Shane Nicholson Lets Hell Break Loose at the Caravan Music Club

Shane Nicholson – Caravan Music Club – 8 August 2015

It was great to back in the wilds of Oakleigh at the Caravan Music Club, especially as one of my favourite Australian singer-songwriters was the star act.

I discovered Shane Nicholson way back in 2003 when he opened for a Kasey Chambers concert at the Palais in St Kilda, where I was so impressed by his performance that I sought out his debut solo CD It’s A Movie the next day. I still play it every so often and consider it has weathered the test of time remarkably well.

On Saturday night, Shane was launching his new album, Hell Breaks Loose, which had been released the day before. It has been widely praised by the critics – Rolling Stone Magazine gave it 4 stars – so I was really looking forward to hearing the new songs, and also picking up a copy of the CD at the concert.

The Weeping Willows (Andy Wrigglesworth and Laura Coates), who I recently witnessed opening for Iris Dement, were the support act for Shane Nicholson as well. My impression, seeing them for a second time, was that they had improved and appeared much more confident and upbeat in their performance.

They played a delightfully engaging set, many of the songs being newly composed for their forthcoming second, Pozible crowd funded, record. These included River of Gold, Travelling Man, Forgotten Flowers and Garden of Tears.

It is public knowledge that Shane Nicholson has separated from Kasey Chambers, his wife of six years. Shane claims that the new record is not a “break up” album. He admits that it is heavy in tone, but added that he liked “heavy” and that he was generally happy in his single state.

On Saturday night a number of songs from Hell Breaks Loose were played, but the majority of the 21 song set were either drawn from his earlier albums or covers of other artists.

Shane kicked off his set with new single Second Hand Man, then harked back to his collaboration with Kasey Chambers, singing Wreck & Ruin, the title track from their second joint album. That was followed by a song from Shane’s most recent solo studio recording, Bad Machines, the song being Jimmie Rodgers Was A Vampire.

The show promo advertised Shane Nicholson as appearing with a very special surprise guest.  This turned out to be Melody Pool, whom I have previously seen when she opened for the 2013 Milk Carton Kids concert at Thornbury Theatre.

She added her lovely voice to two of the covers, Stop Dragging My Heart Around, a Tom Petty penned song made famous by Stevie Nicks, and Believing from the Nashville TV Series.  She also sang lead vocals on a new song of her own, Black Dog, a bleak but powerful song about depression.

Melody Pool at Caravan Music Club -  8 August 2015

The songs from Shane’s new record sounded fantastic. He has a deft way with words and writes wonderful lyrics. Particularly moving was Single Fathers and Hermannsburg, the latter composed during a visit with his friend, Aboriginal singer songwriter, Warren H Williams in the Outback.

Towards the end of Shane’s set, he summoned The Weeping Willows to the stage, along with Melody Pool and they gathered around a single microphone to sing John Prine’s The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness.

 
The Weeping Willows, Melody Pool & Shane Nicholson

Supporting Shane through most of his set was *John Bedggood who played  tasteful fiddle and mandolin, whilst Shane stuck to guitar and occasionally tickled the piano keys.

As it has been several years since I have seen Shane Nicholson live, it was a rare pleasure to attend the concert at Caravan Music Club. It was a sell out, which must have been heart warming for Shane as I recall seeing him at the now defunct East Brunswick Club back in 2006 where only a handful of people showed up.

He has now won several music awards over the ensuing years, and has finally been recognised as one of the best singer-songwriters in Australia.

I wish him every success with Hell Breaks Loose.

SET LISTS

THE WEEPING WILLOWS SET LIST

1. Down Below
2. River of Gold
3. Forever In My Dreams
4. Falling Rain
5. Travelling Man
6. Forgotten Flowers
7. ?
8. Garden of Tears
9. Devil ?
10. ?
11. Sixteen Feet of Stone

SHANE NICHOLSON SET LIST

1. Second Hand Man
2. Wreck & Ruin
3. Jimmie Rodgers Was A Vampire
4. The Quiet Life
5. Weight of the World
6. Hell Breaks Loose
7. Monkey On A Wire
8. Home
9. Rattlin’ Bones
10. Irons & Chains
11. Single Fathers
12. Stop Dragging My Heart Around (Tom Petty)
13. Believing (Nashville TV Series)
14. Black Dog (Melody Pool)
15. Woe Is Mine
16. Once In A While
17. The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness (John Prine)
18. Flat Nail Joe

Encore

1. Hermannsburg
2. House That Never Was
3. Never Been To Spain (Waylon Jennings)

* Thanks to the anonymous commenter for supplying the name of Shane’s support musician.

Funny, Quirky, Endearing – The Milk Carton Kids at Thornbury Theatre

The Milk Carton Kids live at Thornbury Theatre 6 June 2013

A month ago I had never heard of the Milk Carton Kids, and even when I received a newsletter from Love Police about their Australian Tour, I paid scant attention. Then I read a review of their latest CD, The Ash & Clay, on No Depression and my interest was piqued to the point that I checked them out. I liked what I heard  on their website, and taking advantage of the free download of their first two albums, listened some more, and subsequently became addicted to their music.

The Milk Carton Kids are Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, who through some freakish chance have an extraordinary musical symbiosis. They each had low key solo careers before they met, both being folk singer songwriters who had largely gone unnoticed. Since teaming up in 2011, their star has risen to such an extent that their shows in the USA are sold out as soon as they go on sale.

Musically, they are an interesting blend of Simon & Garfunkel/Everly Brothers and Gillian Welch. Their voices sound as if they were made for each other, blending so beautifully that they sound like one voice. They play ancient guitars; Joey’s is a 1951 Gibson J45, and Kenneth's is a 1954 Martin 0-15, and complement each other’s playing, Kenneth being the more ornate guitarist of the two, sounding very like David Rawlings, which is no bad thing. Despite the comparisons these guys manage to create a totally individual sound if you listen long enough.

So, after playing their CDs (including The Ash & Clay, which I purchased) obsessively for the last two weeks, I was well prepared and very much anticipating their appearance at the Thornbury Theatre.

I was not disappointed. In fact I was enraptured by the duo and very much charmed and amused by their performance. For The Milk Carton Kids, as well as being beguiling musically, are very funny as well. People were practically rolling in the aisles with laughter at Joey Ryan’s wonderful dead pan humour, to which he treated us between songs.

I never thought I would get to hear to a dissertation on the origins of the ampersand at a concert!

The opening act was special as well. Young singer songwriter Melody Pool performed a moving set of her own compositions, the highlight being Henry, a gut wrenching heartbreaker of a song. Melody, true to her name, has a very affecting voice, kind of like Joni Mitchell, but more powerful and emotionally expressive.  It was the first time I had seen or, indeed, heard her play and I was impressed.

 
Melody Pool live at Thornbury Theatre 6 June 2013

Check out this You Tube of her performing Henry and see/hear for yourself.

The Milk Carton Kids were scheduled to play at 9.30pm, but they caught everyone by surprise, ambling onto the stage a quarter hour early. They opened with the first track on The Ash & Clay, Hope Of A Lifetime, which, typical of all their songs, has a lovely melody that enhances the gloriousness of their harmonies.

Joey introduced the title track, which they played next, making sure we were all aware that the ampersand inserted between ‘Ash’ and ‘Clay’ was intentional and not a lazy way of writing.  And also no doubt, because he could introduce his musings on typography and grammar into his on-stage patter. He continued this theme with the next song Honey, Honey with its use of a comma between the two Honey’s.

He played a wonderful trick on the audience when introducing Kenneth’s song Charlie which is about a future daughter. I won’t spoil the joke here, as it probably has to be heard first time to be really appreciated.

By this time the duo had the audience in total thrall. For a so called minimalist act, they were marvellously engaging, quirky and endearing.

There was a reasonable crowd in attendance, so I was glad I had booked  reserved seating which had us sitting towards the front.  I took my Panasonic micro four thirds camera with me, intending to try out a new lens I had recently purchased for it. As you can see it worked a treat.

There were other photographers creeping around the front of the stage, with enormous lenses. You know the type, they crouch directly beneath the artists and aim their cameras nostril wise. Joey Ryan dispatched them in a clever witty manner, informing them that the scene was not going to change anytime during the concert, as he and Kenneth would remain in the same positions all evening.

And so they did, the odd pair. Joey is the tall skinny guy on the left. He hardly moves, whereas Kenneth on the right, gyrates as he plays his guitar.

It was a fantastic concert, a real surprise and I’m sure all who were present would count themselves as die hard fans of The Milk Carton Kids from now on.  I admit that they are a thrilling new musical discovery for me.

If you get a chance, go and see them; you won’t be disappointed. Or if that’s impossible check them out on their website, where you can still download their first two albums for free, and watch videos of various songs. I recommend the Tiny Desk Concert.

Set List

1. Hope of A Lifetime
2. The Ash & Clay
3. Honey, Honey
4. Years Gone By
5. Charlie
6. Maybe It’s Time
7. Girls Gather Around
8. Snake Eyes
9. Heaven
10. Michigan
11. Stealing Romance
12. I Still Want A Little More

Encore

1. New York
2. Memphis