Words/pics Juan Fitzgerald
I wasn’t really sure what last night’s Jumpin Hot Club gig was to bring but that’s the way I like it. Support act, Leeds based Lewis Pugh was solo, without his Burner Band, who were just excellent at last year’s Cantina. Dare I say, his set was of a way more serious platter tonight, & more Woody Guthrie /Dylan than that vintage country/rockabilly his band play. Lewis with mouth ogan/guitar and class vocals, has a good thing going & though he did do the pop hit ” Sertraline” a few other self- penned songs were to follow. Songs such as “The Featherstone Massacre” based on a true story of soldiers firing on locked out union miners in Featherstone, 15 miles out of Leeds in the 1800s, and also a murder ballad of local interest to Lewis, about a wife who went to the gallows with her lover John, who killed her husband in ” The ballad of Emily Swann “. He had more, based on real events, tunes that were very well presented, even a song about an American “Hot Dog” seller, however my only criticism would be to include a few upbeat numbers next time .
Headlining from Oklahoma City was Carter Sampson and her band of English session musicians. With her shock of red hair, multicoloured coat and glasses & the band, a mix match of lookalike Lyle Lovett, Santana and the drummer from Toy Story …of course they were bound to make an impression. AND boy could she sing as they performed all the best tunes from Carter’s last 3 great albums . Americana songs like “Peaches” to country waltzes “Hello Darlin” to heartfelt odes like ” Gold ” a song about her mother & grandmother. We must mention her lockdown tune too ” Queen of Oklahoma” which she now is quite rightly known by and my personal favourite of the night, ” Rattlesnake Kate ” that was based on a real character who saved her son, killing a mammoth 140 rattlesnakes that were endangering them. The evening ended with the storming, title track from her 2018 album ”Lucky” with the band coming into their own as unusual whoops were heard from the audience . The drummer smashing down on his kit and a Pete Townsend leap from Carter, as she sang ‘ Some folks call it Karma , some people call it fate, I’m singing for my supper, everyday I’m lucky ”
The 40+ souls in Cluny2 were indeed lucky enough to witness a brilliant evening & hopefully with word of mouth, Carter & band could sell out , next time over here.