Jasmine Rodgers opened tonight’s show admitting to a sudden onset of hay-fever but with the biggest smile across her face, clearly happy to be on the LRB stage with an appreciative audience.
Follow You opens the set from Her BLOOD RED SUN album followed by Shaping Up To Be, a song for her nephew from the same 2016 album.
Next, a special moment as Dave Khan steps up to accompany Jasmine on viola as she performs Blood Red Sun with her ukulele. These special arrangements highlight the magic that can happen in the Green Room when great musicians meet… Dave is a true pro Jasmine tells us…
Back on the Guild acoustic guitar Jasmine plays What I want
Let It Burn follows, also from the album before she dons her Fender Jaguar electric guitar, something rare for Jasmine in a solo set, we are told.
Jasmine has the audience laughing as she sets up a depressing song, titled Flies, inspired by a fly trapped and probably born within a double glazed window, its opportunities and freedoms are clearly limited.
The Tempest, written about, breaking up, making up, then breaking up again… “OK, it’s not about him it’s about the weather” Jasmine tells us… Laughs, before she tells us two spiders just walked across her set list… “Love Springs Eternal”… More laughs…
Now we have a couple of new songs, recorded this week as Jasmine nervously introduces them for their first public hearing, whilst also extolling the virtues of vary-focal contact lenses and enjoying the sound of the blackbirds outside as she tunes the Jaguar to play Old Planet, vocally covering the cello solo parts.
A quick re tune and we enjoy Sense inspired by long river walks during lockdown to reclaim her sanity, Jasmine tells us.
Two Years, from Jasmine’s self titled 2010 EP, raises the tempo before the last song before her voice gives out.
Apparently her father advised her to never admit if you have a cold on stage… Too late… Laughs…
Jasmine thanks everyone, clearly happy to be at the LRB especially thanking Andy Sheard for promoting the LRB to her.
Icicles, inspired by the mountains of Columbia and played on the ukulele closes Jasmine’s fine set to a large well deserved applause. Thank you Jasmine Rodgers.
After another amazing food break and a chance to stretch our legs, we introduce Reb Fountain on her 2nd visit to the LRB, this time with her own band of Dave Khan, keys, viola, guitar. Karin Canzek bass and Earl Robertson playing drums and percussion, on a flying 5 day visit from New Zealand.
If you were not familiar with Reb Fountain, this show was the perfect introduction to such an amazing artist. Reb’s music is totally originally and creative, outside the broad church of Americana. While those influences are evident on some of the songs, the arrangement, creativity and delivery takes Reb’s music to a new level. Very special for all in the audience at LRB.
Editor: Many new guests on this evening from far afield to see Reb and Jasmine
The haunting sound of Foxbright opens with Reb on synth & Dave on Nord piano keys as Reb’s extraordinary voice drifts across the barn… Karin’s bass melodies, so sublime. Earl’s percussion completes the groove which continues through Heart with Dave’s beautiful viola backing.
Swim To The Star sees Reb centre Stage now performing this great Peggy Seeger/ Callum MacColl song highlighting the amazing percussion from Earl Robertson.
All these songs are on Reb’s latest album IRIS
Reb recognises Kate, a super fan in the front row, who goes to all Reb’s UK shows and her first time at LRB, she was very happy to be here.
Hawks & Doves from the self titled 2020 REB FOUNTAIN album is next with Reb, again centre stage with her Stratocaster, as she continues the haunting groove before a seamless link to Psyche the opening track From IRIS.
Now, the band leave the stage for a special Reb Fountain solo spot telling us of her memories of her last visit before playing an old, until now unrecorded song One Way Trip.
A song so beautiful and sad that Reb was clearly overcome on stage and had to take a moment at the end. (Later Karin told me, it made her cry too as she waited at the back) That’s the power of authentic music and you only really catch it live.
The next song is the one that introduced us to Reb when I heard it played on the TV Show THE BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES way back in 2019, and to celebrate the LRB’s 10 year anniversary Reb invites us to sing along to Hopeful and Hopeless, lyrics certainly pertinent to todays world…
You come to the LRB and you are in the band… that can’t be bad…
Now the band come back to the stage as Reb introduces them again. Still on acoustic Reb performs Faithless Lover, Reb’s latest single, the band really filling the song out. Music as it’s meant to be heard.
Faster had a false start, “but they did it with feeling”… jokes Reb, but this is another incredible song highlighting just how great a writer and performer Reb is, especially surrounding herself with such talent.
Reb dedicates Dance With Death Alive to Jasmine, thanking her for her fine set, another beautiful song from The HOPEFUL AND HOPELESS ep
Tour manager Craig gets a round of applause as he takes the stool from the stage to give Reb room to perform Hey Mom another incredible song with Reb’s voice floating across the barn.
Dave’s viola and Earl’s percussion introduce the haunting Fisherman, track 6 From IRIS as Reb owns the stage prowling cat like as she lives the emotion. This leads seamlessly into Iris, Reb now on piano but the groove continues… and the applause says it all.
Reb pays tribute the the talented Simon Allen on sound before announcing the last song Don’t you Know Who I Am. The tragic story of the Artist BENJAMIN CHEE CHEE, from the 2020 REB FOUNTAIN album.
Wow, just wow! We could not leave it there as the crowd called out for more…. A world class performance deserves an encore and lucky for us, we received one. Karin and Dave on keys as Reb brings the tempo down with a song I think is called From Another Time. Thank you Reb Fountain, Dave Khan, Karin Canzek and Earl Robertson for a performance that is imbedded in the very walls of the LRB, never to be forgotten.
Editor:
Thanks to REB FOUNTAIN, JASMINE RODGERS, for a beyond brilliant evening …. Thanks to the outstanding players in Reb’s band family, Dave Khan, Karin Canzek, Earl Robertson and Craig Pearce
Thanks to everyone involved with the production: Simon Allen sound engineer; The fabulous little rabbit crew of Chris on video cameras and setup, Stan on setup and artist merchandise, Stan and Dave on guest list, Brian running Little Rabbit Bar and big thanks to Chris for helping Lyn with food.
Special mention to Geoff Lee for volunteering his services to run showtime lighting and the work he put in on the lead up to this show.
Review: Chris
Photography: Andy Sheard, ATHat, Paul
Artist/guest hospitality: Lyn
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 filling LRB full like the good times and hope to see y’all next time. Big thanks to all the new guests who came to see Reb and Jasmine. Thank you for all your lovely comments.
We will be back and ready to welcome CARTER SAMPSON from Oklahoma, AMELIA WHITE from Nashville, HANNAH ALDRIDGE from Muscle Shoals, Alabama on Saturday 24 June 2023.
What a very special evening….thank you everyone for filling this evening full.
Best wishes, Keep Safe & See Y’all soon
The LRB team
