On a frosty evening in January what better way to thaw out than listening to some fine folk music from some of the genre’s most interesting young talents. Kaia Kater had impressed the crowd earlier in the week supporting Rhiannon Giddens and the audience who came to see her at the stunning St Andrews in the Square venue were also lucky enough to hear the infectious talents of Rachel Baiman and her band. Continue reading “Live Review: Kaia Kater & Rachel Baiman @ Celtic Connections”
Live Review: Rhiannon Giddens @ Celtic Connections
On Monday night Rhiannon Giddens made a welcome return to Scotland to play a special show with the ‘Celtic Blues’ orchestra, led by Grit conductor Greg Lawson and made up of a varied array of players. The new versions of these songs, arranged by Gabe Witcher of The Punch Brothers, were neither strictly classical or folk but occupied what Giddens called an ‘interesting realm’ between the two. The results of this collaboration produced an evening of music of the highest quality that was a privilege to witness. Continue reading “Live Review: Rhiannon Giddens @ Celtic Connections”
Live Review: Ashley Monroe @ Celtic Connections
A restored church on a Sunday was a fitting place for country music fans to congregate and worship a woman who is blessed with one of the best voices in the genre. Ashley Monroe returned to these shores for the first time since Country to Country in 2016 and the Scottish crowd were so eager to hear her play again that she sold out both the first venue she was booked to play and this upgrade of St Luke’s as well. Continue reading “Live Review: Ashley Monroe @ Celtic Connections”
Live Review: Amy Helm @ Celtic Connections
Celtic Connections prides itself in bringing the world to Glasgow and on the second Saturday of the festival we were treated to some classic Americana live on stage. Amy Helm has opened for the likes of Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples, playing a similarly soulful blend of roots rock, learned from a life lived in the history of American music. Continue reading “Live Review: Amy Helm @ Celtic Connections”
Live Review: Kacey Musgraves, Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow
Golden Hour may have divided the country music purists but one glance around the crowd entering the building on this chilly Glasgow evening proves that Kacey Musgraves’s move towards the mainstream is paying off. She has managed to keep the more mature country music fans and brought in a mix of younger, mainly female and LGBT fans, whose energy and glitter are welcome additions to any audience. Continue reading “Live Review: Kacey Musgraves, Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow”
Live Review: First Aid Kit, Usher Hall, Edinburgh
As October draws to an end, the bitter winds are closing in and we’re all missing the summer so there’s no better tonic to our collective seasonal affective disorder than an evening with Swedish sisters First Aid Kit and their sublime set of songs. Continue reading “Live Review: First Aid Kit, Usher Hall, Edinburgh “
Live Review: Clare Bowen @ Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
Clare Bowen has just finished a six season stint playing reluctant singer songwriter Scarlett O’Connor on the hit show Nashville and is now forging her own path in the music industry for real, leaving a trail of joy and glitter behind her. Last week she released her lovely debut album and arrived in Glasgow to perform as part of her first solo U.K. tour, backed by a band which included her husband, brother and long time Nashville music director Colin Linden. The show was a warm and friendly family affair, showcasing a singer with enough charisma and sparkle to light up any room. Continue reading “Live Review: Clare Bowen @ Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow”
Live Review: Erin Rae @ The Hug & Pint, Glasgow
Erin Rae returned to Scotland this week to play a venue she described onstage as one of her favourites, a place that lives up to its sweet name, The Hug and Pint. A cosy crowd of people gathered in their basement room, ready to embrace the understated musical beauty of this special singer songwriter. Continue reading “Live Review: Erin Rae @ The Hug & Pint, Glasgow”
Live Review – Amythyst Kiah @ Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
Hailing from Johnson City, Tennessee Amythyst Kiah is a contemporary blues and folk singer, with a real connection to the history of Appalachian music. This was the second of her two shows at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues festival where she has successfully performed for the last three years. The audience in the Piccolo venue were treated to an evening of stories and songs from a troubadour of the highest quality. Continue reading “Live Review – Amythyst Kiah @ Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival”