Fine folk streamed live to living rooms across the world from Newbury
Reg Meuross, with support Lauren South at Ace Space, Newbury on Saturday, March 16.
Review by BRIAN HARRINGTON
TONIGHT’S show was well attended locally, as well as being part of ‘Live To Your Living Room’, reaching viewers in the US, Germany and across the UK. Fitting, because it was a wonderful night of fine folk music.
Lauren South had stepped in last minute and travelled from her home in Rugby to play her 30-minute set.
A multi-instrumentalist, she is an accomplished fiddle player and guitarist as well as using a shruti box to accompany herself at times.
She opened with The Mermaid And The Swimming Lad, a self-penned song inspired by a WB Yeats poem, which is the opening track of her new album Tiny Boat and which gives her beautiful, soaring vocals full range.
This may have been a brief set, but Lauren was hugely impressive. I hope to hear more from her.
Reg Meuross is on his 15th solo album, having previously toured with Hank Wangford And The Lost Cowboys, The Flamingos and The Panic Brothers.
He has a slew of awards to his credit and is, rightly, respected as an exceptional lyricist and storyteller.
Reg opened with Fool’s Gold from his 2008 album Dragonfly and included several songs from his current album Stolen From God, a song cycle which focuses on the slave trade and features Reg’s trademark astute and intelligent lyrics, which are often politically and historically accurate and perceptive. These included Good Morning Mr Colsto and I Bought Myself An African.
Social awareness is just one side of Reg Meuross, there is great humour too, as demonstrated by the story he told and the song Phil Ochs And Elvis Eating Lunch At Morrison’s Café.
The Band Played Sweet Marie is a poignant, touching piece inspired by the Titanic violin story, while Leaving Alabama tells the tale of an imaginary meeting between Dylan Thomas and Hank Williams in a bar.
Reg finished his set with the wonderful England Green & England Grey (my personal favourite among his songs), before inviting Lauren South back on stage for the fully deserved encore of Shine On.
Simply wonderful.
