Review Date February 17, 2013 Review By John Roffey Location Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton On the third date of a month long UK tour and with a new album due for release the following day, it was no surprise that Heidi Talbot showcased ANGELS WITHOUT WINGS, her fourth solo effort whilst also delving into her back catalogue of critically acclaimed albums to enthral an impeccably behaved full house. Hailing from County Kildare, the former Cherish the Ladies lead singer possesses a voice to die for and which could only be enhanced with the support of multi-instrumentalist and producer John McCusker, and the inimitable guitar playing of Ian Carr. Equally at home singing love ballads, sea shanties or traditional Irish music, it’s no surprise that she’s been nominated for two BBC folk awards and can attract the likes of Mark Knopfler, Jerry Douglas, Richard Bennett and Boo Hewerdine to contribute to the latest album. Heidi opened with “Grace Darling,” included in her EP of superfluous tracks MY SISTER THE MOON. Almost immediately she had the audience singing the chorus: “Haul away, haul away,’ before launching into “The Shepherd Lad,” a traditional folk story of a maiden caught swimming “in the clothes she was born in.’ A proposal of marriage is forthcoming but the outcome is of course, predictable! Then it was time for a love story with the beautiful “Start It All Over Again,” “Dearest Johnny” and the terrific “Button Up” about a tornado. A sea shanty, “Sally Brown” and the gorgeous love song “The Loneliest” led us into the break with another audience sing-along, “Music Tree.” “Bedlam Boys” and Tom Waits’ “Time,” both from the 2008 offering IN LOVE & LIGHT got the second set off to a fine start before John and Ian took over with a medley of instrumentals; a new (as yet untitled) tune, “Margaret Ann’s Silver Wedding Anniversary” and “Billy’s Reel” written for comedian Billy Connolly. Another love story “Wine And Roses,” Boo Hewerdine’s title track “Angels Without Wings,” “My Sister The Moon” and all too soon it was time for the final number of the evening, the up-tempo “Everything.” After prolonged applause and much stamping of feet, an encore was inevitable and Heidi returned to deliver a wonderful version of Sandy Denny’s appropriately titled “At the End of the Day.” What a superb evening! Naturally a stock of the new album was available for sale “not to be opened until tomorrow,’ and business was booming on the merchandise counter as Heidi appeared quickly to chat and sign autographs. Anyone not familiar with Heidi’s music and who likes their folk music in easy listening style should check out her albums or catch one of her shows. You won’t be disappointed. Find out more at 

Review Date February 13, 2013 Review By Nick Dalton Location Slaughtered Lamb, London It was like the dress-down reception after the wedding, a warm pub cellar bar with plenty of sofas and plenty of friends all having a good time. My Darling Clementine is the award-winning country-couple project of Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish and the real life couple usually appear in wedding dress (her, obviously) and sharp suit. At other venues (one a church, the other the Union Chapel) they walked down the aisle to the stage; here, in more casual attire, they simply edged past the packed bar. But the music was the same, a classic collection of modern-day, self-penned duets backed by a sublime band. And, just as at any reception, the sense of a new beginning. My Darling Clementine’s album HOW DO YOU PLEAD? was always going to be a difficult one to follow, yet the lovely couple have managed it with a new set-tentatively called UNHAPPILY EVER AFTER, recorded at the studio where music trendsetter Richard Hawley makes his music, with his band and guests including Kinky Friedman and the Brodsky Quartet-which they previewed here. The cracking rocker “Leave The Good Book On The Shelf,” the tearjerker “I No Longer Take Pride” (mostly a Weston King tale of woe with Dalgleish coming in for a final verse) and “There’s No Heart In This Heartache” all suggest that far from a couple who’ve taken things as far they can go, they’ve actually got a new spring in their step. The band-Martin Belmont on twanging bass lead guitar, Alan Cook on classy pedal steel, Liam Grundy providing honky-tonk piano, and bassist Kevin Foster and drummer Neil Bullock providing a tight rhythm-have become tighter yet more fluid in the 18 months that they’ve been together. Aside from the new stuff there was the bulk of the debut album-“I Bought Some Roses” (that has developed a rip-roaring rockabilly edge), the country-rock of “1,000 Words,” the sadness of “Nothing Left To Say,” the hope of “Reserved For Me And You” and the gentle rocking of “Going Back To Memphis.” And, just to turn things on their head, a “real’ song from the past, the Johnny Cash and June Carter ode to togetherness, “”Cause I Love You.” The honeymoon is far from over for My Darling Clementine as they start to rock America and with the new record out in the summer, catch them now before they’re playing in cathedral-sized venues. Photo credit: Richard Thorpe Find out more at 

Review Date January 14, 2013 Review By Eric Thom Location Hugh’s Room, Toronto, Canada Don’t get me wrong; I was never a huge fan of Ultravox, but I always had time for Midge Ure and his singular, stylish voice, following him into his solo career and beyond-none of which would properly prepare me for what I would witness at this show. It opened innocently enough-Midge had connected with California band, Right The Stars, who opened the show. They were good, not great, probably because the packed house was clearly there to see somebody else. You know the feeling. Opening can be awkward, especially for unknowns. Somewhat locked in another era of meaty-to-airy Brit-pop, landing somewhere between the Psychedelic Furs with a dash of The Fixx, they proved to be better players when they slowed things down, as proven by songs like “Train To Glasgow.” A phenomenal bass player, Alex Balderston upped their potential for being somewhat adventurous, if not somewhat atmospheric, with their menu of sounds. The band seemed at a bit of a loss as to their true identity, musically. One would never expect them to be up to the task ahead of backing up the indefatigable Mr. Ure. One ten-song-set later, I’d be proven very wrong. Enter Midge Ure, consummate professional, dressed to the nines and looking like a million bucks even before opening his mouth or strapping on his Les Paul. A tiny, passionate man, balder than Mr. Clean, with piercing but friendly eyes, he jumped up on the stage and ripped into “Fields Of Fire” with something more than vigour, neither his voice nor his demeanour showing any signs of age (beyond the loss of those patented sideburns). Somewhat surprisingly, Right The Stars rose to the occasion, rejuvenated by the energy of this Scottish fireball. As guitarist, Asaf, took hold of the mighty synth keyboard, he became part of the Scottish thunder which ensued, as if William Wallace, himself, was leading a horde of Scots over the moors against the Longshanks. Highly spirited songs like Ultravox’s “Love’s Great Adventure” and “One Small Day” grew into massive groundswells of love and memories rekindled, while the inspirational “Hymn” became anthemic in scale, growing the audience into something powerful that went well beyond participation. Joking that some of his biggest hits were had by others using his work-or he using theirs-Ure singled out “Breathe,” a song resuscitated by Swatch advertising, preventing it from forever being his worst-selling album. Another, “Fade To Grey,” became a massive hit for Ure prodigy Visage and, here, the audience embraced it on a slightly frightening scale, singing their hearts out as if they’d reconnected with a long-lost love. The expected “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes” elicited dance fever, Ure peppering each of these songs with his own piercing leads and adding real muscle to what was once simply neo-romantic pop fare. “Vienna” and “Dear God” made complete putty of his fans, as if no time had passed since this music was born, rejuvenating it with his own ferocious lead guitar bursts. Ure’s own “Just For You” was given a harder-edged, rock feel, providing bassist Balderston with a springboard for his talents. Another iconic song, “No Regrets,” provided Ure with another opportunity to lament that; although it had became his signature song, it had somebody else’s signature on it-Boston folkie Tom Rush. “Answers To Nothing,” albeit a subdued rocker, was buoyed by power chords and propulsive percussion. That there was an equally thunderous call for an encore was no surprise, the dapper and deserving Glaswegian basking in the crowd’s appreciation and, without leaving to come back, performed “Don’t They Know It’s Christmas?”-Its crowd-friendly chorus of “feed the world’ providing the audience a means of getting closer to giving something back. Far from the grey-hued, somewhat melancholic character I expected to encounter, Midge Ure and his still-vital music proved a force of nature. A joyous, enthusiastic individual clearly in control of his next move, here’s hoping it returns him to the rightful position he has earned many times over. Find out more at 

Review Date September 23-24, 2011 Review By Eric Thom Location The Dakota Tavern, Canada Any chance to see brilliant singer-songwriter Paul Kelly live is an opportunity not to be missed. This occasion, as it turned out, presented two back-to-back, surprisingly intimate evenings. With the release of his Mongrel Memoir, How To Make Gravy and a companion 8-CD live release of the same name, Kelly-who, in Australia, sits on the other side of God-has amassed a rich catalogue over his 37+ years career. Appearing to bear the mysticism of an entire country on his shoulders, Kelly-unwittingly serving as his country’s ambassador-has become Australia’s most beloved export. Stripping his songs back to their original forms, Kelly and talented cousin, Dan, have been touring the novel concept of starting with songs beginning with A and, over two to four nights, ending with songs beginning with Z. If it sounds silly, it’s not-working surprisingly well (not unlike a game show, guessing what he’ll choose next …) while offering fans true insights into his selections. The combination of Paul’s vocals, acoustic guitar, piano and harmonica and Dan’s outlandish ability to “orchestrate’ each composition with his 6-stringed skills, mandolin, ukulele, harmonies and a sea of effects results in delivering more than your basic night of acoustic flashbacks. Indeed, many of the songs are reinvented (many were originally full-blown band numbers). Hard to believe that Kelly has such power-his tiny frame and polite, soft-spoken demeanour barely lends itself to someone who sits atop a stockpile of critical praise and countless awards. He writes like some painters paint, his gift of prose encompassing an acute sense of time and place: detailing love and marriage, political causes, tragedies, troubled lives and everyman’s reality. The two-man show makes it easier to champion the songs themselves-the words and the melodies becoming the stars of the show. From Anastasia to Gossip’s Leaps and Bounds, Kelly’s first night was the quieter of the two, as Kelly’s living room approach to his fans took a little getting used to, somehow. Songs like I Wasted Time, How to Make Gravy and the disturbing God Told Me To proved highlights, with Dan Kelly kicking in with searing solos along the way. Rockers like I Keep on Coming Back For More, where both players switched to electric, were suitably adrenaline-pumped. On the second night, both fans and artists felt part of an exclusive club-with more genuine banter and a more relaxed feel, overall. From the beautiful Meet You In the Middle of the Air, inspired by Psalm 23 and sung a capella to Oldest Story in the Book provided nice set-ups to Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and crowd-pleasers like Sydney From a 747 and To Her Door showcased exceptional guitar from both players. Kelly’s They Thought I was Asleep was especially powerful, sung solo, accompanying himself on harp. Dan provided Paul with an animated break with his own Bindi Irwin Apocalypse Jam-hamming it up despite the fact it’s the pop centerpiece of his DREAM album. Returning with the stunning love story between father and son, When I First Met Your Ma, nicely offset by the hilarious Winter Coat. The delicate Zoe closed the set but not before Paul returned, alone, for You Can’t Take It With You while Dan came back for a reggae-fied version of You’re So Fine, followed by Summer Rain and Kelly’s penultimate tune, From Little Things Big Things Grow-based on a true story of Aboriginals standing their ground. There were no casual fans present. Some may have started that way the night before but, from A to Z, you could only leave an event like this as a hardcore follower, bent on spreading the word. Find out more at 

Review Date November 3, 2011 Review By David Knowles Location The Maltings, Ely Legendary British r&b band paid a welcome visit to my home town, a gig I just could not miss. I have been a big fan of Dr Feelgood since 1976 when my brother bought me the album STUPIDITY for my 15th birthday and then took me to see them at the Kursaal in Southend. I have been to a great many concerts and gigs over the years, far too many to try and count, plus have seen some of the biggest acts including Rolling Stones and Lynyrd Skynyrd at Knebworth, the Who and SAHB at Charlton Football Ground, Queen in Hyde Park, plus Pink Floyd, Genesis, Highwaymen, Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Cash, the Eagles … the list is extensive, but that gig in Southend still rates as one of the best and is one of my greatest and most treasured memories. Unfortunately none of the original members are still in the band now but the current line-up are still serving up a great dose of r&b for all who need some musical medication from the good Doctor! A slightly disappointing turn-out but those of us who braved the rain were treated to a terrific show. Support act was a group called Absolution who only formed in May 2010, but this power rock trio blasted their name into everyone’s heads. With the pounding drums of Doug Lang alongside the solid bass guitar of Ben Gardner this proved a mighty solid rhythm sound to accompany the fine vocals and scything guitar of Joe Fawcett. Playing a mix of songs from their album ISSUES alongside very good covers, this band are definitely worth looking up. Joe only took up the guitar in 2004 yet is far better than a lot of the lead guitarists in many of the newer commercial styled pop/rock bands. His guitar solos were effortless and he always seemed in absolute control. They finished their set with fantastic covers of two classics; Johnny B Goode and Hey Joe. After a short interval Dr Feelgood stormed the stage, going straight for the jugular with old favourites like I Can Tell, the phenomenal bass guitar-driven Roxette and their biggest selling single Milk And Alcohol. I have to be completely honest in that I miss seeing the awesome Lee Brilleaux powering out the vocals on these songs (Lee sadly passed away in 1994) but I also cannot take anything away from the dynamite singer Robert Kane who is probably the only person who could possibly have taken over the role left by the great man. His vocals are tremendous and he commands the stage excellently, in fact he has more stage presence, personality and vocal prowess in his little finger than many of these young wannabes that grace the charts have in their whole bodies. Kane darts about the stage like a man on a mission whilst delivering aggressively powerful vocals interspersed with mighty harmonica playing. Dr Feelgood have always had one of the best rhythm sections in the business and Kevin Morris (drums) and Phil Mitchell (bass guitar) carry that tradition on … brilliant! Last but by no means least, is the scintillating guitar work of Steve Walwyn who played awesome guitar throughout as well as some exceptional slide on an old blues number on which he also took on lead vocals. It was then back to the old again with the classic Back In The Night which has been a favourite at Dr Feelgood gigs for over thirty years. These guys have now been playing together for quite a few years, with Kevin and Phil joining in 1983, Steve in 1989, making Robert the new boy as he joined twelve years ago and has since played over 1,000 shows. A song that they have made a signature tune for the band is Down By The Jetty Blues on which Kane again gives a full throttle vocal as well as playing some wicked blues harp, but it is also a platform to showcase the talent of Walwyn on lead guitar, as the other three leave the stage Steve remains to play an extended guitar solo to the delight of the crowd. The harmonica of Kane is forefront again on the excellent Going Back Home, before closing the set with Down At The Doctors and some tremendous rock”n’roll on Gimme One More Shot. The crowd may have been small but they were still very vocal and the band were quickly called back for an encore, on which they kept the rock”n’roll feel going with a supersonic version of (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 before bringing this super evening to a close with the fun medley Bonie Moronie/Tequila. This was a hugely entertaining evening with Absolution being a group to watch out for and Dr Feelgood keeping the British r&b flag flying high, they are still one of the best on the circuit and I hope that these guys will carry on for many more years to come … long live Dr Feelgood. Find out more at 

Review Date October 30, 2011 Review By John Jobling Location Gateshead Old Town Hall Maverick readers should need little introduction to this band … having been well-played by Bob Harris on Radio Two as well as an appearance on Jools Holland a couple of years ago … they have performed regularly in the UK. In fact this is the third of their wonderful shows I’ve seen as Chatham County Line (CCL) have been regularly booked by the Jumping Hot Club. I can put it no better than the introduction given by the Hot Club’s own Geoff who stated that, in his opinion: “Singer Dave Wilson has the most soulful voice in bluegrass’ … and you know what? He’s right! To call CCL purely a bluegrass band is doing them a massive disservice. Yes they play in the traditional bluegrass manner, all congregated around a single microphone as they weave in and out to sing/play their parts like a well-oiled train timetable. But CCL bring an extra dimension to the genre. I am sure this is due in no small part to the high quality of the original songwriting they bring to their music. With no new material to promote this gave an opportunity for a packed Town Hall to hear songs from throughout the band’s career. Considering that career encompasses five albums in their eight year recording history we were in for a treat. Playing in front of the State Flag Of North Carolina they kicked off with Route 23 from the album of the same name telling the tale of an “old boarded up gas station’ that became so due to the building of a new highway that bypassed the town. There followed more songs based around stories and people from their native state including Wildwood, Country Boy City Blues-that they played for Jools-and By The Riverside were just a few of the delights we were treated to. Interspersed were little cameos of banjo tunes by the just brilliant John Teare and a glorious mandolin instrumental named after a girl, Paige, with whom he had a dinner date then never heard from again, which somehow inspired the tune. It is hard to express in words just how talented and hardworking these four guys are. All dressed in sharp suits and ties with Dave Wilson sporting a fine whiskers and beard they look more like bankers than musicians. But when they came out for an encore of requests and played, for me their best two songs Birmingham Jail-a heartrending tale of bigotry that led to the murder of innocent children that was played with such an intensity it seemed as if the boot-heels stamping on the choruses would ignite sparks on the stage-and The Carolinian a train song of unrequited love about a beautiful girl who was going on to Richmond while the singer had to leave at Raleigh where his wife was expecting his child: “… When the train reached the station, she looked me in the eye/Said, come with me to Richmond and we’ll start a brand new life/Well you know that moment still weighs on my mind/”Cause I took my body to Raleigh, and left my heart behind She’s in Richmond with my heart-And I’m bound for Carolina …’ says it all. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house after that. Soulful bluegrass indeed! Find out more at 

Review Date September 1, 2011 Review By Alan Harrison Location Ronnie Scott’s Club, Soho, London If Ronnie Scott’s Club in Soho isn’t the best music venue in the world it’s certainly the coolest. I’ve dreamt of visiting this legendary venue since the mid 1970s when I would see their advert in Melody Maker every week; so seeing that James Hunter had a 3 night residency when I was visiting my family in London was a dream come true-the best of British r&b at the spiritual home of British jazz; what’s not to like? For those of you who have never been, it’s a magical place with flickering candles on every table and every seat provides the audience for a perfect view of the stage. This was the fourth consecutive year James has played the club, but this time it was for two sold out shows on each of three nights and the audience was a bizarre mix of Hunter fans, regular Ronnie Scott patrons and plenty of tourists. The atmosphere crackled as James and the band made their entrance for the first show and whizzed through their opening number She’s Got A Way. People Gonna Talk and No Smoke Without Fire set the tone for the evening as they were both slightly more restrained than usual and smouldered like a coal fire on a winter’s evening. The club’s semi-strict “no dancing’ rule was quickly flaunted around the tiny bar area during the country shuffle Don’t Walk Away and remained that way for the next hour and more. Hunter isn’t the most prolific of songwriters but managed to introduce three new songs tonight, with the tender heartbreak song Drop On Me being the first on show. The Hunter band have been playing together for quite a few years now and you can tell, as Andrew Kingslow’s piano and organ playing is as authentic as it gets, drummer Jonathan Lee and double-bassist Jason Wilson keep time like a Swiss watch which allows Damian and Lee on saxes the freedom to swing like pendulums and James gets to do what he does best out front. Their combined interplay was amazing all night and it makes a change to see a band smiling all night. The sweet soul of Hand It Over was as smooth as silk, Hard Way had my toes tapping and Hunter’s rasping warble on There’s A Riot Going On must be the best advert for smoking cigarettes since the Marlboro Man! By the time of the second new song; the Chuck Berry-influenced Betty Lou the band were in full flow and not only did James’ under-rated guitar playing come to the fore but Kingslow’s organ was virtually smoking by the end! It wouldn’t be a James Hunter gig without the obligatory 5 Royale songs and tonight we had two, Baby Don’t Do It and Think which surely must be the embodiment of r&b but he also slipped in a rare Bo Diddley cover-Dearest followed by the final new song, Down Home Girl was a real Chicago blues belter and left the fans drooling at the prospect of the new album. What more can I say? I saw one of my favourite ever acts play in a venue that I’ve only ever dreamed of visiting and the combination had me misty eyed as I made my way through a steamy Soho on the way to the Tube station at midnight. Find out more at 

Review Date September 8, 2011 Review By Alan Harrison Location The Live Theatre, Newcastle It was a pleasant surprise to see that advance ticket sales had moved this concert from the intimate upstairs room to the much larger theatre on the ground floor. Local band the Sour Mash Trio got the evening off to a rip-roaring start with their take on roots-rock and rockabilly with forty-five minutes of their own articulate dance tunes and a few classic Cash, Jones and Slaid Cleaves songs thrown in for good measure. With songs as good as Strawberry Wine, Travelling and the tearjerker Empty Bottles And Broken Hearts they won’t be playing “support’ for much longer. You heard it here first! Davy from the Sour Mash Trio had earlier teased the audience that Otis had shaved his beard off and was going to wear a silver jumpsuit; so there was a collective sigh and giggle when the Bard of Wannamaker, Indiana arrived on stage, beard intact and wearing his usual work clothes. After greeting some friends in the audience he opened his set with the rye observations of Small Town Saturday Night, which many of us could relate to. This was followed by the touching and graceful Kansas City whose sentiment is well suited to Gibbs’ grizzled voice; think of Tom Waits actually carrying a tune. Those who have seen him before know what a great raconteur Otis is and his stories always mix just the right amount of humour and pathos to keep everyone in the palm of his hand. This was evident in the well told story leading up to The People’s Day with its chorus of: “One day our whispers/will be louder than your screams/the People’s Day will come.’ To the cynics among us, this is a throwback to the protest songs of the 1960s … but what’s wrong with that, if the man has something to say? And he has! And we sung the chorus with gusto. One of my favourite songs on the recent JOE HILL’S ASHES is Something More and tonight’s version and the story of getting old without noticing until your friends begin dying made it incredibly poignant and even better than the recorded version. We had songs about pawn shops, Greyhound buses and union strikes plus stories about “slappers’ in Norwich and his first ever visit to a British football match as the night flew by. Otis even slipped in a couple of new songs, one of which was Caroline a simple but powerful song about a battered wife, that was heartbreaking and beautiful in equal measures but deserves to be heard by the whole world, not just 200 people in a lovely theatre. The concert came to a charming end when Otis left the stage to wander among the crowd, serenading the multitude with Charles Bridge before disappearing through the doors (to the merch table!). Otis Gibbs and the Sour Mash Trio in the same venue on a summer’s evening was a pairing that legends are made of. Find out more at 

Review Date September 13-18, 2011 Review By Eric Thom Location Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada There’s not a business-savvy festival anywhere who won’t claim its hard-earned exclusivity to “uniqueness’ but precious few own the bragging rights to actually doing more than processing a large number of musical acts to as many people as possible. The key lies in its positioning. Landing in Fredericton’s tiny airport, you’re reminded that you’ve arrived somewhere quite different from the norm. The pace is slower. The people, friendly beyond belief. When you stop at sidewalk’s edge to wait for passing cars before crossing the road-drivers stop their cars, motioning you forward. Gradually, a down-home warmth envelopes you-and it feels good. Now in its 21st year, this Festival follows the same model it did in its infancy. This event is the pride of New Brunswick-it’s a once-a-year musical blow-out and its wheels are greased on the enthusiastic participation of over 1,000 volunteers who want nothing more from their labour than to make sure you are treated to the best time you ever had. It’s a secret they’re happy to let you in on, provided you can appreciate the difference. The Festival grounds are breathtaking-a total of 27 stages situated in the downtown area well within walking distance of each other-a stone toss from the banks of the St. John River. As a backdrop, the city is renowned for its Victorian-style architecture and towering elms with the charming effect of time having stood still here. This is further reinforced by beautifully restored historic properties (circa 1785) while endless lush parks, trails that skirt the river and walkways make the most of Mother Nature’s grandeur. Massive, hurricane-proof tents make up the four key stages and the ready-for-anything weather has yet to spoil this event for its hardcore music fans, who are more concerned with taking everything in than they are with anything the weather might conjure. The other ingredient that transforms this annual event into a source of fierce pride is an unfailing proposition of blending national and international talent with up-and-coming local players. The fact that a young, promising blues act can rub shoulders and chat with a Taj Mahal or a John (JJ) Grey, let alone open for them, results in an animated and adoring audience who make the immediate connection that their talent can compete with the best in the world. Another Harvest truism is the gentle awakening that world-class artists get when exposed to a hospitable people who go out of their way to make them comfortable and see to their needs, breaking down the barriers that often come with big city security and overly-managed acts. Take Warren Haynes’ headliner show-in which the artist was isolated from the people he’s playing for, banning photographers from the photo pit, no real crowd interaction, playing a rather generic set before he’s on to the next show with barely a taste of where he’s just been. What is more typical is the realisation that the artist can drop their handlers, walk amongst the crowd and meet real people who love them for what they do-without a threat-and for taking part in “the best Fest in the country.’ Volunteers driving them to and from their sound checks will act as tour guides, if not invite them back to their house for a home-cooked meal. JJ Grey and Mofro noticed this the last time through in 2009. Audience response to their soulful brand of southern blues was over the top and they were glad to return, this time more knowledgeable about how they’d be treated and how sincere and giving their audience would be. Three phenomenal sets marked a highlight of this year’s festival-as if everyone who’d gotten a taste of the band two years prior had bought all their music, committed it to memory-clearly knowing all the lyrics, and presented the band with heartfelt adoption papers. And the band responded in kind-upping their ante and having a ball while they bathed in the glory of a homegrown Harvest reception. Isolate yourself from your fans? Not on your life for the artists who can celebrate the bond that the Harvest is quick to offer. These people are not being paid to make this work-they’re here to celebrate their shot at 5 days of blissful music-and in keeping it a success as an annual event, pleased as punch that you might be able to join them. The Atlantic provinces have always been a hotbed of prodigious musical talent. Smaller, upstart acts aimed at younger audiences have their venues-acts like She Roars! and Carmen Townsend have their enthusiastic followers in this university town and the Festival gives them their shot. Programmes like Galaxie Rising Stars encourage new artists to compete for their chance to win cash prizes and a Festival showcase opening for a major artist. The International Blues Challenge provides a talent ladder to win paid expenses to compete in this annual challenge in Memphis, Tennessee to win on a major scale. Last year’s winner, Matt Anderson, cleaned up and took home the honours-the first time a Canadian act has done so amidst a sea of US-based talent. Anderson’s career has caught fire and the local hero treated the party faithful to a headline set on Saturday night, together with a late night jam with 4 other Maritime blues heroes. One highlight of the Festival this year was the winner of a specific contest organised by New Brunswick Tourism-a UK Battle of the Bands competition involving over 100 acts who competed regionally before the finals in London, the winner of which would be flown to New Brunswick, shown the sights and given key slots in the Festival show programme. This band was sensational: 24 Pesos. An odd name for a band from England perhaps, but their level of professional musicianship and their hook-laden, soulful blues was a major hit of the entire Festival line-up. New Brunswick made a big impression on them-whale watching and cycling the nature trails, together with the response from

Review Date September 16-18, 2011 Review By Brian T. Atkinson Location Zilker Park, Austin, TX “I was making my set list this morning and thought: “Let’s start this thing the right way,’ Brandi Carlile announced early Friday afternoon. She did. The current Seattle resident’s fiery originals (Closer To You, Dreams) and furious covers (the Johnny Cash medley Jackson/Ring of Fire) provided the tenth annual Austin City Limits Music Festival’s earliest highlights. Carlile’s heart (the brand-new hill country clap-along Keep Your Heart Young) and hunger (the rambunctious Raise Hell) positively elevated the AMD stage, exponentially growing her crowd by the minute. New fans down front gleefully celebrated their discovery. Established enthusiasts grinned openly. The 30-year-old singer-songwriter’s outsize personality and rapidly expanding audience deftly mirrored this festival itself. After all, ACL sold out again this year before the line-up-a beefy all-genres collective ultimately stronger than most years-was even announced. Key recent addition: Additional nighttime gigs by select bands at downtown Austin venues. That wise approach augments the gathering without further crowding the grounds. “They could have a bigger festival if they had a bigger venue, but I think part of [the charm] is that it’s all there within 10 steps,” Asleep at the Wheel front man Ray Benson told me before Carlile’s set. “[Promoter] C3 has been really generous in allowing after shows without paranoia most have about them cannibalising their festival.” For the tenth straight year, Benson’s band (an outfit that turned 40 last year) launched the weekend with buoyant western swing. “You’ve got to have some sort of tradition,” Benson said, laughing. “We’ve created a really cool following [even though] we’re not the kind of band that they book on this festival, period. It’s mostly headline acts and alternative stuff. They do very little country music, so it’s really an honour for Asleep at the Wheel.” The Wheel and Carlile might’ve been country music’s beginning and end on Friday, but scattershot sets throughout the weekend scored high points across the board and proved ACL’s best country music line-up in years. Saturday, effectively ladies day with stunning sets by Alison Krauss and Union Station, Gillian Welch and the Court Yard Hounds, was worth ticket price alone. Sunday, which included excellent turns by Oscar-winning songwriters Ryan Bingham and Randy Newman, doubled down immediately. Only problematic scheduling stifled this from being ACL’s overall best showing: Krauss was pitted against the compelling Abigail Washburn, Newman played alongside skyrocketing local Hayes Carll, headliner Stevie Wonder drew significantly from My Morning Jacket’s crowd. Several attendees passionately voiced disapproval at like-minded acts competing for attention. No matter. Jack Ingram delivered good news Sunday afternoon. “I’m Jack Ingram and I play country music!’ the 40-year-old mainstream hit-maker proclaimed with decided joy inside the gospel tent. Ingram’s equal measures past (Biloxi, the Todd Snider co-write Barbie Doll) and present (Keep On Keepin’ On, a brand-new song probably titled Religiously) marked the weekend’s purest honky-tonk moment. Ingram drove home the point as he introduced Jonesin’ for Haggard: “Do you want to hear a country song? This is about drinking, cheating, George Jones, Merle Haggard and my hero, Willie Nelson.’ Meanwhile, Carll, whose seamless newest album KMAG YOYO shows his peak form, undeniably offered ACL’s most diverse set, effortlessly matching country (Chances Are, Bottle In My Hand) with folk (the Guy Clark co-write Rivertown) and rock (KMAG YOYO, Trouble in Mind). Now, talk about growth: Seven years ago, Carll was playing a sleepy afternoon set during this festival-at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels (nearly an hour south). This year he closed out the Austin Ventures stage with thousands frantically cheering every lyric. Perhaps Carll’s ascent reflects the festival’s arc even better than Carlile does. Either way, as Benson noted: “they’re doing something right.” Find out more at