Friday, March 07, 2003
Tell Laura I love her...
Laura Cantrell is playing Brighton AGAIN! End of April. Still haven't got over my excitement at her playing a pub gig ten minutes from my house, back in December, the day after my birthday. First time I've ever been keen enough (and close enough) to ask for someone's autograph! No need for me to go on any further, found this rather fitting review on the excellent AmericanaUK site:
She-Haw and Laura Cantrell - Prince Albert, Brighton - December 6th 2002
There are moments in life when you realize your true vocation or when you realize who your true love actually is; tonight, within seconds of Laura Cantrell's band opening their set, I immediately decided to finish it with mistresses Punk, Hip-Hop and Soul, stop my rambling and settle down with the Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Seriously, I thought tonight that I could happily listen to this music for the rest of my life and be very happy indeed, such was the charisma, humour and talent on display. This was She-Haw's second Brighton show this year, and last time, they made it down from a wedding party in Glasgow the night before, getting stuck on the M23 and ending up performing a pitifully short set, because Alan Tyler had to be fitted in sometime that night. This time around, we get a full length set, and this Philly twosome make the kind of music that you could play to your twang-allergic friends and they'd love them, yet the depth of their knowledge and love for traditional music is so huge that it shines out of them. But mostly, it's sheer energy and fun that is the biggest attraction; this isn't the place to rave about them any further, but go buy the records, and if they're playing in your town, book your tickets NOW.
In a major coup for the Gilded Palace, not only is this the smallest venue (70) on Laura Cantrell's tour, but one of the few with a full band, with full time Fannie and Record Label Magnate Francis Macdonald stepping in on drums. They run through many of the great tunes from 'Not the Trembling Kind' and 'When the Roses Bloom again', with highlights firmly being 'The Whiskey makes you Sweeter' (an unmatched tale of drunkenness and regret) and Amy Rigby's 'Don't Break the Heart'. (Fantastic to see this high profile and very special artist supporting another great female singer-songwriter from NYC- one day Amy will be as well recognized as a songwriter as Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch). There is also a song (title??) about the parents of a soldier getting two letters home for Christmas, the first from their son saying how much he will miss them, and the second being of the 'he was a brave, brave man' variety from his C.O.; I would love to know what that song was- it brought the house down, the place to a stand still and tears streamed in great quantity. This small room in Brighton was immersed in sadness, grace and beauty for that song and for much of this performance. How to summarize? Laura Cantrell will be the hugest of country stars, and has the ability, stature, talent, voice and business sense to take on the country music business and play on her terms; she will sell buckets of records, and will go down in history with artists as great as Emmy Lou Harris and Johnny Cash. Guaranteed. MP
Post a Comment
Laura Cantrell is playing Brighton AGAIN! End of April. Still haven't got over my excitement at her playing a pub gig ten minutes from my house, back in December, the day after my birthday. First time I've ever been keen enough (and close enough) to ask for someone's autograph! No need for me to go on any further, found this rather fitting review on the excellent AmericanaUK site:
She-Haw and Laura Cantrell - Prince Albert, Brighton - December 6th 2002
There are moments in life when you realize your true vocation or when you realize who your true love actually is; tonight, within seconds of Laura Cantrell's band opening their set, I immediately decided to finish it with mistresses Punk, Hip-Hop and Soul, stop my rambling and settle down with the Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Seriously, I thought tonight that I could happily listen to this music for the rest of my life and be very happy indeed, such was the charisma, humour and talent on display. This was She-Haw's second Brighton show this year, and last time, they made it down from a wedding party in Glasgow the night before, getting stuck on the M23 and ending up performing a pitifully short set, because Alan Tyler had to be fitted in sometime that night. This time around, we get a full length set, and this Philly twosome make the kind of music that you could play to your twang-allergic friends and they'd love them, yet the depth of their knowledge and love for traditional music is so huge that it shines out of them. But mostly, it's sheer energy and fun that is the biggest attraction; this isn't the place to rave about them any further, but go buy the records, and if they're playing in your town, book your tickets NOW.
In a major coup for the Gilded Palace, not only is this the smallest venue (70) on Laura Cantrell's tour, but one of the few with a full band, with full time Fannie and Record Label Magnate Francis Macdonald stepping in on drums. They run through many of the great tunes from 'Not the Trembling Kind' and 'When the Roses Bloom again', with highlights firmly being 'The Whiskey makes you Sweeter' (an unmatched tale of drunkenness and regret) and Amy Rigby's 'Don't Break the Heart'. (Fantastic to see this high profile and very special artist supporting another great female singer-songwriter from NYC- one day Amy will be as well recognized as a songwriter as Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch). There is also a song (title??) about the parents of a soldier getting two letters home for Christmas, the first from their son saying how much he will miss them, and the second being of the 'he was a brave, brave man' variety from his C.O.; I would love to know what that song was- it brought the house down, the place to a stand still and tears streamed in great quantity. This small room in Brighton was immersed in sadness, grace and beauty for that song and for much of this performance. How to summarize? Laura Cantrell will be the hugest of country stars, and has the ability, stature, talent, voice and business sense to take on the country music business and play on her terms; she will sell buckets of records, and will go down in history with artists as great as Emmy Lou Harris and Johnny Cash. Guaranteed. MP
Post a Comment
