Partnerships in music, like food, can be intriguing. Some combinations seem inseparable, like rhubarb and custard. Others are effortlessly natural, like strawberries and cream. Some create something unexpectedly wonderful, like strawberries and balsamic vinegar (try it if you haven’t). I hoped that the blend of the beautiful folk-rooted songwriting of Bonnie Dobson and the cosmic americana of The Hanging Stars would fall into the third category. It did.
The concert in Norwich was the day before the release of their joint album “Dreams”, so I only had the singles to give me a sense of what was to come. Despite the heat of the evening, Dobson leapt onto the stage with an energy that belied the fact that she has been producing music for over sixty years. The Hanging Stars also seemed to be sharing the joy of being there. They began, as on the album, with the song ‘Baby’s Got the Blues’; a sheer and instant reminder of how wonderful and crystal-clear Dobson’s voice is – and a brilliant introduction to how much richness and texture The Hanging Stars add.
The next song up was ‘Trouble’, which had a great beat and pace – very much a folk song performed with a rock rhythm, and another demonstration of the symbiosis of the artists. ‘Trouble’, despite the title, is an uplifting number, and the inclusion of some ’60s musical touches, in guitar and Hammond organ sound, elevates the song. ‘Don’t Look Down’, in contrast, was more acoustic in tone, which created a mournful feel, which reflects the lyrics. It also had a fabulous trumpet part which felt like a Mexican-inspired version of ‘The Last Post’. ‘On a Morning Like This’ created a blissful feel, with some on-point harmonies from the band. This was the first hint too of The Hanging Stars’ laid-back, cosmic feel.
‘Get Together’ again showcased Dobson’s wonderful voice – and hearing her live, it became clear what some artists have attempted to emulate, especially in the type of folk championed by bands such as Clannad. ‘Get Together’ sounds and feels (and is) a ’60s classic – it even has the line “Smile on the people/Love one another” – and was given a slightly rockier feel live. This was followed by title track of the new album, ‘Dreams’. This is a moving song, especially live, and centres around the plaintive cry of “You can’t go back” – although it manages to communicate, both lyrically and in musical tone, that this fact is accepted.
The final song before a break was the classic Dobson song ‘Morning Dew’. She introduced it by saying that, unfortunately, it was still relevant. Despite the many covers it’s had, this song still sounds fabulous. The Hanging Stars added some lovely subtle tweaks, an emotive guitar part and a sense of urgency to the reflections on apocalyptic fears.
After the break, The Hanging Stars returned on their own to perform a few numbers from their back catalogue. This really allowed them to flex their musical muscles. They began with ‘Ava’, a song that typifies their work: from a quiet start, the band just keep building and layering the song. Musically, it feels faintly reminiscent of the Stone Roses played through the lens of americana. Similarly, next up, ‘Happiness is a Bird’ had a slightly funky start but also felt inspired by the best bits of ’90s indie. It stood out as one of the evening’s most infectious tunes. Next up was ‘Radio On’, which has a great bass line and then ‘Sweet Light’ – another song that builds and had the band performing and creating awesome harmonies. The final tune before the return of Dobson was the pretty, country-leaning ‘Honeywater’, which has the great line, “I took a ride in the country just to ease my mind”.
The slight country feel was continued as Dobson was reintroduced. ‘Stay With Me Tonight’ is a surprisingly, raunchy song and had real energy – as well as a cracking guitar solo. This was followed by a cover of Harry Nilsson’s classic ‘Everybody’s Talking’ and then ‘Rainy Windows’ – a slightly mournful song which was raised to something special by the return of the trumpet which weaved in and around Dobson’s vocals. The final song from the full set was ‘Winter’s Song’, which was introduced by Dobson as Jarvis Cocker’s favourite song of hers. It gave the set a fittingly big finish and had a brilliant guitar outro.
There was no formal encore, but Dobson came back on stage and performed the traditional folk song ‘Fare Thee Well’. Sung without accompaniment, it was haunting – a moment of intimacy and endurance that stilled the room. She introduced it by saying that it was a “song I’ve been singing for so long, hope I still can”. Oh, yes, you can. You really can.
Early in the evening, support had been provided by local seven-piece group Black Magick Caravan. Across their four songs, they weaved a lovely set of mysterious-sounding numbers, often starting and led with a beat before incorporating a whole range of instrumentation – flute, drums, bass, guitars, tambourine, harmonica, and what I think was an Indian accordion. Songs kept building, gathering pace and becoming almost hypnotic – a wonderful blend of hippie prog rock. They don’t have an album out yet, but it will definitely be worth checking out when it is released.
Very nice review, but wouldn’t it be better to identify “Everybody’s Talkin’l as a Fred Neil song, especially as he was very helpful to Bonnie in her Village days. Cheers
Angus – thanks for the kind words. I think you have an excellent point there. I guess we all have our own cultural references, but your is far more apposite. Thank you.