The end of June is a weekend all music lovers look forward to. The 'Glastonbury Experience' is available to all and sundry thanks to the benefits of modern technology. As a result of the BBC's blanket coverage of this iconic festival, I stumbled to work on Monday morning, bleary-eyed, already feeling pangs of nostalgia about my three days on the sofa with only a box of wine and a few tubes of Pringles for company. Despite the vast collection of live sets, along with a dizzying array of clips and studio performances, all delivering the thrills of Glastonbury without the need for wellies, my visit to The Ritz on Friday evening proved to be perhaps the most significant and certainly the most enjoyable music event of the weekend.
Grammy winning star Kacey Musgraves has recently played with such country luminaries as Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss and flew into the UK on the back of an immensely successful US arena tour with Katy Perry, visiting some of the most iconic venues in the States over some forty six dates. Needless to say, this musician is a real star of the genre and the diverse crowd tonight waited eagerly in a hot and sweaty venue, desperate to extend a proper North West welcome to this Texan singer-songwriter and talented multi-instrumentalist.
Before we were able to do this, the crowd were treated to a rousing set from John and Jacob. Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, the boys have recently become ensconced in to the ubiquitous Nashville scene. Significantly, leading song from their most recent eponymous EP was picked up by the mini-series bearing the great city's name. You can not underestimate the influence this programme is having on the genre at the moment. The duo certainly pressed all the right buttons required of a support act. Emerging on stage, they initially appeared to be dwarfed by the venue, but these friendly, energetic and immensely talented performers quickly grew into their surroundings, filling the hall with their brand of industrious, acoustic folk-pop, which at times possesses a distinctly dark edge. Their short set climaxed with an immensely satisfying performance of their 'Nashville' hit 'Be My Girl', which had the crowd and particularly the young female gathering, who spent the set screaming and bouncing throughout, clamouring for more. This won't be the last time we see these guys on our shores. However, next time it would be nice if they arrived accompanied by their full band, adding just a bit more grit to compliment the abundant tunes and energy. When Kacey Musgraves ascends the steps to the stage a hush spreads amongst the crowd. This is surely a sign of reverence. The crowd is a sell out. They're here to see a superstar and appear starstruck as she picks up her guitar surrounded by neon cacti and counts her mariachi styled band in for first track, 'High Time'. 'Silver Lining' quickly follows and the audiences familiarity with the track sees the show come alive. This song opens the hugely successful long player, 'Same Trailer Different Park' and provides a worthy reminder of what makes this frank twenty-five year old so brilliant, as she sings the wonderfully evocative first line, "woke up on the wrong side of rock bottom". The album hasn't sold north of 450,000 units and been awarded a Grammy for Best Country Album in 2013 for nothing and her audience have responded to her honesty as well as an awareness of themes that you or I can relate to.
The 2012 album provides the basis for the show, but Kacey Musgraves is such a confident performer, and one completely aware of her roots that a handful of covers also compliment the set to striking effect. The first of these preempts the weekend to come; 'Here You Come Again' was originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1977 and Glastonbury punters would hear it a few days later, but Kacey's fans are rewarded with an extremely accomplished rendition, perfectly complimenting the original's energy. The following clutch of songs provide enthralling evidence of her veracious approach to the genre she has quickly become a darling of. 'Miss You' sounds like a straight forward country ballad, but the themes are darker than expected and the story doesn't seem to end well. This is quickly followed by the particularly cool barroom rocker 'Blowin' Smoke', which fellow Grammy winner Sheryl Crow would be proud of. Indeed, the whole show has an incredibly engaging pace and rhythm about it, refusing to be pigeonholed by the country genre she is associated with. Her cover of TLC's 'No Scrubs' is a case in point, and Musgraves' more cynical delivery adds to the fun of the track. The second half of the show maintains the imagination of the first, even introducing an element of reggae to proceedings in the country put down 'Step Off'.
As we head through the bottom stretch of the twenty song set, it becomes even more apparent how well-judged this performance actually is. The crowd brandish wonderfully inventive home-made flashing signs and t shirts demonstrating the affection held for this artist and her appreciation of these efforts in return does not seem fake, and we're treated to a delightful four-song encore full of fun and surprises. The first track is a debut airing of new song 'Cup of Tea', which lyrically contains all the component parts her audience are familiar with, but delivered solo enhances the fragility of the song's evocative imagery. Kacey then disappears to be replaced by her band in new suits emblazoned with flashing LED lights. Kacey emerges moments later in cowboy boots, also adorned with flashing lights and she launches in to an incredibly energetic performance of Nancy Sinatra's 'These Boots were Made for Walking', followed by signature track 'Follow Your Arrow'. If ever two songs captured the spirit and attitude of a performer at her peak it is these two tracks. Enraptured, the crowd do not want the show to end, but Kacey subtly manages to do so in style as she sings glorious farewell track 'Happy Trails', A cappella style before disappearing off stage, flashing boots and all.
The weekend was a glorious success for music but the wealth of digital content available to the armchair Glastonbury punter can't beat the live experience and on Friday night Kacey Musgraves knocked one out of the park!
Justin Nozuka
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