David Ramirez is over on a short four night tour of the UK to promote his latest album on the Thirty Tigers label, ‘We’re Not Going Anywhere.’ Playing to a fairly packed Borderline crowd it’s his first visit to London since the turn of the year when he played an intimate solo show at St Pancras Old Church. The band open with ‘Twins’ from the current record – a downbeat lament and eulogy to the victims of the Twin Towers. It’s also a personal statement about how the climate of fear in Ramirez’s homeland has meant the loss of a version of the United States he once held dear. Continue reading “David Ramirez, The Borderline, London, 7th September 2018”
Author: Mark Underwood
The Jesse Dayton Trio + Norton Money, The Lexington, London, 5th September 2018
“How ya’ll doing this evening? We’re a long way from home. Let’s make this shit count.” Jesse Dayton is back in town and if any doubts lingered that he’d be able to deliver tonight they were swiftly assuaged, with the smiles on the faces of the audience around 11pm testimony to the fact that his trio had blown into London like a tornado, delivering a super charged set of punk and country-infused Americana. Continue reading “The Jesse Dayton Trio + Norton Money, The Lexington, London, 5th September 2018”
Joshua Hedley, The Old Blue Last, London, 3rd September 2018
When Joshua Hedley hits the stage shortly after 9.30 this evening it’s to croon the almost jazzy supper club-sounding ‘Nightlife,’ the loose nature of which has him effortlessly accompanied by his backing band, the Hedliners. A slight surprise perhaps but the song then effortlessly segues into more familiar territory with ‘Weird Thought Thinker’, the latest single from his debut album and a song that surely sums up where he’s at now. Continue reading “Joshua Hedley, The Old Blue Last, London, 3rd September 2018”
Interview: Felix Holt
Hailing from leafy Muswell Hill, a mere stone’s throw from The Kink’s own KONK studios, it’s no wonder Felix Holt has his head spinning with sixties sensibility and a plethora of killer tunes. The young troubadour has made quite an impact this year, releasing his debut album and playing a number of very well received live shows. Americana-UK’s Mark Underwood caught up with Holt to discuss influences, inspirations and how life is as ‘The Next Big Nobody’. Continue reading “Interview: Felix Holt”
Erin Rae, The Slaughtered Lamb, London, 30th August 2018
“Corpsing” is actor-speak for having an unscripted fit of laughter onstage : so-called because the worst time to suffer a fit of the giggles is when an actor is playing a corpse. The sort of corpse more readily associated with a venue called The Slaughtered Lamb however might be found in the film ‘An American Werewolf in London’ where two gauche American tourists visiting a pub of the same name are subject to a frosty welcome from inhospitable locals before being attacked outside by a werewolf. This is by way of introduction to the fact that at the midpoint of tonight’s gig Erin Rae and her main musical collaborator, Jerry Bernhardt, suffered an extended attack of the giggles that continued over the entire course of the song ‘Playing Old Games.’ Although something of an unprecedented occurrence, there was no frosty welcome for these visiting Americans, the audience happily indulgent throughout this episode, as well as the entirety of the whole set. Continue reading “Erin Rae, The Slaughtered Lamb, London, 30th August 2018”
Jesse Dayton comes in from the outside
Jesse Dayton has tour dates in the UK over the next fortnight. The Texan’s new record ‘The Outsider’ is more than suggestive of the fact he’s flown somewhat under the radar in terms of popularity in recent years in spite of having worked with such luminaries as Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Glen Campbell – while scoring countless films for Rob Zombie. Continue reading “Jesse Dayton comes in from the outside”
Sons of Bill, Omeara, London, 14th August 2018
Sons of Bill brought their own unique brand of cosmic indie-americana to London on Tuesday night to promote their latest album ‘Oh God Ma’am.’ The record takes its title from an encounter that the band’s drummer, Todd Wellons, had when he was propositioned by a hooker and apparently blurted out, “Oh God, ma’am!” Since then the utterance has become something of an inside joke for Sons of Bill, but at its heart the expression probably speaks to Southern charm, graciousness and restraint – and these elements were all on show at Omeara. Continue reading “Sons of Bill, Omeara, London, 14th August 2018”
Interview with Alan Tyler
It’s no exaggeration to say that Alan Tyler has probably done more than just about anyone in the UK to keep the torch of americana music burning since the early ’90s. Alan and Steve Pulford of the Arlenes got some richly deserved recognition at the Americana Music Awards in January when they were awarded the new Grass Roots Award for hosting the ‘Come Down And Meet The Folks’ (CDAMTF) club that has been the undoubted beating heart of the scene for around 22 years now. Continue reading “Interview with Alan Tyler”
Ethan Johns and The Black Eyed Dogs, Servant Jazz Quarters, London, 30th July 2018
“I hate name droppers,” Ethan Johns announces early in his set before recounting a session in which he got to record with some of the most famous names in rock music. It’s a conceit for which it’s easy to forgive him though. As record producer, mixer, engineer and session musician he’s played with them all – Emmylou Harris, Ryan Adams, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones…. the list goes on. So I guess it’s hard not to mention a superstar or two if you’re enquiring as to how his week was. Tonight, however, he’s mostly performing his own compositions with his band, The Black Eyed Dogs, on the last of a three night residency at the Servant Jazz Quarters in a side road just off the main Dalston strip. Continue reading “Ethan Johns and The Black Eyed Dogs, Servant Jazz Quarters, London, 30th July 2018”
Interview with Jim Walker, At The Helm Records and Brighthelmstone Promotions
Jim Walker is managing director of At the Helm records and Brighthelmstone Promotions. Last year, he put together a festival in his hometown of Hassocks, West Sussex featuring two of our greatest loves – americana music and good beer. The Mid-Sussex americana beer festival is running again for a second year at the Hassocks hotel in East Sussex and involves a number of acts we regularly feature such as Bennett Wilson Poole, Ags Connolly, Danni Nichols, Jason McNiff, Hannah Rose Platt, Mike Ross, Trent Miller and others. Continue reading “Interview with Jim Walker, At The Helm Records and Brighthelmstone Promotions”