Reviews
Artist:Gateshead Americana Festival
Venue:The Sage
Town:Gateshead
Date:25-26/07/09
Website:http://www.jumpinhot.com/
Saturday
It is incredible to think that The Sage Gateshead celebrates its fifth birthday this year. In some ways it feels like five minutes and in other ways I find it hard to belive this amazing venue was ever not on the banks of the River Tyne. Equally amazing then, is the fact that this weekend marked the fourth year that The Sage, in partnership with The Jumpin’ Hot Club, have run this the Americana weekend as part of the ongoing annual Summer Tyne Festival.
Loudon Wainright III ( a late substitute for Taj Mahal) plus Baby Gramps and Gary Louris and Mark Olsen (The Jayhawks) had kicked things off on Friday night in Hall 1 and Hall 2, respectively. I didn’t attend but heard from numerous people that both were excellent shows.
On Saturday, events seemed to be happening all over! From 12 until 5pm there were various screenings and guest performances by artists performing over the weekend, in the Americana Lounge, as well as a Bluegrass Boat Cruise which included Devon Sproule (pronounced Sprole) and an event called Playing The Building took place in the concourse during the afternoon. Also on the bill was a performance from Baby Gramps supported by Lisa Mills in Hall 2 at 2pm. Then of course there was the free stage outside on Performance Square, overlooking the River Tyne and its bridges. where I spent most of the afternoon.
The 12pm special guest to begin the outdoor festivities was Baby Gramps; an old school bluesman whose gravelly voice and steel guitar took us back to a bygone age. I have heard people remark that he seems defy time and space and to watch him play that certainly seems to be true.
Yet again we couldn’t have asked for better weather; the sun shone and next up were the Barker Band whom I hadn’t heard of previously. Comprising 4 members, they had a great sound, enhanced I am sure by the addition of a banjo in their band. Playing an excellent set, they played songs from their new album as well as some older tracks. They had the audience tapping their toes from the off and despite hailing from London, could easily be mistaken for an American band.
The Fortunate Sons from Glasgow followed and really rocked the outdoor stage. With lots of banter in between songs, we heard old and new tracks from the band, the highlights for me being Walk on Fire and Queen of Hearts, the latter of which they were offering festival goers as a free download from their website.
I have been hearing Two Fingers of Firewater raved about everywhere recently, so was looking forward to their turn on stage. They were good and had a pleasant sound, but I have to admit to expecting more than they delivered.
Grammy nominated Ryan Shaw was a late replacement on the outdoor stage for someone else and clearly nobody had heard of him. However, as soon as he began to sing Many Rivers to Cross, the whole crowd fell silent. This was followed with a rendition of Bobby Womack’s Lookin’ For a Love as well as some self penned material from his current CD and upcoming EP. He just oozed confidence and had the audience in the palm of his hand for the duration of his set.
Eliza Gilkyson, from Austin, Texas, was the highlight for me of Saturday afternoon. Backed by her son, Cisco Ryder on drums and Mike Hardwick on guitar, she took us through a selection of songs old and new; The Party’s Over, Rose of Sharon (recorded by Joan Baez), Little Darlin,’ among them. She has a really beautiful voice, never more evident than in her closing song, Beautiful World, the title track of her newest CD. All too soon it seemed her set was over but I am glad I finally got to see her play live, hopefully not for the last time, either.
The final performers of the evening were Hot Club of Cowtown, who livened things up to end the evening on a high, with their toe tapping music, including some of the best fiddle playing I have ever seen.
pics:The Fortunate Sons, Eliza Gilkyson - Photocredit Helen Mitchell