More Best of Southern Fried 2017

In the run-up to this year's Southern Fried Festival, I was lucky enough to interview the legendary Graham Nash about this upcoming headline slot (you can read it here).  As well as Mr Nash this years festival will also see the return of blue-collar Americana hero Steve Earle, who this year will be joined by The Dukes who he has been working with, off and on, since his debut in 1982.  There will also be a taste of the lone-star state when Rodney Crowell, who has written hits for a host of country stars, takes to the stage for his state.  

Another addition to the lineup this year is the newly refurbished Perth Theatre which will host a series of Southern Fried Afternoon gigs.  It's here that you can catch artists like Blue Rose Code, The Bevvy Sisters, Darrell Scott and Amythyst Kiah in a more intimate setting. 

If you are keen to stay outdoors and make the most of the glorious sunshine then the Southern Fried Outdoor Stage will open for business at 5 pm this Friday.  Compared by local funny man, Bruce Fummey, it will showcase a bewildering array of American roots music from some of the best homegrown and overseas artists.  All for the grand price of absolutely nothing.  

That's a little bit of rundown of what's going on this year but in the meantime, you check out some more of my reviews from last years amazing festival to get you in the mood.

Day 3- Wang Dang Delta, Loudon Wainwright III and Beth Nielson Chapman

I arrived at Perth Concert Hall nice and early so I grab a burger, a beer and catch up with friends while enjoying some sun and music at the Southern Fried Outdoor Stage.  I was glad I did because I was just in time to catch Wang Dang Delta play a blistering set to a busy crowd.  Lead guitarist Pete Caban is the owner of Bandwagon Music in Perth which I've been buying guitars from since I was a wee boy.  So if watching all this music has got you inspired to pick up an instrument give him a visit and he'll hook you up and we'll see you at the Southern Fried open-mic next year!

First up tonight is Beth Nielson Chapman who is playing with Irish musician Ruth Trimble (who is a bit of a revelation).  Ruth provides backing vocals, harmonies, keyboard, bass and percussion.  If that wasn't enough she also plays a bass drum with her right foot at the same time.  She really does an awesome job of making Beth's back catalogue of songs sound even better, and what songs they are!  Beth has been covered by Willie Nelson (leading her to run a red light when she heard him on her car stereo), Elton John and has recently recorded with Olivia Newton-John and Amy Sky.

It's an incredibly strong set but one of the highlights for me was the haunting "relationship in peril" song You're Still My Valentine.  With it's arpeggiated guitar, beautifully plaintive vocal from Beth and soaring harmonies from Ruth it reminded me of an early Brian Wilson ballad.  Other highlights for me where the life-affirming rendition of All That Matters is How We Love and, of course, a rip-roaring This Kiss.

The first thing that strikes me when Loudon Wainwright III takes the stage with banjo player Chaim Tannenbaum and mandolin(and sometimes fiddle) player David Mansfield is how pleased he seems to be here.  He is greeted by an audience member shouting "welcome back" to which he replies "it's good to be back" and you can tell he means it.  This good-natured bonhomie carries into the show with a running joke about plastic surgery on his buttocks, good-natured chiding of Chaim for missing his flight to Britain, "I thought we were leaving on a different day" he remarks sheepishly, and ribbing the audience for not buying his Grammy award-winning album.  I have to admit I do not own said album but will remedy that soon!

Loudon's song choice this evening suits me down to the ground.  Things get Michael Marra's Hermless is stupendous... a poetry of the everydaystarted with the anti-love song, the ridiculously catchy Unhappy Anniversary, followed by the wry and dry Old and Only in the Way.  We are then treated to a cover of Dundee songwriter Michael Marra's Hermless which is really a stupendous song, it's lyric a poetry of the everyday.  This segues deftly into a reading of  Scrambled Eggs a story from Loudon's up and coming book which is as entertaining, well observed and funny as the best of his songwriting.

The second half has a couple more great covers including The Old Dope Peddler a Tom Lehrer song that puts a different spin on your friendly local drug dealer with its lines:"He gives the kids free samples because he knows full well that today's young innocent faces will be tomorrow's clientele."  We also get a lovely rendition of America The Beautiful by Chaim with pointed emphasis placed on the "Till selfish gain no longer stain the banner of the free" line.  Not aimed at any orange President in particular that one!  Speaking of Trump the show ends on a rousing sing-along rendition of Dead Skunk and me and my friend Norrie grab a sneaky wee IPA and discussion of the performance at the Old Ship Inn before heading up the road.

Night 4- North Star- Scotland Sings Canada

It was the last night of the Southern Fried Festival and I have to admit that I was a little sad that it was soon all going to be over.  However, it looked set to end on a high note with an extended concert of Scottish musicians playing tribute to another country that punches above its weight musically speaking, Canada.   I was eagerly anticipating some top tunes from Canadian legends such as Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell as I took my seat and tonights bandleader and compere the nimble-fingered guitarist Stuart Nesbit took the stage.

Rab Noakes reading of Cohen's "Dance Me to the End of Love" certainly impresses, it is a beautiful and lyrical interpretation.  The real stand out for me in the first half is Emma Pollock.  The moment she puts on her electric guitar it becomes immediately obvious that it's louder than everyone else's.  "Mmm, Neil Young perhaps?"  When she says it's a little-known song about the Manson murders it becomes apparent that we are going to hear the truly bonkers "Revolution Blues" from "On the Beach".  It's a song that I've always wanted to hear Neil Young play live but one that he doesn't dust off much, thanks to its controversial subject matter.  The band, with Stuart Nesbit taking the "Youngian" guitar solo, really commit to the song and it was the highlight of the festival for this die-hard Neil Young fan.

During the interval I had a lovely conversation with Lynette an American visiting Perth all the way from Tucson Arizona.  I discover that we share a love of Neil Young and The Band and we talk about the shows we have attended at Southern Fried so far.  There is still much more to come though, and in the second half guitarist James Grant is the real stand out for me with a Hank Snow track and another Neil Young's rocker, "Cinnamon Girl".  Justin Currie does a really nice cover of "After the Goldrush", with an added Velvet Underground-inspired glockenspiel solo.  Cyndi Cain once again shows she has impeccable choice when it comes to material and has the voice to back it up with Bobby and Vancouver'svers "Does Your' Mother Know About Me".  In her hands, it sounds like something Curtis Mayfield would have released on his Curtom label in the late seventies.

The encore consists of the entire ensemble taking the stage and performing The Bands defining song "The Weight".  They trade verses just like in the concert film "The Last Waltz" and my new friend Lynette and I sing along to ourselves.  It was a great end to a great festival.

***

Festival-goers can get a 25% discount when buying five shows or more and tickets are selling fast so you don’t want to miss out!

For more information or to book tickets, visit the Southern Fried Festival website, call the Horsecross Box Office on 01738 621031, or follow the festival’s social media channels below.

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