The best all round roots music club in West Yorkshire
Tag: Americana
May 28 2024
The Hackles
Sunday 12th May 2024
Photos, video & review by Keith Belcher
Sunday 12th May 2024. The Live Room, Saltaire. The first visit of The Hackles. The Hackles are Kati Claborn (vocals, guitar, banjo, clarinet), Luke Ydstie (vocals, guitar, and Halli Anderson (vocals, violin, guitar).
All the way from Oregon they graced the Live Room Stage with a stunning display of three part harmonies and magical arrangements that interweaved effortlessly and blissfully.
Their acapella version of Michael Hurley’s ‘Werewolf’ was without a doubt one of the most beautiful songs I have heard at The Live Room (or anywhere else). I suspect that many in the audience, like me, were holding their breath spellbound. An acceptable crowd for their debut at TLR but next time around I suspect they will be sold out well in advance. Catch them if you can.
videos by keith belcher
Werewolf (Michael Hurley)
Don't Let Me Go By
May 28 2024
Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys
Sunday 5th May 2024
Photos & video by Keith Belcher, review by Keith Belcher with contribution from Mike Latham
What a great way to celebrate 12 years of TLR! This was a show in the truest sense of the word. We were transported back to the 50s with the self-confessed ‘retro man’ and his brilliant band.
Sunday 5th May 2024, The Live Room, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire. Debut appearance of Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys. Jake Vaadeland, a self-taught singer/songwriter originally from Saskatchewan, accompanied by his bandmates: guitarist Joel Rohs, banjo player Jaxon Lalonde and bass player Stephen Williams.
A very lively affair to say the least. I have reported the bassist to the Bass Police for being far too animated . We’re really not used to bass players dancing around the stage (with or without their double bass!). A very slick show from Jake and the boys, slick in just about every way , dialogue, music , songs, humour and not to mention hair!
Mike Latham said “Recent concert by Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys from Canada was another debut at the Live Room at Saltaire. A storming performance that went down well with the full room that greeted them on Sunday. A magnificent performance (in more ways than one), these young men proved to be masters of their craft.” He was pretty much spot on.
VIDEOS BY KEITH BELCHER
Until The Day I See You Dear
Get Rhythm; That's Alright Mama
May 2 2024
Sons of Town Hall
Friday 26th April 2024
Photos by Ron Pengelly
We were treated to a fantistic evening with this amazing duo on Friday 26th April. Both George Ulysses Brown (Ben Parker from England) and Josiah Chester Jones (David Berkeley from the USA) possess beautiful voices and together, their harmonies are exquisite. Add in brilliant songwriting, playing and a huge dollop of humour, and you have one of the great live acts on the folk and roots circuit. The sold out crowd were treated to wonderful show and we know that they’ll be sailing back this way on their home made raft before too long.
Apr 23 2024
Maya de Vitry
Friday 19th April 2024
Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher
The third visit of songstress Maya de Vitry to The Live Room, Saltaire. The 2 previous visits in February 2014 and October 2016 were as a member of The Stray Birds. This time, having left The Stray Birds in 2018, she was touring with guitarist and singer Joel Timmons. Great song writing from both, delivered with superb musicianship, stories and the wonderful voice of Maya.
videos by keith belcher
Go Tell A Bird and The Odds Of Getting Even
Apr 23 2024
Sara Petite Band
Sunday 14th April 2024
Photos and video by Keith Belcher
The first visit of San Diego’s Sara Petite to The Live Room with her UK band, who many of you will be familiar with from Annie Keating’s shows! A really cracking evening of country and Americana from a great songwriter and performer; you could tell that she loved playing with this band.
VIDEOS BY KEITH BELCHER
(I Can't Stand The Smell of Her) Perfume and God Save The Queen
Apr 2 2024
Richard Shindell 2024
Friday 15th March 2024
Photos, videos and review by Keith Belcher
The fourth visit of master song-writer and raconteur Richard Shindell. Richard hasn’t toured for many years so we were in a small and select group of venues that he chose to play. As you can see, an all electric show.
A truly wonderful night and we got to hear some new, unrecorded songs and very different arrangements of some old ones. All that and some great humour. Even an unrecorded cover of Leonard Cohen’s Alexandra Lost as an encore. A great night.
Videos by Keith Belcher
Stray Cow Blues
There Goes Mavis
Apr 2 2024
Robbie Cavanagh
Sunday 10th March 2024
Photos Ron Pengelly, review Mike Latham
Great show last night. Another great addition to the TLR roster.
Wonderful guitar playing and a marvellous voice that is clearly going to develop into something even stronger.
They say to write about what you know, how much of what Robbie was singing about last night was personal to him, I wouldn’t know.
What was clear was the depth and maturity of his lyrics, some surprising lyrics amongst the songs that he performed last night. Thanks Ron and Hilary for another great night.
Feb 13 2024
The Good Lovelies
Sunday 28th January 2024
Review, photos, video by Keith Belcher
Another sold out show for the second gig of the year. It’s becoming a habit. The third one is heading that way too. A debut appearance for Good Lovelies. Good Lovelies are Caroline Brooks: Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Kerri Ough: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboard and Susan Passmore: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Percussion, Keyboard. They do sometimes have a larger touring band but tonight we had the original core Good Lovelies trio.
They last toured 2019 and 2017 so this was the first post Covid tour. They did a straw poll at the start and from the hands up it looked like most of the audience were seeing them for the first time. I doubt many were disappointed. I would say everyone went home delighted with the pampering their ears got from the show.
We got 2 sets of great songs, good humour and stories and some of the most delightful harmonies heard at The Live Room. The lead vocals were juggled by all three, instruments alternated also. . There was a lovely tribute at the end of the show to one of their biggest fans and friends, Nick Lawson from Hull who passed away last February.
Rebecca Kemp, tour manager called up to the stage to join in for that. Nick went to all of their gigs in the UK and also travelled to Canada to see them too. RIP Nick , you are missed by those knew you.
The queue at The Merch desk was looong! at the interval and also still long when I had packed up my cameras and was on the way out. . Always a good indicator of popularity. The PA went down just before the start (the stage is not a drinks table!) but Ron sorted it out very quickly and we had the usual highly rated sound we have become accustomed to (Most artists say that , it’s not just me!).
Another band that will be very welcome back at TLR.
Video by Keith Belcher
Not A Lost Cause; and Blurry Days
Jan 30 2024
Tim O’Brien & Jan Fabricius
Friday 19th January 2024
Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher
The first gig of the year. The very welcome return of Tim O’Brien and Jan Fabricius with special guest, master fiddler Kevin Burke for the start of Set 2. We were very lucky to see Tim and Jan. They had a 36 hour nightmare journey from Nashville, delayed by snow. The gig scheduled for Sheffield on Thursday was cancelled. Tim and Jan had travelled up from Heathrow to make our show.
You really would not have guessed they had been travelling for 36 hours. The quality of the playing and singing was top notch. Jan playing mandolin , Tim, guitar, fiddle and mandolin and Kevin fiddle. Tim sang most lead vocals with Jan taking 2 songs as lead and they harmonised beautifully.
Special guest Kevin Burke opened the second set with Tim with 2 instrumentals . Jan joined the stage with Kevin and Tim for a third instrumental (Pear Tree/The Muddy Roads/Ladies Pantalettes/ The Kid On The Mountain and O’Carolans’s Concerto – for those interested) Lots of new songs as it’s been quite a few years and 3 albums since we’ve seen Tim on these shores.
Some old favourites like Brother Wind and Look Down That Lonesome Road.As you would expect at a Tim O’Brien show lots of humour throughout especially in new song Nervous.
70 years young this year and 50 years in the business and he played for just under 2 hours! The beauty of Tim is that it all looks so effortless whether its guitar,mandolin, fiddle or banjo. A true master tradesman.
Videos
Pretty Maid In A Garden; Bear; Pear Tree/The Muddy Roads/Ladies Pantalettes
Nov 14 2023
Daniel Rodriguez & Friends
Sunday 5th November 2023
Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher
Sunday 5th November 2023. Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire. The debut appearance and I hope the first of many appearances at TLR for Daniel and his band. Emma Rose opened with a short acoustic set and then joined Daniel with and without Zachary and Jason.
The Daniel Rodriguez Band, Daniel Rodriguez Lead Vocals, acoustic guitar, Zachary Jackson, vocals, bass, Jason Mazer, vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, Emma Rose , acoustic guitar, vocals
It’s just me, and the universe, tonight, and together we’re going to have to make things right from “A Thousand Lights” by Daniel Rodriguez
I have pretty much stopped writing reviews and these days I mainly just post pictures/videos with a brief accompanying introduction to the artists. I was very tempted to change that after Sunday night’s show. I had such a good time and felt very uplifted by the show. Without gushing, it genuinely left you with a warm glow.
To be honest a seriously glowing review had pretty much written itself in my head as I left the venue. I’ll just say if you want a really good night that’s going to to leave you feeling very glad you took the time to see this band then go and see them! They are really worth travelling to see. You won’t regret it.
The words below are from the much acclaimed £10 pom Scotsman Eric Bogle and they encapsulate the feelings generated on the night. I heard quite a few people who thought it was THE show of the year. Considering the wealth of talent we have seen this year that’s a strong but justified statement. If not familiar with Daniel’s back history you may also want to check out the music of his band until 2018, Elephant Revival, you won’t be disappointed.
Don’t know what music means to you,
but that’s what music means to me,
it can capture my heart, yet somehow set it free.
It can tear me to pieces, yet somehow make me whole,
