Reviews

Artist:Hayes Carll
Venue:Cambridge Folk Festival, Stage 2
Town:Cambridge
Date:31 Jul 09
Website:www.hayescarll.com

The programme notes said that Hayes Carll's stories are "as entertaining as his songs" and, as if to prove the organisers right, as soon as the opening number "Beaumont" finishes he links his supposed lack of guitar skills with how he cut in front of Pink Floyd's David Gilmore in the make up line before his appearance on Later With Jools Holland.

Following two songs written with Ray Wylie Hubbard: "Drunken Poet's Dream" and the very silly "Chickens" Carll tells how whilst his mother keeps a scrapbook of photo's and press cuttings of her son, guitarist Scot Davis keeps a homemade one of himself which was unfortunately stolen. Davis is invited to take centre stage to have his photo taken to rebuild a new album

This thirty minute set covers the range of Carll's songs: the country rocking "Little Rock", the delicate ballad "Long Way Home" and the sarcastic "She Left Me For Jesus" about a guy who was "lacking in religious education".

Carll was asked back for another song and after explaining that he normally played She Left Me For Jesus last as he wasn't sure what kind of reaction he'd get his final track was the autobiographical "I got A Gig" which tells of his time playing six nights a week in Crystal Beach, Texas.

The downside of a festival gig is that when you get someone a good as Carll there are so many songs that have to be left out. There was no room for "Bad Liver And A Broken Heart", no room for "River Town" and no room for "Down The Road Tonight". Thankfully, unlike many artists, there was a second opportunity to see him the next day, and he played them all then.

Set List

Beaumont
Wild As A Turkey
Drunken Poets Dream
Chickens
Girl Downtown
Little Rock
As Soon As I Learn Your Name
Long Way Home
She Left Me For Jesus

Encore

I Got A Gig

The Jacket

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