Tara Maclean & Catherine MacLellan
Tonight we welcome two amazing Canadian artists along with Nick Gauthier on supporting guitar and BVs…
Tara starts the show with the title track from her new 2023 album that is the soundtrack of a new book she has written… Sparrow “Now you have to buy the book”… laughs…
The next song we enjoyed was Lay Here In The Dark, track 2 from The SPARROW album, inspired by the end of what was a successful marriage and the resilience to start again… Inspiration also came from a Peter Gabriel lyric, ‘The Dark has more work to do’… That’s how great songs are born…
Tara tells us, she also writes about happy themes as there is light after the darkness as she relates her personal experience.
So we get to enjoy London Bridge, a live version is a recent single release from July 2024.
Tara gives Electric Blue Yonder a shout out before performing La Tempete a French Canadian language song written by Lennie Gallant from her 2000 Album PASSENGER. Nick played some beautiful guitar on this number that drew very appreciative applause from the LRB audience.
The next song was written with Tara’s new partner, it’s called River and as yet, it’s unreleased… If you want to enjoy the new music first, it pays to come to the gigs…
Now Tara invites Catherine MacLellan to the stage as she tells the story of their Dad’s being in bands together, so during Covid they decided to write a song together. This Storm exposed us to some beautiful harmonies from two fine vocalists, another world class performance at the LRB that we don’t take for granted. The applause said it all…
Tara now retunes for her last song, a song for our time in a troubled world, Circle Of Hope. Again currently unreleased but carrying a powerful message.
Thank you Tara Maclean, that was beautiful…
Next, Catherine MacLellan for her third visit to the LRB opens her section of the evening with The Raven’s Sun from the 2014 album of the same name And some fine guitar duets with Nick .
Catherine is clearly happy to be back at LRB and the UK after a Covid lay off…
Next we enjoy Scars another new and unreleased song inspired by revisiting an old home town. A happy song that will be on Catherine’s next record release.
Catherine’s father Gene MacLellan, was a songwriter of some renown, and she tells us this inspired her to go into music before performing a song we all know so well, a classic, Snowbird. This is on Catherine’s Album IF IT’S ALRIGHT WITH YOU, THE SONGS OF GENE MACLELLAN from 2017.
That brought the house down for sure, again Nick’s guitar playing really shone through…
Catherine talks on how we can all create small miracles every day to make the world a better place, before performing Waiting For A Miracle and getting the LRB choir to join in with gusto, you come to the LRB and you are pert of the whole experience…
Now we get the story of how Catherine felt so at home when she was last at LRB, prior to taking the night crossing ferry to The Netherlands that she wrote a song about the experience which can be found on her 2019 COYOTE album.
Nick got to take a short break during this number, a break he well deserved. We had been pre warned Catherine may forget some lyrics, which she did but that makes live music live and personal… superb… A lovely song…
Nick is back on stage for The Tempest (based on an old Irish tune about the fishermen and those who don’t make it back home) We get to enjoy some lovely open tunings from Catherine and Nick throughout the evening… a treat to inspire any budding guitar player… Learn and be inspired by the best…
Next we have a plain, old fashioned, break up song… The Road Divided again from The COYOTE album.
Emmet’s Song is next, a song Catherine wrote for her nephew as he faced a challenging life experience and came through in the end. Also on The COYOTE album, track 7.
Now, as we approach the end of the evening, Catherine invites Tara back to the stage to perform a song their dad’s played together in their band. This version is again unrecorded but we get to enjoy it here tonight , and another chance for Nick Gauthier to shine on The Refuge.
We couldn’t leave it here, we get one more song, a song about leaving your love in England, a cover of the Simon and Garfunkel hit Kathy’s Song beautifully performed as you would expect from such fine artists…
Thank you Catherine MacLellan and Tara Maclean.
Electric Blue Yonder
Opened the show tonight on their first visit to LRB and despite the torrential rain we were assured of a great evening.
Johnny Veres and Beth Hathaway from Montgomery in the USA describing themselves as Space Folk Explorers exploring the human condition in song.
Into The Still a song inspired by the poetry of Cass Still, where a selection of her poetry has been amalgamated into this new song. At the time unrecorded, we heard it here first.
Andrew Lewis, who sadly was a victim of gun violence, is the man who inspired Johnny to pursue his music in the form of Electric Blue Yonder. Bluster, the next song is performed as a tribute to Andrew. The sound of the rain on the roof through the applause, made a fitting end to this rendition.
Next up Schtick Shift, with some lovely guitar noodling from Johnny throughout the song. A video is available on our web page and YouTube Channel… (Have you subscribed yet?)
The last two songs were from their 2020 Album BETWEEN SPACE AND TIME.
Letters to Sadako, A tribute to Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the Hiroshima bomb and can be found on the 2024 LOVED AND LOST live album. The album was recorded with old microphones and tech in a small venue a little like the LRB, for an authentic sound that befits the music.
Diversions in the Smoke is also on The LIVE AT THE SCHOOL HOUSE album track 7.
Now we get to hear one of Andrew Lewis’s songs, It’s a pity. It’s a pity Andrew couldn’t be here tonight, this is a lovely song, great harmonies and more fine guitar to enjoy… A four songs EP is to released featuring two of Andrews songs presently. We heard it here first…
Beth introduces Quiet Moon the closing song From LOVED AND LOST, LIVE AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE, before we get to hear their newest song Space Folk Explorer unreleased at the time of this performance, but it goes to explain what it’s like to be a Space Folk Explorer… laughs…
Inspired by an invitation to partake in some covers busking at Maverick Festival, Johnny and Beth got to thinking about their favourite bands and influences, then realised so many are British. So a Pink Floyd cover Fearless is their offering.
So we come to the last song of this set, another cover to turn the weather around Mr Blue Sky… The operatic ending was something to behold… laughs…
Ohh how we wished for blue skies during set up for this gig, but the music makes it all so worthwhile… Thank you Electric Blue Yonder.
TARA MACLEAN
CATHERINE MACLELLAN
ELECTRIC BLUE YONDER
Thanks to TARA MACLEAN, CATHERINE MACLELLAN and ELECTRIC BLUE YONDER for a wonderful evening of world quality music.
Thanks to everyone involved with the production: Q 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. Thank you Paul and Karen for helping with our takedown.
Thank you again to Geoff Lee for running the show lighting.
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: Q
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 MICHELE STODART with her five piece band and CARSON McHONE from Austin Texas on Saturday 07 Septembert 2024.
Best wishes, Keep Safe & See Y’all soon
The LRB team
