Tempus Fugit was the overriding thought running through my head as I travelled to Lincolnshire’s premier Americana Music venue, the Town Hall at Kirton in Lindsey. Though it didn’t seem possible, it had been almost three years since the night’s headline artist last tread these hallowed boards, a time that pre-dates the Ukraine conflict, the current Israel-Palestine conflict, and the second term of the presidency of Donald Trump. Gee, didn’t the world feel like a safer, simpler, and better place back then? However, for a few hours, the evening’s congregation could forget all the global issues in the company of Lynne Hanson, one of Canada’s finest singer-songwriters and poets, accompanied as usual by her trusty companion and guitar maestro Blair Michael Hogan.
Much of the pre-gig banter circulating amongst the local clientele centred on whether the evening’s show was Hanson’s fourth or fifth visit to the venue. In truth the correct answer mattered little, as tonight she was clearly among friends with the Town Hall feeling like a second home to the visiting duo, who since their last visit three years ago had been back into the studios culminating in the release last year of Hanson’s ninth solo album ‘Just A Poet’.
Taking to the stage for the first of two sets, the duo immediately set their stall out with the excellent ‘Whiskey And Tears’, a song that had originally appeared on the 2014 released album ‘River Of Sand’. From here, the focus turned to her most recent record with ‘Outlaw Lover’ followed by ‘Sort Of’, a song inspired by the realisation of being married to the wrong person for thirteen years, and ‘Princess And Her Pea’. Throughout the two sets, Hanson performed with the same acoustic guitar while Hogan stuck with his Fender Telecaster, played through a selection of pedals, a tambourine strapped to his foot supplying the percussion. Hogan would also occasionally dip-in with backing vocals but it was with his six-strings that he truly excelled, delivering some wonderful slide on ‘Hundred Mile Wind’, one of only two songs to appear on the night from the 2022 album ‘Ice Cream In November’, along with a stunning guitar solo on ‘Higher Ground’. The latter first appeared on the 2020 album ‘Just Words’, as did two other numbers performed during the first set, starting with ‘Hearts Fade’, before closing the first set with a simply stunning version of ‘Lollipops And Roses’.
The customary interval for refreshments also allowed the audience to avail themselves from the wares on offer at the merchandise stand, which in addition to both CD and vinyl copies of Hanson’s most recent releases, also included a ‘Pandana’. Hanson has a particular passion for the black and white bears from China and has designed a headscarf featuring the cuddle-looking, bamboo-eating creatures, hence the name.
The second set kicked-off with two songs from the ‘River Of Sand’ album, starting with the sublime title track and followed by the atmospheric ‘Foolish Things’ before thoughts returned to the new album. ‘Rubik’s Cube’, with its narrative combining the struggles of that frustrating toy and a one-sided relationship cutting deep, as did the title track that followed later, both exhibiting the deeply personal poetry that inhabits many of the songs, while ‘Light In Me’ from the same album oozed with emotive optimism glazed with some more delightful slide guitar from Hogan.
Throughout the set Hanson’s rapport with the audience was warm and relaxed, like old friends catching up, discussing the state of the roads, relationships and, unsurprisingly considering the current climate, politics with Hanson suggesting a permanent move to the UK might be an option, something many visiting artists seem to be considering. Stories of time spent in Ireland are remembered fondly, leading into two more songs from the “Just Words” album, with ‘Long Way Home’ immediately followed by the spirited ‘True Blue Moon’.
There was still time to introduce the congregation to a new song with ‘Long Way To Crawl’ comfortably sitting alongside the best of Hanson’s work, before a rockin’ version of ‘Shadowland’, the second track from the album ‘Ice Cream In November’ brought the second set to a close. However, after the audience had hollered, clapped and stamped with an enthusiasm more comparable to that of a group of cheerleaders at a NFL game, the duo returned for a well deserved encore, delighting the congregation with the night’s only number from the 2017 album ‘Uneven Ground’ with ‘Gotta Have Rain’ and its fitting message that resonated perfectly with the current climate sending the local congregation home with a smile on their face, a renewed sense of hope, and a reminder that all things, no matter how bad, will eventually pass.
The evening’s proceedings got underway with a new visitor to the Town Hall in Maggie May Treanor, who hails from the historic spa town of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and is very much at the forefront of the new wave of emerging UK Americana artists. Treanor has, to date, released three singles, having collaborated with top-tier producers and musicians, including Dan Mizen and Chris Wilkinson, along with two tracks on YouTube, which is where resident photographer Mark Dinnage first came across her, immediately recommending Treanor to local promoter Brian Chudley.
Treanor possesses an emotive and powerful voice that instantly draws comparison to such luminaries as Linda Ronstadt, Christine McVie, and Christine Collister, while her finely crafted lyrics are both thoughtful and personal. From the first bars of her opening number, ‘Medicine’, to the closing song ‘Whiskey’, Treanor held the knowledgeable local clientele transfixed during her eight song set-list. Despite this being her first visit to this hallowed stage, Treanor appeared to ooze confidence, though having the assistance of musician extraordinaire Tom Dibb, on loan from Lauren Housley’s band, supplying guitar and piano accompaniment, would be a massive boost to anyone’s self-assurance. Treanor’s talent as an authentic songwriter was there for all to see, with all bar one of the songs being self-penned, stuffed full of emotion while celebrating the resilience of the human spirit. Throughout the set the quality never dipped, though ‘Porch Swing’ and ‘Just Because’ were both deserving of special mention.
By the end of her performance, you could easily have been forgiven for thinking Treanor was the headline act, so enthusiastic was the audience response, and on this evidence, it shouldn’t be too long before her name is on everyone’s lips.
