Sara Peacock
It was 2019 when Sarah Peacock played at LRB along with Michelle Malone and so a timely welcome back.
Never underestimate what a great singer-songwriter, producer can achieve alone on stage because the standard is very high.
Lightning Rod was the opening number, to set the scene followed byTornado in a Trailer Park. This was decided upon as Sarah heard the news of Tornados at her home in Nashville. You will find this song on Sarah’s 2016 Album DREAM ON, track 3.
HBO (Home Box Office) network are featuring one of Sarah’s songs, Who You Are on a national TV show, a first for Sarah that drew some deserved applause before we got to enjoy the song live.
Sarah admits to being a social justice songwriter before performing Girls Like Me which is also the tentative title to a new album yet to be released. Something to look forward to indeed.
Sarah recently became a mother with a little girl called Willow who she was understandably missing badly whilst on this tour. Sarah is concerned for her future growing up, not to experience the bullying she endured that inspired the next song, Cool Kids, going back to Sarah’s 2020 BURN THE WITCH album, track 4.
Next we enjoyed Take a Little Time, a song they played for Willow in hospital after she was born, to calm her. What better than a mothers voice, especially if she is a singer… Track 9 On BURN THE WITCH.
Sarah tells us how she met Danni Nicholls at a show in Nashville having lived there 22 years, and Danni visiting for 12 years, and they had never met. Now here they are, doing a show together at LRB before playing Mojave, again from the BURN THE WITCH album, track 3. It’s funny how life works out.
Next we enjoy Crazy On You as requested by Stan, J and Lyn. Originally written and performed by the amazing band HEART from their 1976 Album DREAMBOAT ANNIE. Some classic rock expertly performed, even if Sarah hadn’t played it live in a while… You’d never guess…
Sarah tells us how much she loves her job and the joy of live music with its sense of community and strong healing power, before telling the story of how Haystack was written at a song writing retreat in Alaska. This is another one ready for the new album, it’s in the can already. There is a version on the 2016 DREAM ON album.
So we come to the last song of this set but Sarah will be back in the second half singing BV’s in Danni Nicholls band.
BURN THE WITCH is the album and this is the title song, a social justice song and a fine way to close this set with a yearning from Sarah for more kindness and justice in the world.
Thank you Sarah Peacock
Finally we come to Danni Nicholls as she breaks the record for the greatest number of appearances at LRB.
In the USA, Danni’s work permit describes her as ‘An Alien Of Extraordinary Talent’, and who are we to disagree (apart from the Alien bit)
Extraordinary Talent is always welcome on the LRB stage, it’s the reason we do this, to expose great artists to the people in a fun communal way, and tonight we have the perfect example of this…
Jonathan presents Danni with her favourite whisky as he introduces her 8th appearance at LRB and the band strike up Wild Is The Water from Danni’s 2019 Album THE MELTED MORNING Track 1. Something familiar for us all and a great chance for the band to start showing their talents also, this is going to be a great night…
Danni, excited to break our record extols the virtues of the LRB, takes a sip of Whisky and fills us in on what she has been up to in the past year, accidentally moving to America is an important milestone in her career, before playing a couple of new songs. First up The Wreckage followed by the lovely Making Moves, another break up song but full of hope…
Danni Introduced the band before Making Moves, and what a band! Who she pulled together for only two special shows…
Sam Barrett plays a fine guitar with Dave Banks on bass duties and Ryan Barns on drums… Extraordinary talent attracts more of the same to accompany them, I mean… Sarah Peacock on backing vocals… That’s more than enough talent for any stage. With Simon Allen controlling the sound we were truly blessed and the applause said it all.
Beautifully Broken is next (another break up song) from Danni’s 2015 Break Up Album, MOCKINGBIRD LANE track 7.
“Time for a sing along” Danni tells us… I always say it, if you come to the LRB, you are part of the band… Back To Memphis has a great sing along chorus, taken from the MOCKINGBIRD LANE album and it’s good to hear the LRB audience join in so well.
Now Sam sets up his lap steel guitar as Danni tells us the story of her latest album steeped in country music inspired by her grandmother playing these songs at home.
Apparently there are a lot of country music fans in India, who knew? and Danni has covered 5 classic country songs along with some new material of her own.
Sarah Peacock produced the album in her studio cabin in Nashville, using vintage mics that would have been familiar to Patsy Cline and Elvis. The title track which we enjoyed next, is a tribute to her Grandmother and how she met her husband back in the day… Under The Neem Plum Tree. It’s a great album, beautifully recorded too.
Danni says hi to her mum who was in the audience tonight enjoying the show, before she performs Blue Bayou a 1977 hit for Linda Ronstadt, the original of which you will find on Linda’s SIMPLE DREAMS album as well as this version On UNDER THE NEEM PLUM TREE.
Crazy, another classic written by Willie Nelson and made famous by Patsy Cline is next on the set list for us to enjoy, and enjoy it we did. Danni brings fresh life to this great music.
The two originals from the new album are next with Sam Barrett now playing violin expertly.
First, an old song given a new country treatment. Between the River and the Railway followed by Ancient Embers from the MELTED MORNING album but reworked for the new album.
The Eye a Brandi Carlile cover sees Sarah playing Danni’s guitar as we enjoyed some amazing harmonies fuelled by another sip of the whisky as the band took a short break. THE FIREWATCHER’S DAUGHTER is the 2015 album which contains the original.
Another singalong next, Where The Blue Train Goes, a familiar tune to most of the audience and another easy song to join in with, and join in we all did, the band just made it all look and sound so easy as they slipped into playing Hear Your Voice, Danni’s Woman’s Empowerment song to be found on The MELTED MORNING album.
The last song, a song Danni always ends on, inspired by a WI poem is A Little Redemption originally a poem by Charles Austin Powers, originally from Nashville… and a good hum along… Sarah showed off her Hum is where the heart is T Shirt inspired by this great song before the band rocked out the LRB stage as the audience hummed along…
But we couldn’t leave it there, we wanted more and we got it, Travelling Man is a great up tempo country rocker from MOCKINGBIRD LANE giving the band another chance to show off their skills… Sam swaps his guitar for the violin mid song giving us a real Country Hoe Down feel to the climax.
The applause said it all, another classic night at LRB. Thank you Danni Nicholls, Sarah Peacock and the boys in the band
Editor:
Thanks to DANNI NICHOLLS with her wonderfully talented band featuring Sarah Peacock, Sam Barrett, Dave Banks and Ryan Barnes and SARA PEACOCK for a marking the record breaking eight appearance of LRB fave Danni Nicholls.
Thanks to everyone involved with the production: Simon Allen sound engineer and Geoff lighting tech; The fabulous little rabbit crew of Chris on video cameras and setup, Stan on setup and artist merchandise, Brian running Little Rabbit Bar and big thanks to Chris and Rebecca for helping Lyn. Paul and Karen with takedown.
Thank you again to Geoff Lee for running the show lighting and further work setting up and programming our lighting fixtures. The photos, video and audience experience are further improved.
Review: Chris
Video cams: Chris and Paul
Photography: Andy Sheard, Alan the Hat
Artist/guest hospitality: Lyn/Rebecca and Chris
Artist Merchandise: Stan
AV editing & audio mix: J
Artists: Terry
Sound: Simon Allen
To all wonderful LRB guests and friends who support live music at LRB, big thanks for supporting live music and hope to see y’all next time. Big thanks to all the new guests and all your lovely comments.
We will be ready to welcome back JENNY COLQUITT with her band on Saturday 08 June 2024.
Best wishes, Keep Safe & See Y’all soon
The LRB team
