A Musical Interlude–Kevin & Dustin Welch at the Caravan Music Club

R to L –Kevin & Dustin Welch live at Caravan Music Club – 28/3/15

What a pleasure it was to be back in the urban wilds of Oakleigh at the Caravan Music Club! It has to be one of the best music venues in Melbourne, so it’s a pity it is so far away from where I live.

However, last night, after taking up the offer of a ticket from our neighbour B, I got to attend a wonderful concert by US singer songwriters, father and son duo Kevin Welch and Dustin Welch.

Kevin Welch is no stranger to these shores having toured here many times with fellow Dead Reckoner Kieran Kane. I first saw them in November 1999 at the Continental Cafe and like everyone who was present on the night, was blown away by their performance.

This is Dustin Welch’s first tour of Australia but he has been making a name for himself in his home country as an accomplished multi instrumentalist and literate lyricist.

He and his dad make a dynamic duo, sharing a taste for the same type of music, as well as having a ‘chip off the old block ‘ similarity in voices and delivery.

The evening was kicked off by local singer songwriter Dan Waters, who performed a mesmerising set, mostly comprised of songs from his debut album La Vita E Bella. Typified by his dry as a dust bowl delivery that reminds me of James McMurtry, and others of Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, his gritty urban ballads of low life and desperation grow on you as you listen to the words.

Dan Waters live at Caravan Music Club – 28/3/15

Included in his set was the terrific Guilt And Shame, Didn’t Mean To Hurt No-One, and Heat of December.

There was a short break after Dan Waters’ set, after which the main act assumed the stage and played for something like two hours, taking turn about to sing songs from their dual repertoires with each providing vocal and instrumental accompaniment to the other.

The first song, sung by Kevin Welch was The Great Emancipation, one I had not heard before. In the main Kevin played mostly new songs, but there were several familiar tunes among them, such as Postcard From Mexico, Millionaire, Jersey Devil, Train To Birmingham and Marysville, a song he wrote in response to the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009.

Kevin Welch – looking older than when I last saw him

Of course I’d never heard any of Dustin Welch’s songs, so they were all new to me.  I was particularly taken with Sparrows, Paranoid Heart Poor House, Cannonball Girl and Whisky Priest, a song inspired by the Graham Greene novel  The Power and the Glory.

Dustin Welch live at Caravan Music Club – 28/3/15

Just about every time I’ve seen Kevin Welch in concert, he has experienced problems with his guitar. This time a string broke, a brief way into the set, so he was obliged to borrow Dan Waters’ instrument which he played for the rest of the night.

Dustin had no trouble with his instruments – banjo, slide guitar and acoustic guitar. And he certainly knew how to play them.

It was a great show by two consummate showmen, one young, one old, the family relationship creating a marvellously engaging listening experience.

Here’s a video of Kevin & Dustin performing Postcard From Mexico

Kevin & Dustin Welch Set list
Caravan Music Club (28/3/15)

1. The Great Emancipation
2. Postcard From Mexico (David Olney cover)
3. Paranoid Heart
4. Marysville
5. Sparrows
6. The Flower
7. The Lower East Side (co written with JTE)
8. Millionaire
9. Poor House
10. Come A Rain
11. Cannonball Girl
12. Dust Devil
13. Two Horses
14. Jersey Devil
15. Don’t Tell Em Nothin’ (co written with Cary Ann Hearst)
16. Train To Birmingham (John Hiatt cover)
17. After The Music’s Gone
18. Patch Of Blue Sky
19. Whisky Priest

Encore

Too Old To Die Young

I’m anticipating several musical treats in the coming months. First up in April is the exhilarating Pokey La Farge, followed by the soulfully beautiful Iris Dement in May, whilst in June I have tickets for the Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell concert at the Palais which promises to be a ripper.

Pimps & Preachers – Paul Thorn at Northcote Social Club

 
Paul Thorn live at Northcote Social Club – 23 June 2013

I don’t get out to music as much these days, since severing my connection to Basement Discs, so I jumped at the opportunity to go and see American rock/blues artist Paul Thorn at Northcote Social Club on Sunday night.

In fact I haven’t been to Northcote Social Club for years, and was pleased to see that the band room is unchanged, except that limited seating was provided for this show at least.

Paul Thorn spend his formative years, growing up in Tupelo Mississippi, the son of a Pentecostal preacher, and for a short while was a professional boxer, televised in a bout with former world boxing champion Roberto Duran in 1988.

So he’s been around and lead an interesting life, but music has been part of his life since the age of three.

He is pretty well unknown in Australia, but has released six well regarded albums in all, his latest being What The Hell Is Going On, which is an album of covers. Previous to that album he released Pimps and Preachers, from which he played quite a few songs on Sunday night. This was his first tour of Australia, but I’m sure he’ll be back.

The opening act was by local singer songwriter Dan Waters who has been spruiking his debut record La Vita E Bella throughout the land since its release back in January.

Dan Waters live at Northcote Social Club – 23 June 2013

Dan performed an enjoyable set, singing songs from the aforementioned album. He has a dry, dry wit and to my ears sounded a lot like James McMurtry in his delivery and vocals. The songs included Please Break Up With Me and Heat of December.

Paul Thorn took the stage in such a quiet, unobtrusive fashion it was some time before the sound mechanic was aware of his presence and turned off the intermission soundtrack.  But the audience was not caught by surprise and waited with keen anticipation his first song, which was Ain’t Living In Sin No More, a special request from a member of the audience. Next song was I’m A Lucky Man, followed by Burn Down The Trailer Park.

You can see from the song titles, that Paul Thorn has a great sense of humour; it’s dry and self mocking, refreshingly honest.

A great many of Paul Thorn’s songs are autobiographical, such as Pimps and Preachers which refers to his childhood mentors, his father the Pentecostal preacher and his uncle who was a pimp. It’s a terrific song with marvellous lyrics.

Other highlights were 800 Pound Jesus, Mission Temple Fireworks Stand and Where Was I, though truth to tell every one of his songs was a pleasure to hear.

I’m a sucker for good lyrics and Paul Thorn exemplifies good song writing for me – gritty with a twist.

He is also a very skilled artist; the cover art on his CDs are his own work.

It was a very enjoyable show – a splendid way to pass a chilly Melbourne winter evening in the cosy band room of the Northcote Social Club.

Set List (as far as I can work out)

1. Ain’t Living In Sin No More
2. I’m A Lucky Man
3. Burn Down The Trailer Park
4. Where Was I
5. Hammer and Nail
6. If I Can Get Over Her
7. 800 Pound Jesus
8. Pimps and Preachers
9. That’s Life
10. Joanie, the Jehovahs Witness Stripper
11. You Might Be Wrong
12. I Don’t Wanna Know
13. I Have A Good Day
14. I Hope I’m Doing This Right
15. Mission Temple Fireworks Stand
16. I Guess I’ll Just Stay Married

Encore

1. I Don’t Like Half The Folks I Love