Review written by Nigel Poster Images By Ken Jackson
With the quality on tonight’s bill it was no surprise when Richard announced this had become a sell out. Musically the artists may have almost been at the complete opposite ends of the musical spectrum but that in itself created an additional level of interest and enjoyment and I know everyone will have left happy. Tonight was the third time in recent weeks I have watched Caitlin and Aaron perform as an acoustic duo and it is the 3rd time I and an audience has fallen under their magical spell.
The duo bring something completely enchanting to their music when performed stripped back in this way. What it does for me is really put Caitlin’s magnificent voice and Aaron’s expressive guitar skills as the fulcrum of their music. I have written about the two previous performances and don’t want to risk boring any readers by repeating myself so I want to put a different slant on my words. The first thing I would say is that I think it is incredible that these two newlyweds have basically chosen to spend their honeymoon on tour in the UK. First as personally chosen guests by Elles Bailey to open for her on her album launch tour and in the last week, being able to perform a handful of shows on their own.
I hope we have helped you celebrate your new life together. Then I would say it is clear watching the duo perform that there is a chemistry and deep love between them. There is nothing overt it is just there in the looks, the smiles and the music. That chemistry and happiness transfers to the duos audience and again tonight there was a feeling of joy present. I think Caitlin touched all our hearts when towards the very end of their sensational set she said so touchingly and so genuinely about how much they love how totally they have been embraced by British audiences.
Caitlin and Aaron please know this is because your music is real and brilliant and as people you are so real and so humble. The feeling of love and respect is 100% mutual. Tonight musically Caitlin and Aaron were seamlessly joined together. Aaron’s clean and expressive fretwork either supporting or lifting up and carrying away Caitlin’s voice. Then that voice, it is a thing of beauty and incredible cadence, therefore Caitlin can sing with the power of a banshee or the fragility of a child. The magnificent ballad Haunted By You captured the musical relationship perfectly.
Caitlin and Aaron are from North Carolina, a place I am never likely to visit but when Caitlin describes it and equally when you hear a song like Come And Go Blues I create images of the towering Appalachian mountains, vast, imposing but at the same time stunningly beautiful and tranquil. All it remains for me to do is wish Caitlin, Aaron and the band the best of luck with their UK Blues Award nomination and then a safe journey home with an array of new fans behind you. Prior to tonight I had not seen Bristol’s roots rockers True Strays, well now I have seen them and more to the point, heard them and Richard should have put out a warning sign because this band are just a little bit dangerous and imposing. They are a proper rock power trio and from the very start of their set they created an atmosphere of raw power that was very visceral and exciting.
As I sit here thinking how to capture the thrill of the performance my first thoughts are that True Strays are uber tight and they are a lean and mean machine with no excess fat. If something is there it is there for a reason. The rhythm section of Joe James on the bass guitar and Jay Shaw on drums assumed their positions on the stage and immediately locked out a serious and dirty low down groove that undulated throughout every song. These guys threw it down hard.
That created a rock solid platform for James Cameron to strut his stuff thrillingly on a range of guitars, a beautiful big Gretsch, an even more beautiful metal bodied National Guitar and a heavily stickered acoustic guitar that just looks as though it has clocked up some road miles. Young Blood and Like Tom Hardy flew from the traps and nearly pinned us back against the wall, a real statement of intent as an opening salvo.
The aforementioned dirty thick groove spat from drums and bass and James’s fretwork was vicious with a seriously fuzzed up edge to it and on the latter the boot crushed the Wah Wah Pedal and the Whammy Bar was wrenched tight. All sending down squalled vicious sounds that pushed up the powerful dual layered vocals from James and Joe. Desert Sound was structured on a hot throbbing groove that was so low down it empowered James to scorch up and down the fretboard and create arcing and sparking sounds. The vocals needed and got full power.
James then switched to a beautiful and gleaming metal body National guitar and my sense of anticipation soared and soon I was so happy to see James pull a slide bottle from his pocket. The double shot of Campasina and Sinner were thrilling and threatening in equal measure. Joe and Jay synced up again as a throbbing rhythm flooded out. That spurred James to create slash and burn sonics as the slide strafed the frets. On the latter there were some serious timing changes that had the music quicken and slow. The voices of Joe and James were powerful and vivid. The trio dialled it down a good few notches on the sparse and bare back porch bluesy vibes of Homeward Bound.
The National emitted razor edged sounds and draped themselves over the rhythm. Vocals also dropped in intensity and caught the vibe. The band then cheekily outdid ZZ Top with a bare boned slide riven delivery of the classic Gimme All Your Loving. Strings were stretched and strafed as the slide scorched the length of the frets. Shine A Light gave band and audience a short breather at the outset. Deft drum and bass patterns fleshed out the sounds, under hooky guitar licks and an emotion fuelled vocal. Sweet Salvation had the trio headed for the home straight as voices gelled together to carry the lyric that lay under the rhythms. Ain’t Good Enough was the band’s signal to get us involved and of course we obliged by hitting the call and refrain choruses while drums, bass and guitar vied for dominance.
True Strays were clearly loving it as we were because they hit us with a triple shot encore salvo. More heavy involvement from the crowd , cacophonous handclaps and singing made us at one with the band as they chopped out solos of power and intensity. The standing ovation said it all. Another extraordinary night at this amazing club. Richard, `Caitlin and Austin and True Strays should travel to tomorrow’s UK Blues Awards with confidence.
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