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Matraca Berg

Venue: The Sage
Town: Gateshead
Date: 5th November
Website: http://www.matracaberg.com

Support for the evening came from Irish Jenny Lindfos (the surname is Swedish…), who, she revealed, has played The Sage twice before supporting other artists. Somewhat strangely she sang newer songs rather than numbers from the album which she had with her for sale. Songs such as Step to The Right, The Blazing Sun and Willow on the Water,which was influenced showed her to be a skilled writer with a pleasant, if not very diverse, voice.

I'd like to get a couple of things off my chest, if I may. The first is that whilst Hall 2 was indeed around half full, so many more people should have turned out to see Matraca Berg's solo debut at The Sage, if only those who have seen her as part of Wine Women and Song. The second is that her name is actually pronounced Mah-tray-sah. Now, that aside, I'd like to thank Gretchen Peters, as without her pulling together Suzy Bogguss and Matraca to form Wine Women and Song, I doubt we'd ever have seen her live over here, much less in her own shows, and what a loss that would have been!

As she entered the stage, Matraca, looking at least 15 years younger than her 49, beamed as she said 'Ah, you came, thank you so much. As some of you will know from Win Women and Song, I'm the awkward one!' Immediately it seemed she was more laid back and relaxed, a theme which continued throughout the evening. Introducing her great band, David Henry on bass and Jason Goforth on lapsteel (one of my favourite sounds), she revealed there was one more member to join her later. That was all she was saying…

Opening with the title track of her just released CD, Love's Truck Stop, she seemed confident and at ease. The next song, she explained, was about a real person who her best friend and fellow songwriter met whilst travelling. Her Name Is Mary, she thinks, is in some way about someone we have all met. I have met lots of amazing people on my various travels and wish I could even begin to capture them as Mary has been! A co write with Ashley Monroe (coming to us soon via Warner Bros) followed in the form of I Buried Your Love Alive, for which Goforth and Henry switched to harmonica and cello, respectively. A brand new, not yet recorded song called How We Say Goodbye, was beautiful. It was written with a new Nashville artist named Angel Snow, who, Matraca informed us, "looks exactly like that should be her name." Henry added some lovely background vocals for this one, too.

Songs about cheating always get the crowd going and Matraca joked that "Maybe this next song should have preceded the last song so it made chronological sense." That song of course, was the tongue in cheek Your Husband's Cheatin' on Us. Matraca told us that when Trisha Yearwood put this on hold to record, she had reservations at first. Matraca's advice to her? " Go ahead, just be KT Oslin. Who cares? Really?" Sound advice I would say as it is a great song! Trisha has always had a knack for interpreting Berg's songs over the years, too.

Sharing the story of one of her best friends who became an Episcopal priest, she told us about her amazing project, Magdalene House, to help women out of prostitution and back into their lives. Clearly Matraca has had involvement, from performing to raise money to, I suspect, more intense involvement, as she said "This is the song I wrote for the girls I love so much." Knowing this back story made Magdalene one of the most moving, ethereal songs I've ever heard live. As she sang about these girls, I think everyone in the room felt the emotion wrapping itself around us. To lift the mood a little, the Kenny Chesney/ Grace Potter hit, You and Tequila followed. Matraca also recorded this on her last album, The Dreaming Fields.

Finally the time came to 'meet' the last member of the band, Matraca's husband and founding member of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jeff Hanna. Together, she says, the four of them were the cornerstone of the new album and how lucky were we to get to see them all play together? The first song they played together was one which the NGDB have actually recorded themselves; talking of her love for her hometown of Nashville, made the lyrics of Oh Cumberland, penned on an L.A freeway, even more poignant, especially with the addition of Henry and Hanna's harmonies. The band are clearly very much in tune with each other, working on an instinctive level, which is a joy to watch.

Announcing she needed to leave for a minute; I suspect the bathroom was calling, she left very strict instructions as to what the band should play, inadvertently kicked over her bottle of water, causing a lapsteel to be lifted faster than I thought was possible, before she reached the back of the stage, realised she couldn't open the door and shouted "Help!" Cue much hilarity. Hanna led a great rendition of Friend of the Devil, which he managed to keep going even when Matraca reappeared with a towel and she and all around him proceeded to mop of the spill. Domestic goddess as well as singer songwriter it would seem! Sad Magnolia was exquisite; one of the highlights of the evening; her vocals and the band in perfect harmony.

Black Ribbons, was a co-write with her "Wine Women and Song sisters," Gretchen Peters and Suzy Boggus about the Gulf oil spill, written during their first writing retreat. Explaining how it personally affected people they knew, made the song all the more evocative. Something in her voice was almost plaintive. She also remarked that Gretchen Peters played mandolin on the recording of this song but she forgot to credit her in the lining notes. So, if I may, on behalf of Matraca, I will give a shout out to Gretchen now, for her wonderful mandolin playing!

Making her own request, Matraca asked Jeff to play Mr Bojangles and he performed the best version of it I've ever heard; his stunning vocals enhanced all the more by Berg's harmony. As he sang, she sat, eyes closed, clearly blissed out , listening. It always makes me smile to watch an artist enjoying another's singing on stage.

Introducing the song Deana Carter made famous, Strawberry Wine, she told us the story of her grandparents' farm and how much of her is in the song. This made her delivery even more touching. There is still nothing like hearing a songwriter sing their own version of a song recorded by someone else, as they intended it to be heard. Everyone laughed when she changed the 'I still remember, when 30 was old…' line to '''40…" As the song ended, they all stood up, blew a kiss, shouted thankyous and left the stage.

I then considered myself very lucky as when she returned for an encore and asked for requests, she actually heard mine. After a small debate about what key it should be in, she delivered a stunning performance of The Resurrection. I first heard it sung by a character in a Nashville based film called XXXs and OOOs (yes, as in the Trisha Yearwood song of the same title), which I wish someone would release on DVD! It has since become, in some way, about so many small towns I have visited in the USA. Matraca revealed that it was initially about the demise of small towns, but then became also about the demise of the old time country singers. There was a minor fluff on one line, but sometimes that is the joy of live music; that it isn't always flawless and these artists we love can laugh at themselves and carry on regardless. The Sage audience would forgive anyone a fluffed line! It is a brilliant song, especially with Jeff Hanna harmonising, and I am so glad to have finally heard it live. Thanks, Matraca. I'll have to work out my request for next time, now, as there are still so many I would love to hear live!

All too soon, the night came to an end with a wonderful group perfromance of Neil Young's Old Man, which ended with a much deserved standing ovation for Ms Berg, after which she chatted and signed CDs for people for a long time, post show.

I am already hoping for a quick return to play here again; for those of you who missed it. I Guess You had To be There, to quote the song Back When we Were Beautiful. Well, there's always next time…let's fill Hall 2 and consider it The Resurrection; of the audience this woman deserves.

Helen Mitchell

As part of the tour Matraca Berg also played Leamington Spa, a review of which can be found here