It’s exactly 4 years to the day since I saw Sierra Ferrell live for the first time at an intimate club show in Newcastle. That night, it was just the diminutive West Virginia-born singer with a larger-than-life voice, backed by just a fiddle/guitar player and an upright bass player. 4 years on the road and she has blossomed into a performer who works the crowd like a seasoned pro, and now has the likes of Beck, Post Malone and Billy Strings queuing up to collaborate with her. A return to these shores has been a long time coming, and I was not going to miss this chance to catch her live again in all her glory.

First up are three brothers from Seattle, who look and sound like they stepped out from another era. With stunning 2 & 3 piece harmonies and a good rapport with a new audience, The Brudi Brothers played their folk-tinged Americana ditties to a packed room. Lead singer Conrad picks a resonator, blows a harmonica and has a voice that sounds like it’s coming through a gramophone post World War 2. “Who wants to hear a cowboy song?” he asks an inquisitive audience before breaking into ‘Me More Cowboy Than You’, an instantly gratifying tune straight outta the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack. If you dig the likes of Old Crow Medicine Show and Waylon Jennings, then these could be your new favourite artists.

This is their first time in the UK. They are very appreciative of the opportunity and very thankful to Sierra and her band. The Bruni Brothers sure made a few hundred new fans tonight.

The stage is adorned with a plethora of flowers. At the back, there’s a big bass drum with the words ‘Heavy Petal Music’ emblazoned on it. It’s hotter than the summer of ’76 outside, and the sweat is already soaking through my t-shirt before the band has even played a note. Sierra, dressed in an off-the-shoulder white gown and flowers in her hair, plucks the intro to ‘Rosemary’ on her acoustic guitar to great cheers. With a 5-piece band consisting of guitar, bass, drums, pedal steel and mandolin, the full big band Sierra Ferrell experience has been realised. The band takes the song to another level. The players, dressed in matching white shirts, neckerchiefs and cowboy hats, are as Nashville as you could get. It’s quite a sight and what a beautiful sound they create.

This is a far cry from a lil ole band that plays clubs, this is a big production designed to take on the world stages, and Sierra is finally getting the recognition she deserves.

The setlist flows like a dream. Big singles mix with cool album gems and choice covers. ‘Dollar Bill Bar’, ‘I Could Drive You Crazy’, and ‘American Dreaming’ are big sing-along singles that guarantee to thrill. ‘Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down’, played early, is full of mournful fiddle, acoustic goodness and cool vibes. ‘Kicking Up Dust’ is a new song that is pretty instant on first listen. It sounds like a Dolly Parton classic. What a vocal performance. I make no excuses to admit the hairs on the back of my neck raise, and not for the last time tonight. Sierra is confident and self-assured, with a voice that sounds like it should be on old, crackly vinyl, and with looks that veer more towards folk punk than Nashville. She is the standout star of modern Country music, and in the live arena, she is an unstoppable force.

The band take things down, and the lights turn deep red for ‘Chittlin Cookin Time In Cheatham County’, an old 30’s tune that sorta sounds like ‘St. James Infirmary’. It’s delivered in a sleazy, rock n’ roll barroom blues way, and just comes across really cool in this setting. An otherworldly scream from the singer precedes a Johnny Thunders-style raucous guitar solo from her guitarist, it’s stunning stuff indeed.

Her cover of John Anderson’s ‘Years’ follows. It has become a firm live favourite, a song Sierra has made her own, that chorus sends chills every time. It’s a song I’ve been looking forward to hearing, and it doesn’t disappoint. One of many highlights tonight, along with a stunning ‘In Dreams’ performed as a duo with guitarist Oliver Bates Craven. Main set closer ‘Foxhunt’ sees a huge bass drum wheeled stage front for Sierra to set the beat before raising the roof with the folky barnstormer of a tune and its frantic fiddle face-off.

Encore time, and we get the surprise no one expected. The guitarist strums a familiar chord progression before Sierra shouts, “Oasis are from here, is that right?” to great cheers as the band launches into ‘Wonderwall’. It’s a moment that lights up the entire academy as Sierra hands out flowers to a gobsmacked crowd during the finale.

From train-hopping busker to viral acoustic videos and onto the world stages, Sierra Ferrell’s journey has been leading to this: an artist who has realised her full potential. A Sierra Ferrell concert is an uplifting, magical and spiritual experience. Whether you are a die-hard, an occasional listener or completely new to country music, you cannot fail but be drawn in and enraptured by her performance and leave feeling like you have witnessed something truly special. Tonight was one of those nights that will stay with me for a long time, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Truly magnificent stuff.

Author: Ben Hughes