sam Lee who brings contemporary Folk Music back to where much of it came: Roma Gypsies and Scottish and Irish Travellers.
Before he left us tonight, Sam draws a parallel with the decimation of nature to that of the live music terrain and the need for us all to come together to arrest this decline.
It is a message that we all need to pay attention to before it’s too late.

Review by William Graham
https://samleesong.co.uk/

Dolly Mavies THE CALM & THE STORM

Dolly Mavies
The Calm & The Storm
Self Release

Contemporary British Folk That Takes You On An Emotional Roller Coaster of Epic Proportions

At RMHQ we try our very best to get album reviews to you a week or so before the date of release, so we can hopefully generate some extra sales for the act.
But; occasionally we also receive albums months after release from acts doing DIY Promotion for their music, who stumble on our little tree house by accident or ‘word of mouth’; this week I’ve received two such albums; and both deserve our time (including yours) and effort.
It’s taken a little bit of extra research to discover that the band, Dolly Mavies revolve around the singer of the same name and four other talented musicians/friends.
For once this is an English Folk (Rock) band who aren’t trying to ride the coat tails of the Americana bandwagon; and that’s part;y why I’ve been so attracted.
The album opens with something of an oddity; a preamble of sorts; the two minute The Calm are something of a ‘scene setter’ that errs on the complex side of being an instrumental, albeit with a female voice at the forefront not uttering actual words but ‘da dum da dums,’ and it’s a helluva lot better than I’ve just described it!
This is followed by the first song proper; I’m All Sugar a tightly wired and deeply emotional tale that will draw you in like a siren on the rocks, where the harmonies and an intensely gratifying backing track smother you like a Spring fog.
While most certainly a Folk album at heart, the songs here are all very contemporary in construction, swaying between Lo-Fi and Folk Rock at times; and the way the songs and stories take you on an emotional roller coaster of epic proportions.
Forgive and Forget is a prime example; as Molly and Ruth combine to take a fascinating tale into Rock Ballad territory while the band sound like they are desperate to hold it together and not to burst at the seams.
In many ways THE CALM & THE STORM is a breakthrough album as well as a debut album (technically their first studio album) and it’s only going to take the tiniest bit of luck to find the beautiful Reflection and Silhouette or especially the extraordinary four minutes of Wait For Me to find their way onto a BBC Radio 6 playlist or similar and the game will change in an extraordinary manner for the band.
I haven’t given this album as much time as it deserves; but I feel I’m in a rush getting the review out to the world; so you too can hear songs like Spaghetti with its exciting Jazz-Lite rhythms and the tragically beautiful The Rain too ASAP.
It’s no surprise that an album called THE CALM & THE STORM is sequenced in such a way as to take you on an emotional roller coaster as each song blends seamlessly into the next, creating a soundscape that you couldn’t possibly anticipate the first time you take it out of its sleeve.
Most everything here is on the gentler side of the spectrum; which is why the magnificent and punchy Drown Me Out comes as such a surprise when it arrives, coming at you like a thunderstorm on a Summer’s day.
With that in mind I’ve still managed to pull two totally different songs out of the pack, as Favourite Songs, that again merit serious radio play.
The tranquil and slow burning Drawing Circles borders on Gothic as Dolly gently forces her words out, but managing to make then soar, albeit in something of a ‘stage whisper’ … which is quite something special.
The other, Reflection is a bit Lo-Fi in the way it’s constructed with Dolly’s voice sounding ever more brittle in the way she delivers her heartbreaking words.
My views regarding Folk Music; especially the British model are well known; but every now and again someone comes along to challenge my preconceptions; and that’s exactly what Dolly Mavies, both the singer and the band have done here; and turned me into an Evangelical convert that will now kneel at their musical feet.

Released August 2023
https://www.dollymavies.com/

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https://dollymavies.bandcamp.com/

The Secret Sisters MIND, MAN, MEDICINE

The Secret Sisters
Mind, Man, Medicine
New West Records

Bewitching and Desperately Emotional Lo-Fi Folk Songs

I first stumbled upon The Secret Sisters when I reviewed their eponymously titled debut album THE SECRET SISTERS for Maverick Magazine in 2010, when sibling acts were ‘all the rage.’
I won’t bore you with Laura Rogers & Lydia Slagle’s ‘back story’, but there’s surely a book or TV Series in there somewhere about Record Company shenanigans, dodgy managers and two young women with a rare talent that just want to make beautiful music!
How they’ve got to 2024 and still be releasing an album as wonderful as this is beyond my comprehension; but tells us a lot about Laura and Lydia’s inner strength, which remarkably comes out in their songs without even a hint of bitterness.
To all extents and purposes, the two sisters who ‘sing as one’ can’t change their formula after all of these years; and why should they? But the ‘kicker’ here is that they have progressed into a new stratosphere of songwriting with no two albums sounding the same; apart from their beautiful and hypnotic voices being at the forefront.
Opening track Space is mind-blowing in a Lo-Fi manner; a luscious arrangement aligned to their ghostly vocals telling a stark tale of loving someone while trying not to think too deeply about their faults.
This is followed by a rarity; the much more uptempo Paperweight which features some truly delightful fiddle and brushed drumming on a darker love song than you’d first imagine.
Erring more on the Lo-Fi settings of the Folk spectrum; The Secret Sisters co-producing alongside Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes, St. Paul & the Broken Bones) and John Paul White (formerly of Grammy-winning duo the Civil Wars) appear not to being satisfied until you are reduced to a blubbering mess, yet still managing to smile amid the tears; such is the strength of not just the songs themselves, but they way that they are delivered to the world.
Never Walk Away and Bear With Me are both prime examples of songs only a woman can write and will appeal to women; especially young mothers who will find strands of their own lives in the verses and choruses which probably describes the slow burning If I Needed You and it’s swooping and swooshing orchestral strings behind the sister’s simmering voices, too.
A huge surprise, but not really a shock to me has been the politics (with a small ‘p’) that inhabits If The World Was a House; The Secret Sisters ‘lockdown song’ where like many of us thought we’d all come out of the pandemic ‘better people’ and the world a ‘better place’ but …. that’s not been the case has it?
The album title comes from the quietly dynamic Still Water,
‘Mind or man or medicine
I have tried them all,’
an unassuming song at first, but one that unravels the more you play it, and one that will surely be a highlight in future concerts.
While I constantly read about the lack of concentration of the average music fan these days, which so called ‘experts’ think explains the cherry picking of tracks on streaming services; I beg to differ, especially because of albums like this … which is exactly what it is, an ‘album of songs’ and songs that should be listened to in the sequence the act and producers think you will benefit most from.
This is where you may now think me a hypocrite as I now select two Favourite Songs, after telling you that you must listen to the complete album; and I stand by that completely.
But …. taken in context the charming and effervescent All The Ways which features their friend and mentor Ray Lamontagne, could easily be taken out as a single; but when you hear it in situ between If The World Was a House and the starkly beautiful Planted you will soon realise that it’s a cornerstone that everything else is linked to and from.
My other Favourite Song is the finale I’ve Got Your Back; a Love Song, but unlike any that I’ve ever heard before and now one of my Favourite Songs of the year; if not longer.
‘On paper’ MAN MIND MEDICINE shouldn’t be that special; as I’ve already reviewed 5 or 6 albums that sound a bit like this, this year alone …. but …. and it’s a big BUT …. there is something really, really special about the way Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle combine vocally on their own songs, that with the clever and intricate production powers of Ben Tanner and John Paul White combine to create something truly magical from start to finish.

Released March 29th 2024
https://www.secretsistersband.com/

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https://thesecretsisters.bandcamp.com/album/mind-man-medicine

Damien Dempsey Live at Glasshouse, Gateshead

Damien Dempsey
Hall Two The Glasshouse (Formerly The Sage)
Gateshead

Friday March 8 2024

I was primed and all set for tonight’s Damien Dempsey gig at the Glasshouse – the previous evenings’ viewing had been Dempsey’s beautifully filmed 2021 documentary Love Yourself Today which does a fine job at explaining his appeal and the loyalty of his adoring fan-base.
Dempsey’s own back story makes a fine case for music as therapy and by interspersing concert footage with three of his fans’ personal histories, the film bringing to life the impact of his music and demonstrates his ability to turn what most of us would call a ‘gig‘ into something bordering on group therapy.
At least, if the tears shed by concertgoers’ is anything to go by.
The three Dubliners we hear from throughout the film are recovering heroin addict Nadia, who ‘gave up on life‘ after her brother’s murder; boxing coach Packy, gripped by fear after his friend was shot and Jonathan, a former problem drinker.
The fourth voice we heard from was Dempsey who speaks of being a shy working-class boy who turned to drugs and alcohol to fill the void opened by his parents divorce. His own road to enlightenment, he explains, begins after being badly beaten up by a gang of 15 people.

Dempsey himself has described his gigs as ‘A spiritual gathering, a medicinal ceremonial sing-song that is a safe space for emotion and tears and joy, a joyous celebration of what truly matters in life’.
Could those Dublin scenes be repeated on Tyneside though?
Could Damien Dempsey inspire and lift up the Geordie public?
It seemed a big ask, but what followed was 90 minutes of pure soulful joy, a combination of the heart and head, an inspirational blend of poetry, music and teaching.

Dempsey introduced the night with the title track from his 2012 album ‘Almighty Love,’ a song in which he name checks some of his major influences; Bob Marley, John Lennon, Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Marie Colvin and ends with the words
‘Almighty love is their way
I want to live
Tonight
Almighty love feels so right
It’s ours to give.’
It’s stirring stuff.

He introduces his second song Negative Vibes by saying that ‘if anyone in life puts you down tell them where to go.’
The crowd sing the words back to him [granted, not as full throated as in Dublin, but the night’s still young]
‘Lord, Won’t you give me the strength to be strong,
and be true, because, Lord,
when the devil gets into my head,
I’m so blue.’
He’s treading religious water here but not for one minute does it feel preachy.
Certainly, there is something that connects him spiritually to his audience, something perhaps that comes from the ancient ritual of people singing communally.
Though, the between song chant of ‘Damo, Damo, Damo’ is more reminiscent of being at a football match, than anywhere else.

Damien Dempsey can genuinely sing about the suffering of ordinary people because he has been there with them, down in the depths of despair.
He speaks of his difficulties with depression throughout his youth and how confiding in his mother had helped him move on.
Watching him perform this urban folk music with such passion and honesty, you can see why artists as diverse as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Eno, Christy Moore and Shane MacGowan became interested, or indeed why The Guardian described him as one of ‘Ireland’s greatest singer-songwriters.’
Damien Dempsey is many things to many people: he offers himself up and you can take what you wish; be it the protest singer, the troubled troubadour, working class hero, storyteller, militant street poet, philosopher, historian or the ex-boxer.
Damien Dempsey though, will tell you he’s just one of us.
And tonight he is.

At times tonight’s’ concert bordered on the mystical, especially during the performances of Chris & Stevie (which he dedicates to his ‘Mammy’) and the nights final song ‘Its All Good’ (more of which later).
These are two secular hymn-like tunes, one reflecting on our relationships with others and the other, a directive, above all else, to be kind to ourselves.
Despite the seriousness of the song content, please don’t think for a moment this wasn’t entertaining. It was – it was uplifting and captivating.

Backed by John Reynolds on drums, Clare Kenny on bass, Eamon DeBarra on keyboards, flute and whistle and Graham Kearns on guitars, their version of The Pogues ‘Body of an American’ was a blast, Dempsey dedicating the song to his friend Shane MacGowan and introduced it by telling the tale of having a drink with Shane.
As you can imagine, it got messy, as did the dancing.
Next up was Damo’s anti-racist/colonial masterpiece Colony taken from his 2005 album Shots.
‘The African people with their history so deep
And our children still weep and our lives are still cheap
You came from Germany, from France, from England
And from Spain
From Belgium and from Portugal
You all done much the same.’
He almost spits the words out in disgust.

It was the song that had preceded The Pogues cover – Serious, lifted from 2017’s To Hell or Barbados, which took the set into a darker, broodier place.
A Fall-like guitar riff kicked in before Damien took us off into Trainspotting territory with a spoken word monologue; a back and forth conversation between a drug dealer and a guy contemplating his first hit of heroin.
The band accompanied him with a menacing, heavy hypnotic dose of Krautrock.
Serious stuff indeed.

Back to that final song – It’s All Good with its repeated refrain – ‘Love Yourself Today‘.
The band left the stage, but Dempsey’s people don’t want to let go, the refrain continued as Hall Two slowly emptied and there in the middle of The Glasshouse concourse, arms outstretched, head back, eyes raised to the heavens, a man … at the top of his voice holds on to that moment of communion.
‘Love Yourself Today
Love Yourself Today’
he sings, as his booming voice ricochets around that cavernous space.
Quite what the folks coming out of the Hall One made of this disciple of Dempsey having just witnessed a performance of A Night at the Musicals by The Royal Northern Sinfonia Orchestra is a thought I’ll savour for a long while to come!

Review by William Graham
https://www.facebook.com/damiendempseyofficial

Richard Thompson HISTORIC CLASSIC CONCERT – Live at Nottingham Rock City 1986

Richard Thompson
HISTORIC CLASSIC CONCERT
Live at Nottingham Rock City 1986
The Store For Music

A Lot of ‘Bang for Your Buck’ From a Genre Bending Maestro That Never Falls Below Spellbinding.

This is weird.
Back in 2020 I reviewed a similarly titled double-album on RMHQ; and in a sealed box in my garage I have a Bootleg of a Richard Thompson gig at Nottingham from November 1986 and all three have completely different track listings with a couple of songs not appearing on all three albums. Did Richard have a residency at the venue that week?
So; with no further ado …. I will tell you about this album, ignoring the other two.
Following an intro from a compere (who sounds uncannily like Johnnie Walker) the band set the tone with a rip-roaring version of Fire In the Engine Room which will leave any new listeners dumbfounded when they hear Thompsons 100mph yet delicately intricate electric guitar playing for the first time.
Following the quirky You Don’t Say Christine Collister steps forward to take lead on what I can only describe as a Folk Noir opus with Warm Love Gone Cold, which doesn’t appear to be on either of the other two Live albums.
Just as you catch your breath, the band move seamlessly into the majestic Wall of Death which literally crackles with excitement.
I’ve never really been a big fan of Folk Rock; but Richard Thompson has always managed to transcend the Folk half of that title while never diving too far into the latter half; neatly blending the two for people like what I am; with the likes of Valerie and She Twists the Knife Again both reading like Folk Songs, but the arrangements are pure Rock and Roll, if a bit on the intense side which at that time totally alluded ‘real’ Rock bands of that era.
The first CD ends with the quintessentially beautiful Jenny My Love; a soft and temperate love song that I have no recollection of elsewhere.
The second CD opens with For Shame of Doing Wrong (I Wish I Was a Fool Again) which is a typical Thomson song of this period; shamelessly heartbreaking with a clever arrangement that has you swaying and tapping your toes while sniffing back tears all at the same time.
As you sit engrossed, it’s easy to forget what a wonderful interpreter of songs that Richard has always been; regularly taking ‘hidden songs’ and sprinkling them with his very own musical magic dust; which is the only way that I can describe Sandy Denny’s John The Gun, Barbara Morgan’s *Skull & Crossbones and Clive Gregson’s Open Fire which closes the album.
Baring in mind there are 21 songs here and two come in at 10 minutes plus long and nothing less than 4 minutes; you get a lot of ‘bang for your buck’ especially as the quality never falls below spellbinding.
Which brings me to selecting a Favourite Song …. which hasn’t been easy at all.
Withered and Died and Shoot Out The Lights have been constant favourites in any format over the years; as has *Tear Stained Letter and the tragically beautiful Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed on CD1; but I’m going for two songs I didn’t recognise at all before hearing them here; such is the articulate and thoughtful way Richard Thompson performs; both Love Is a Faithless Country and the stunning duet with Clive Collister, Summer Rain took my breath away the first time I played them and even this morning they sound as contemporary as any other songs I’ve received in the last four weeks.
The most important thing with this release is that it hasn’t aged a day over the last 37 years; with the band and especially Richard Thompson himself sounding like these songs were recorded last Saturday night; and you wouldn’t guess that the songs here are even older …. how cool is that? 

*Tear Stained Letter is attributed to ‘Johnny Cash’ and Skull and Crossbones to ‘Johnny Shine’ on the inner sleeve; when they should be Richard Thompson surely?

Released January 26th 2024
https://www.richardthompson-music.com/

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https://www.thestoreformusic.com/#!/The-Richard-Thompson-Band-Historic-Classic-Concert-Live-In-Nottingham-1986-Release-Date-5th-Jan-2024/p/610017006/category=10531011

RMHQ Radio Show Ep: 83 Jumpin’ Hot Club 38th Anniversary Show at Nova Radio NE

RMHQ Radio Show
Ep: 83 Jumpin’ Hot Club 38th Anniversary Show.
Nova Radio NE
Sunday 17th December 2023

38 years ago, in 1985 two lads in Newcastle had a dream. Adam Collerton and Graham Anderson were Northern Soul and Blues fans who decided to put on bands that no one else in the area would or could.
In that time they have helped change the music landscape in not just their home town; but to some degree the UK, as they were the first promoters to book and bring a whole series of acts to the UK, many of whom are now Award winning and household names.
This show is a small snapshot of 30 from many hundreds of acts that have played the Jumpin’ Hot Club either in one of the many venues they have appropriated or festivals they have curated.
If you’re quick they have a book detailing their story and some of their most memorable gigs.

http://www.jumpinhot.com/
http://www.jumpinhot.com/book/

Howlin Wilf and the Veejays	Boom Boom
Bigtown Playboys	Gotta Do More For My Baby
Davina and the Vagabonds	Sugar Drops
Justin Townes Earle	There Go a Fool
Neko Case & The Sadies	Rated X
Slim Gailard	Yo Yo Yo
Gem Andrews	Letter
Martin Stephenson & The Daintees	Wholly Humble Heart
Hurray For The Riff Raff	Lake of Fire
Danny and The Champions of the World	Never Stop Building (That Old Space Rocket)
David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards	Sweet Home Chicago
Laura Cantrell	All The Girls Are Complicated
Pete Molinari	Today, Tomorrow, Forever
Chuck Prophet	That’s How Much I Need Your Love
Mary Gauthier	Truckers and Troubadours
Slaid Cleaves	Horseshoe Lounge
Tift Merritt	Good Hearted Man
Sleepy LaBeef	200 lbs of Heartache
Sam Outlaw	Jesus Take The Wheel
Alejandro Escovedo	Rosalie
Mary Coughlan	I Dare You To Love Me
David Olney	Speed of The Sound of Loneliness
Paul Lamb	Trench Green Rag
Brendan Croker	5 O’Clock Shuffle
Chastity Brown	Hope
Otis Gibbs	Ghosts of Our Fathers
Malcolm Holcombe	Hard Luck City
Birds of Chicago	Sugar Dumplin’
Sam Baker	Angel Hair
Scotty Moore and Elvis Presley	Heartbreak Hotel

Dylan James EXPECTED TO FLY

Dylan James
Expected to Fly
Self Release

Generation Fluid, Insurgent Indie Folkie Singer-Songwriter

As the holiday season beckons I’m finally getting to play Catch-Up with a few albums that where released while we were overwhelmed with fabulous albums across the end of October and the first couple of weeks of November.
There’s something of the ‘Angelo Mysterioso’ about Bristol born Dylan James; releasing singles under the radar over a 5 or 6 year period, which managed to get his songs featured on a variety of TV shows that more established acts would sell their Granny for; but then waiting until now to compile them and add a few new songs to on a Debut Album.
The first time I played the opening track Painted It Gold I had to stop what I was doing as I wasn’t really sure what I was listening to.
Was it an Indie Band that I couldn’t quite place? An uber-cool 20 something singer-songwriter? Was it an Alt. Folk band that I should know …. possibly even reviewed before.
None of the above were correct but the combination of Dylan James’ intriguingly ‘listenable’ vocals aligned to his sharp observational lyrics and ‘friend of the RMHQ’, Matt Owens (ex Noah and The Whale) luscious and pearlescent production; all combine to make something very special indeed.
The rest of the album continues in that genre-fluid manner; with songs like Black Cloud, Hide, Cracking Up (with it’s heartbreaking harmonica opening) and What Would You Say all sounding like modern Insurgent Folk songs filtered through a James Taylor/The Smiths filter …. seriously.
His songwriting is incredibly personal; but in a way that will not just touch the hearts of listeners of all persuasions and ages; but squeeze it until you are gasping for breath; that’s certainly the way I feel about Let’s Talk and especially the Electro-Pop meets Folk Rock bouncy and punchy Boys Yard, which comes right out of left field in the middle section of this glorious album.
Make Up Your Mind is a prime example; targeting listeners worry too much about life, love and the world in general (of which I’m rapidly becoming one myself) and here James channels his inner George Harrison/Beatles via a big and brooding mix that borders on Prog, but the harmonica and James’ singing and words are pure ‘singer-songwriter’ at its cutting edge.
‘Go on, take a chance,
what’s the worst that’ll happen…
Are you gonna be a nobody for the rest of your life?’
If I’m not wrong, Dylan James and Matt Owens have deliberately sequenced these songs so the mood builds and builds until we arrive at the final too songs; which are a case of keeping the ‘best until last’!
With no disrespect to any of the songs before them; but I’m NOT Your Superman and the finale I Am Your Sound are exceptional songs that merit regular play on National Radio, with I’m NOT Your Superman just edging out the latter for my choice of Favourite Song on a a wonderfully complex album.
The song title intrigued me but when I finally heard the song and James’ words/story I nearly crumbled as it’s one of those songs that creep up on you and make you wonder if the writer has ben stalking you and knows all of your inner secrets and doubts.
‘I’m not a Superman
I can’t do the things you think I can
Just a normal man
I’m just a normal man,
trying to understand what’s in my hands’
EXPECTED TO FLY is a rare beast indeed, being not just genre-fluid but generation-fluid too, with these songs having the capacity to appeal to all ages who love well written and performed songs that are aimed at the heart AND brain.

Released November 10th 2023
https://www.facebook.com/DylanJamesLDN/

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