| | |
| | |
|
Wednesday
8 September, 2010 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Willie Nelson | |
|
 Veteran country music singer Willie Nelson is always up to something new. Read our Willie Watch column to keep up.
|
| |
|
|
Music & Lifestyle |
|
|
|
|
Americana Evening at the Borderline
• American stars warm up a cold evening in London
 Images |
|
|
 On the Web |
|
|
Friday,
2 February, 2007
Off to Bob Harris’s Americana evening at the Borderline club in Manette street in London’s Soho district on 3 February.
Harris, a music journalist and DJ is best known for hosting the cult late night tv music show, The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC television in the 1970s. These days he concentrates on roots and Americana music and has a weekly BBC radio show on Radio 2 where he showcases new and established artists. He was on hand at the Borderline to introduce the acts.
Eve Selis’s powerful contralto soon rattled the roof. Selis is currently on a 3 week tour of the UK, and was heavily pregnant, ("6 months" one of her backing musicians wrly commented.) But it didn't slow her down any and she was ably accompanied by Nashville veterans Marc "Twang" Intravaia (her songwriting partner) and "Cactus" Jim Soldi (ex-Johnny Cash band).
The New Orleans troubadour Grayson Capps took the stage last, looking more like a "crustie" than a performer with a woolly tea cosy hat over his unruly shoulder length hair. If he looked a trifle road weary, this was hardly surprising as this was the 9th successive night of an 11 night tour (the next day he flew to Holland for the first of two more gigs) but he warmed up during his performance.
This was a stripped down performance. No amplifiers, just two mikes one for his voice and one for his guitar. But what a performer Capps turned out to be.
He growled, he shouted, he sang, in a gravelly bass, he stamped his foot, he related anecdotes, lamented the fate of his native New Orleans, recited poetry and played some superb bottle neck guitar. By the end of his set the audience was cheering for more.
This was my first visit to the Borderline. So how did I find it?
I'm OK with standing-only gigs in crowded unventilated cellars (in the winter at any rate) but then I do like to be able to dance. No chance of that at the Borderline. The crowd here take their music far too seriously, a preponderance of middle aged men, all standing facing the stage, clutching their beer glasses, and on popular nights it is much too crowded to move anyway.
Spending three hours standing up, squashed between several middle aged men, in a smoky, unventilated cellar is not my idea of the ideal environment for appreciating thoughtful singer-songwriters.
The hub-bub from the back room, where CDs are sold and the performers chat to the audience, penetrates to the main stage area during quieter numbers.
I assume it’s a matter of economics, you can cram in more people standing than sitting.
During the evening Bob Harris took the mike to announce that his radio show is now the highest-rated “specialist” music show on BBC radio, showing that there is a committed and enthusiastic backing for this sort of music in the UK. To judge from the Borderline audience its fanbase is mostly middle aged men and baby boomers.
That said they have all the big names in American there and the acoustics are excellent. The Borderline remains THE place to hear American roots music in central London. Follow our links for further details.
It was all over by 11 pm as we were hurried out into the London night to make room for an all nighter club session - in the double banked bookings system common in London these days.
I went to see Capps with my sister a big Americana fan. Beforehand we took in a quick meal and to celebrate her new job, decided to push the boat out a bit. We dropped into Nico's Incognico brasserie in Shaftesbury Avenue for an early evening meal (booked over the web that afternoon).
Highly recommended. Exquisite food served by attentive staff in stylish surroundings. Washed down by a sizeable glass of Merlot.
A la carte can be a bit pricey but check out the special offers on sites like TopTable where you can book over the internet (no booking fee).
On The Lam 2007
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Advertise! |
|
|
|
Advertise! |
|
|
|
Copyright OnTheLam 2006
Terms of Service
|
Contact Us
|
|
 Wireless Access
 RSS Feeds
|
|
|
