Nev Brooks

Sunday afternoon in the big smoke followed by an evening in a venue that I have to say was a new one on me, but the chance to drift along and listen to some rarities and slow sad waltzes, that you knew were going to be delivered perfectly by Margo Timmins and family just couldn’t be missed.

I caught the cowboy junkies first live with a certain Ryan Adams guesting back in the Royal Albert Hall and they absolutely stunned me, and since then I’ve been an avid follower of their brand of Blues/Folk/country/Americana, truth be told its music that hooks into an emotional space and just holds you there.

On arrival at the theatre I couldn’t help but notice the cast list for a new play being show from Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri) called a Very Very Very dark matter what caught my eye was Tom Waits, the ongoing Narrator and a certain Phil Daniels in an extended role, if you fancy checking out some reviews, which I did it might appeal, the premise is suitably dark and almost certainly insane.

With a ban on photos, (they were very protective of the said plays set) all I can say is that it provided a macabre backdrop to the nights proceedings.

No support act and two sets with an intermission, meant we got straight into the proceedings with the opening set focusing in on the new LP “All that Reckoning” opening up with the title track “All that reckoning” you were instantly caught up lets lay it out there Margo Timmins is probably one of the best female vocalists currently touring across any genre, watching her entranced in the music, feeling every note it was a really special performance, I have to at this point comment on the sound tonight it was incredible, you could hear a pin drop we could hear the vocalist draw breath, it was unreal. Tracks that stood out in this set for me probably the opening number, “Southern Rain,” “The things we do to each other” and the only nod to the past in this section “cause cheap is how I feel”.

The second set was simply sublime, heavy raw blues at times, acoustic Americana at others, while dipping in and out of an alternative country base.

Picking out tracks two of the covers, “Powderfinger”(Neil Young) and “Sweet Jane”,(from the velvet underground!!!) it nailed you to the seat with its intensity, while “Misguided Angel” that closed the set left you drifting wanting much more, the solitary song from the new LP, “shining teeth” deserves a special mention it sat so well in this set.

Then before you know it the band are gone, or almost gone coming back to cover Bowie’s “Five Years” which was jaw dropping and Patsy Cline’s ‘Walking after midnight” both given the Cowboy Junkies treatment.

Playing just under an hour set one and an hour and thirty minutes (almost) set two, it genuinely felt like 5 minutes each, I love nights where you just end up lost in the music!!

You can buy “All that reckoning” here

Website