Idlewild O2 ABC

I enjoyed a band on top form with the return of the celtic and soul-filled Edinburgh indie rockers Idlewild, who played two sold-out return shows for their fans at the O2 ABC Glasgow. 

The room was full of palpable nostalgia and love from the fans ready to rock!  Their dramatic melodic rock offers hopes - as Woomble put it 'For all you lovely people come to see us.' 

The strength of memories lost forgotten hopes and dreams –

The crowd waited eagerly for those songs replayed and also for the new material and sound of this refreshed re-energized band with their new members - bassist Andrew Mitchell, keyboard player Luciano Rossi and Hannah Fisher on electric fiddle.

The set was a good mix of both the old and new, which kept fans more than happy. Their music was at times understated and subtle and then with full-on throttle and energy on other tracks, such as A Modern Way of Letting Go.

Lead singer Roddy, displayed assured warm confidence, while guitarist Jones played his guitar like an energy wand and their older songs were reworked and energized. There were strong five-part harmonies on 'Roseability' and 'Little Discourage' and their sing-able choruses were enjoyed by the audience on familiar songs such as 'Love Steals Us From Loneliness.' They played melodic catchy riffs on  'So Many Things to Decide' and 'American English'.

The new album songs from their Everything Ever Written album - ‘Come Along Ghost' and 'Collect Yourself' were well received. Their sound is a blend of rock and folk with the emphasis at times on the rock - with impressive high-wire guitars and soulful melody from Rossi's keys and Fisher's electric fiddle.  

It was good to see new member, guitarist and bass player Andrew, up front for several songs. I saw him perform solo at Edinburgh festival last year and was impressed with his music there. On the new track (Use it) If You Can Use It, he and Jones rocked the sound up a few notches with a full on bluesy guitar duel.

Their influences are broad from Americana, folk earnestness and 90s full on rock. During the band's hiatus Woomble has written for Ballads of the Book and worked with folk musicians - I have seen him solo with John McCusker and Kris Drever.     

They are part of the forerunners of today's melodic pop rock bands (notably Scottish bands such as Biffy Clyro)  while there was also edges of REM here - Night Swimming came to mind.

All in all a winning formula. Hope the tour goes great for you!

Idlewild are a Scottish indie rock band, from Edinburgh Scotland formed in 1995. They are now a seven piece band with guitar, keys and electric fiddle - previous members are Roddy Woomble (lead vocals), Rod Jones (guitar), Colin Newton (drums) and now with new members - Andrew Mitchell (bass), Hannah Fisher (electric fiddle) and Luciano Rossi (keys). They have released seven full-length studio albums, with recent album Everything Ever Written released in 2015.  http://idlewild.co.uk

I was pleased to be the only photographer at this fun gig but would also have enjoyed to be creative and have shot the whole set too. My gig photos here - http://pkimage.co.uk/idlewild

Roaming Roots Revue Celtic Connections 2014

I was at a Laurel Canyon concert Sunday, such great songs came out of this era – and this concert was about the young people keeping this groove alive today….

The concert was a journey through the California sounds of Laurel Canyon with some of the newer Scottish and American artists along with those summer breezes -  both nostalgia and looking forward and proved a real treat for both aging hippies and younger fans!

Forty years ago in the early 1970s when the music in New York became too corporate, many young musicians seeking artistic freedoms and sunshine took off for LA – The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Jackson Browne. It was a time of longer hair and flowing skirts, peace signs and flower power dreams. I chose this concert because last years inaugural event received top reviews and also because the early 70s produced so many top albums  and some of my all time favourite sounds.

Scottish singer songwriter Roddy Hart and his quality band The Lonesome Fire opened this colourful and varied concert with the Byrd's song So You Want to Be A Rock n Roll Star.

Idlewild front man Roddy Woomble sang Neil Young’s Out On The Weekend and then a sons written by himself and Roddy Hart, Love Steals Us From Lonliness. Next James Taylor and Joni Mitchell look-alikes and sound-a-likes Zervas and Pepper performed Ghost Writer and Mitchell’s Woodstock. After which respected folk band Lau with Kris Drever on vocals, performed James Taylor’s Fire and Rain. 
The beautiful Webb Sisters sang their close subtle harmonies on  Everything Changes and Linda Ronstadt’s Heart Like a Wheel. Then Roddy Hart and The Lonesome Fire were joined on stage by lead man from California’s The Dawes for an excellent rendition of Jackson Browne’s After The Deluge. Frank Reader then sang a moving interpretation of a Judee Sill song, The Kiss. A treat to end the first half was a return of Cory Chisel and Adriel Harris, who both looked and sounded the part in casual American style and they sang Times Won’t Change and the Eagles Hotel California.

Second Half. Roddy Hart and The Lonesome Fire began with a rocking version of Jackson Browne’s Running on Empty. A highlight was dramatic American country singer Lindi Ortega with her song Cigarettes and Truckstop and the Eagles Desperado. After which we had new and top Scottish trio, Clark, Mitchell, Reilly, with Helpless (CSNY). Young Glasgow singer songwriter Siobhan Wilson sang her song All Dressed Up and then, with Tommy Reilly on piano, one of my all time favourite songs, A Case of You, with a beauty of voice and interpretation that captured the essence of the song and held the audience silent.  
The Webb Sisters sang Judee Sill’s song Jesus Was A Crossmaker, followed by Roddy Woomble and Lau with Roll Um Easy (Little Feat). An LA band The Dawes were another highlight with their songs Most People, A Little Bit Of Everything and Desperados Under The Eaves (Warren Zevon) plus an encore. Hart is clearly both a Jackson Browne and Dawes fan!

The cast of players finished on stage with some of Laurel Canyon’s biggest hits – Love The One Your With (Stephen Stills), Take It Easy (The Eagles) and California Dreaming (The Mamas and The Papas).

Quote Rolling Stone – 'It's about the vibe man and free jamming … Goldberg.‘ They want to be loose.. to have the freedom to groove their own groove.’    Photos and Review Pauline Keightley -  http://pkimage.co.uk/

Roddy Hart has pulled together and compared another top quality concert that offered the audience breadth, diversity and quality. Hart also organised Celtic’s "Forever Young: A 70th Birthday Tribute To Bob Dylan" Celtic Connections 2011, and were house band for Gerry Rafferty concert (2012) broadcast on BBC 2 Scotland. The concert drew on Celtic festival’s success with melding American and Scottish sounds to offer interesting cross overs and highlight the links between the Celtic music of the British Isles and the American States. -   http://www.roddyhart.com/