Sat 28th Oct – Kassi Valazza + Nat Johnson @ The Globe
By Juan Fitzgerald
Last night was a great night rather than a Halloween horror night of music at The Globe when Portland Oregon based Kassi Valazza and her friends came to town. Although getting parked as always, was another matter !! Kassi played her lovely & mysterious lo-fi folk & country music with a touch of psychedelia to a very keen & appreciative crowd on her debut here. The Globe to me , is getting more & more like the quaint old original Jumpin Hot Club down the Bridge Hotel. It has that honest likable local vibe. After a shaky start when Kassi thought the quietness of the audience was making her feel anxious, she soon relaxed when realising that it was just a good sign of appreciation. She sang songs mostly from her latest record on Loose “Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing ” and was ably supported by two very sympathetic musician. Lewi Longmire on lap steel and electric guitar who is leader in the acclaimed old folk singer Michael Hurley’s band ( & they did one of his tunes ) and Tobias Beboinger on keyboards. Both musicians creating super ambient and psychedelic grooves to accompany the soaring vocals . Kassi’s voice sounding at times like a young Emmylou Harris & other times pure Karen Dalton. The songs conjured up the big open spaces of Arizona with my very favourite being the extremely well crafted ” Watching Planes Go By”… rock and roll pours out the radio taking shape of sunken hills and UFO’s , watching planes go by.
During lockdown Kassi like most of us, would go for walks and then that gave her the inspiration for many of her new songs & tonight’s troupe worked so well creating dream like grooves to them. Tunes such as ” Early Morning Rising ” …. The sun she scatters rightly , like starlight in the night ” with their laidback vocal harmonies, making the audience spell bound. Tonight proved yet another great night of music for the Jumpin Hot Club.
Kassi invited her friend Nat Johnson as the evening’s support & she also said it was such an attentive crowd. Nat provided a warm & gentle start to the evening with songs from her latest release “Neighbour of the year”. A short set, chock full of self -penned indie pop folk gems.
