This gig should have taken place in December last year so it’s definitely a bit warmer for the Tennessee trio than it would have been then. Following on from a successful festival showing at The Long Road festival and Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle this could be another belter for the guys who are so laid back they are horizontal!
I first saw them at Download a few years ago, but all their music became the theme songs to my virtual cycle ride across Route 66 during lockdown, so I’m really looking forward to singing along to a few of these.
Lindsay Ell came to the stage with her white Stratocaster slung over her shoulder and accompanied by her drummer. I’ve never heard of her before, and this was confirmed by her saying it was her first trip to Wales. With a voice a bit like a young Alannis Morisette, she managed to hold the attention of the crowd with her vocal and instrumental expertise.
This girl can play blues guitar…. Whilst her first album was lauded amongst the country aficionados in the US, it was also panned by some quarters. I can only speak for what I have just witnessed, a talented singer songwriter with a foot in country and another in mainstream rock. This was highlighted by her short cover of the last third of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – and she can play the solo too! She also had the audacity and nuts to play the intro to Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’ as her final parting riff! Well done.
If the Cadillac Three were wondering what voice the crowd were in, they only had to listen to the singalong to the Brothers Osbourne track ‘Ain’t My Fault’: the crowd were in fine voice!
With no tape to enter to, they’re straight into ‘Peace Love And Dixie’, followed by ‘All The Makings Of A Saturday Night’ and ‘Soundtrack To A Six Pack’. I was singing along so much in the pit I almost forgot the reason I was there!
Jaren told the story about Planet Rockstock’ where he managed three bottles of red wine before corpsing after three tracks, before launching into ‘Slide’. If anyone thought it was just country rock, they were in for a shock, as Jaren can really shred his guitar.
Whenever there was a reduction in band volume, the crowd joined in and were in good voice. This continued through the set, and it looked like the Tennessee trio were enjoying it a much a the crowd. The highlights were all the way through until ‘Bury Me In My Boots’ got treated to a truly fabulous crowd singalong… This was until Jaren said it had been a while since they had played ‘Running Red Lights’, when the crowd knew the words better than he did.
Lyndsey Ell joined the guys on stage to riff with Jaren on ‘Southern Sweet Spirit’ and ‘Tabasco And Sweet Tea’, where Jaren shredded a red Flying V. This was not the last guest spot either, as Jack Thomas from local country rock band Coyote Creed got pulled from the crowd to play Jaren’s Flying V on ‘Southern Summer’. Joining in on the ‘Stranger Things’ vibe a brief ‘Master of Puppets’ riff opened up the last chorus of ‘All About The South’ to end the set.
If you want to get the audience to join in at any gig, then this was a masterclass in writing songs with good hooks and singalong choruses that a good crowd could join in with – and this was a good crowd. I’m really glad I made it and I would definitely see them next time around. Now, where’s my bike? I need another long ride to singalong to TC3.