Once more the weather attempted to thwart us at LRB, but as if by magic, the sun came out as Chasing Summer arrived for their sound check. If ever there was an apt name for a performing duo, this was it, and our spirits were lifted…
Tammy Rochelle Bamber with her husband Joseph Bamber opened tonight’s show on this stop of their From Nashville tour featuring 23 dates across Europe in support of Tammy’s latest album LOST IN YOUR ARMS.
Liberty opened the set and Tammy was “super brave” inviting us all to join in from the start, apparently we impressed her… Laughs…
Joseph demonstrates the Harmony Box that replaces the choir on Summertime the opening track on Tammy’s solo album as we clapped along.
The Harmony box made great robot impressions when used to talk through “Robot Situation” Laughs Tammy.
Live This Life is next, a hill billy rock love song that Joseph wrote. “We don’t know what genre it is really so we will call it Americana… that’s mix mash of everything except RAP”… laughs…
Joseph tells us that they trade instruments a lot on stage and are used to doing it whilst avoiding what the Germans call Cable Salad. Laughs…
Naive is next, Track 6 from LOST IN YOUR ARMS.
As a prize on the Kickstarter campaign for Tammy’s new album she offered to write a song for someone. That’s not as easy as you may think but we get to enjoy Where You Go.
Joseph sings We Can Be (1+1=1), Track 4 from the CHASING SUMMER album, a romantic song he wrote for Tammy when they had only recently met. Tammy Played Ukulele on this as well as the next song It’s Gonna Rain, a song Tammy wrote reflecting on personal tragedy. It was uplifting though, as Joseph coached us in vocal harmonies. Track 5 from Tammy’s new album. I always say it but if you come to the Little Rabbit Barn, you are in the band for sure…
There for me featuring Tammy’s Robot Rap at the start which caused a giggle… followed, before another instrument trade and the last number Lay em Down. This prompted even more audience participation bringing the opening set to an uplifting close. Thank you Chasing Summer.
Natalie Shay with Joey on second guitar upped the tempo with This Feeling her 2018 single, followed by Sober.
Natalie jokes about Joey and her not being a husband and wife duo… yet… laughs… The look on Joey’s face was priceless…
Waiting at The End is next, a political song with some nice guitar work by Joey.
A sad song now, one Natalie wrote at aged 15 about a boy who didn’t like her back, called I will let go. I wonder where he is now? not performing at the LRB for sure. More nice playing from Joey here.
Someone To Trust follows, a great song full of light and shade. Then Yesterday Natalie’s latest single not the Beatles classic…
Love Can Be Replaced is the last song from this fine up and coming artist, Natalie certainly puts all her energy into performing her music and by the sound of the applause has gained a lot of new fans tonight.
Thank you Natalie Shay and Joey, you did us proud.
Now we have a chance to chat and mingle whilst enjoying the food Lyn and her team have prepared. Coronation Chicken followed by Apple crumble deserts.
All of this and the raffle makes an evening at the LRB an absolute bargain in anyone’s book, especially considering the artists we have already enjoyed and the wonderful performance that is to come in the shape of Dean Owens and The Southerners.
Picture of Morag Neil | Scary Biscuits Promotions | with Stan Hurrell everyone’s favourite merch man
The Southerners being Tom Collison on Bass and Hammond Organ & Jim Maving on Guitar and Mandolin. They managed one rehearsal and one test gig before tonight’s show and this goes to confirm the quality of musicianship we are honoured to be able to present for you all. They certainly are the A team…
When the Whisky’s Not Enough Track 4 from the SOUTHERN WIND album opened and laid down a marker of quality, we knew this would be special.
Dean, holding his Guild acoustic guitar, told his stories with a promise of melancholic songs supported by miserable ones… laughs.
Elvis Was My Brother was a personal tribute to the loss of his sister.
Gibson acoustic time now as Dean tells of memories of camping on the North Highland Way inspired by the sound of the zip as he entered the LRB marquee, and the banter flowed…
Dean has been writing songs with Neilson Hubbard & Will Kimbrough, and was inspired by a homeless man thumbing a lift with a sign saying Anything Helps as he was being driven around Nashville. Track 8 from SOUTHERN WIND and the first to feature his whistling.
Whistling has kicked off for Dean and he fantasises of travelling the world with just a case revealing only lip balm. A lot easier than travelling with guitars. Guest Whistle, Dean Owens…
Virginia Street follows, a song about Glasgow and Kris Kristofferson. Track 5 from INTO THE SEA, Dean’s 2015 album.
Back to the Guild as Dean tells us of his roots in Leith and how he has been trying to claim it back from The Proclaimers… Laughs…
Dean credits Tom Collison and Jim Maving for their respective talents before Up On The Hill, Track 7 from INTO THE SEA. A song about finding a place to go to heal. Some fine slide guitar here from Jim that drew very well deserved spontaneous applause.
Dean introduces us to Deano’s bar before delivering his sales pitch with a certain wit!
Closer to Home is a tribute to people returning from conflict, Track 2 from INTO THE SEA. That is probably an album we should all own for sure.
“Do you want a happy song?” Dean asks. Yes… “A happy song about someone on Death Row then”, laughs…
Deano’s bar was opened again as Dean handed his hip flask to Tom and Jim for a nip before introducing The Night Johnny Cash Played San Quentin from the album CASHBACK. “That’s an album and not a service” he quips… Jim Maving’s Guitar playing drew even more applause. A great great song.
The boys leave the stage for Dean to play a couple of solo songs, “Something even more miserable he quips”. “There is more to life than enjoying yourself”, we are assured. Laughs… The Worry Dolls even bought him a mug with that slogan on which he professes to use every day.
Evergreen, track 3 from INTO THE SEA is a beautiful song, again inspired by personal loss.
Dean presents these heart breaking songs with such joy and humour that they are irresistible and you can’t get the melodies out of your head.
Lost Time is next as a solo, a song he doesn’t play often and track 5 from NEW YORK HUMMINGBIRD his 2012 release. We all joined in with this lovely chorus at the end, the LRB in fine voice once more.
Now Tom and Jim return to the stage as Dean thanks the LRB team and we are promised a happy song along with an immediate price cut on the CD’s.
Mother is a song about his mother’s gift of getting sayings all mixed up like ‘Burning the midnight oil at both ends’, and ‘you can’t break a cracked cup’.
Danny Wilson from Danny and the Champions of the World helped Dean finish the song. She is a great support, and yes, it’s a happy song…
Another nip from the hip flask precedes this next song with Jim on Mandolin as Dean makes a last sales pitch and works out which song they are actually going to play… confusion reigned for a moment… laughs…
Dean tells us about his vinyl only albums from the Buffalo Blood project highlighting the plight of displace people from the point of view of native Americans. “This song is unrehearsed and without a safety net”, Reservations. Fabulous! As we all sang along at the end.
A special mention must go to Tom Collison for playing Bass Guitar and Organ at the same time, that’s some feat…
Jim Maving back on his Stratocaster plays a lovely intro to No Way Round, Track 6 from SOUTHERN WIND. A real anthemic song that builds and builds allowing Jim to shine with Dean on his knees driving the beat before the superb rock n roll finish.
Now we get the song that won the AMA UK song of the year. Written with Will Kimbrough from Mobil Alabama and sung in tribute to Dr John who recently passed away. Southern Wind, the album’s title track.
More incredible slide playing from Jim, a song that well deserves the award and another chance for the LRB choir to shine and applaud.
Encore time as Dean takes another nip and gives thanks “This is our second show, It’s all down hill guys”.
After a Ronnie Lane listening session with Will Kimbrough and seeing the title of a book about him Dean and Will wrote The Last Song.
We are invited to whoop and holla every time Dean plays the harmonica like they do for Dylan and Springsteen… “as no one normally does”… Of course we did that with aplomb.
This was such a catchy singalong, one could even say a happy song and a fine way to close the show. More of the LRB choir, you couldn’t help yourself joining in as the lyrics called out in tribute to so many lost artists. A standing ovation was the very least we could offer. That’s what live music is all about.
