Rod Picott @ The Globe 7/10/2023
By Juan Fitzgerald (words/pics)
It rained again for the fourth Jumpin Hot Club gig running but that was ok. We were in The Globe with a cosy room full of listening music fans & this friendly bar just on the outskirts of town, was perhaps the perfect place to catch an intimate show from Nashville based songsmith Rod Picott. A regular figure over the years for Jumpin Hot, & just like his songs Rod’s voice seems to get better & better with age. With a new album to sell “ A Starlight Tour” & lots of old favourites to sing, Rod without any fan fair entered stage right & give us a 75 min songwriter’s showcase of both quantity & quality. New songs such as “Television Preacher” about American Evangelist’s & spiritual austerity followed by the hard hitting” Digging Ditches” “were decorated with stars and stitches guys like me digging ditches ” and then a double down commissioned effort (with Slaid Cleaves) “A Punchers Chance ” I’m not light on my feet I’m no butterfly , look how hard I Fell for you , if you’re willing to go the distance with me, I will be in your corner” were the worthy new backbone of the night. While old tunes like his Dad’s favourite “Rust Belt Fields ” about work leaving his home town & his famous co-write again with his old schoolboy chum Slaid Cleaves ” Broke Down” pleased his long-time fans. Apart from the music Rod talked of being on the road & the delight of getting into a Worcester hotel early and watching Heartbeat and Last Of The Summer Wine on TV with a glass of wine and a prawn sandwich aah… the joys of life on the road. Rod ended his set with a story of meeting music icon Bruce Springsteen , & he being everything you would expect – Bruce ‘s gentleman handshake, a giggle at Rods funny story and making friendly eye contact , then Rod paid tribute to him with the rocker “I’m On Fire” and a sing-along friendly encore. Another cracking night at The Jumpin Hot Club & Rod hopes to Tour UK one day with an ex old schoolboy chum …. watch this space. .