Gretchen Peters

Gretchen Peters' new album - Dancing With The Beast - has a subdued melancholic air with an undercurrent of ageing and mortality.
So it was something of a surprise to hear and see the vibrancy in the performances last night. The acoustics at Cadogan Hall are very good and brought out the best in the band's sound. Barry Walsh on piano and accordion displayed all the empathy you'd expect of her husband and long time musical partner. Guitarist Colm McLean seemed at times to be channelling Doug Lancio. Support Kim Richey joined for three songs on vocals and percussion.
The set list featured most of the new record plus The Matador, a gorgeous Guadelupe, Blackbirds, If All I Had Was A Hammer, On A Bus To St Cloud and Five Minutes. They closed with a cracking Idlewild.
The whole band returned for the encore of Mickey Newbury's Why You Been Gone So Long? which featured a duel between McLean and Walsh.
They left Gretchen alone, off mike, with her guitar for the show (and new album closer) Love That Makes A Cup Of Tea. With that she was gone. In the few minutes it took me to get down to the foyer she'd installed herself at the merch table ready to engage with fans. Class act.

Gretchen Peters deserves greater acclaim and recognition for a song collection that adorns her repertoire.
Last night at St Davids Hall she had been moved from the open Level 3 to the main auditorium. The acoustics were perfection in a venue that has seen so called better known acts struggle for audible clarity.
To confirm her comfort in the surroundings she rounded off the night with an unamplified song off stage in front of the front row, of the almost capacity lower level audience.
In a set that mainly featured tracks from the new album ‘Dancing With The Beast’ standout songs were ‘Wichita’ and ‘Truckstop Angel’. Her backing musicians were the perfect complement to the atmospheric lyrics. As always Gretchen’s husband Barry Walsh’s keyboard work was so in tune I almost expected love hearts to appear floating out of the grand piano.
With a touring schedule that takes her around the world she really is a modern day troubadour. Hopefully it won’t be too long before she once again comes back to South Wales.

At a wonderful venue, at a very special day for the Dutch (4th of May, remebrance day for the deceased in WW2) an extremely memorable evening. Gretchen brilloant as ever, great guitar playing. And Gretchen talking to all her fans afterwards. Thanks!

Absolutely fantastic show , great musicians & Gretchen's voice is amazing . Her songwriting is wonderful and we enjoy every shoe of hers . We could listen to her all the time because her voice and music & storytelling are the best .

Excellent gig.lovely personality with a great sense of humor.Top class musician and great band. nice touch at the end when she played an acoustic number in the front row of the audience