Review by Gary Spiller for MPM
It’s all about recognising and appreciating the shades of variance available in the landscape of today’s rock scene.
A good friend and I, neither expecting to see one another at this gig, discuss this very matter between sets. We both agree that sometimes it’s good for the soul to witness the unfettered storm crashing the ocean upon towering rocky cliffs whilst in other dispositions it’s equalling soothing and captivating to watch gentle waves lapping upon sandy shores.
It’s unseasonably warm outside with the Hunter’s Moon darting between patchy clouds. It’s the third, and largest, of four consecutive supermoons. There’s a magic afoot with the first large fall of leaves crunching underfoot; autumn is in now in full swing and a promise made by the headline act some 20 months ago is being fulfilled.
It’s a promise made whilst touring, as an acoustic duo, supporting Californian southern blues outfit Robert Jon and The Wreck early last year. Dipping their toes into the UK waters for the first time vocalist Meghan Parnell and guitarist Dave Barnes gave a highly accomplished introduction to themselves. Paving the way for the full ranks of Bywater Call to accompany them upon their second trip to our shores.
Accompanying Bywater Call for the UK leg of their October jaunt are ‘Whispering Bob’ Harris approved outfit Lauren Housley & The Northern Cowboys hollering out of the steel city of Sheffield. A proud Yorkshire lass, smiling broadly, she greets the Cardiff crowd and introduces her two musical accomplices, pointing to either side “And these are The Northern Cowboys.”
The gentle sultry ‘One Step Closer’ gets the set underway. Its soulful blues flow as hot as lava with Housley holding out, in salute, her right hand to acknowledge her guitarist, and husband, Thomas Dibb’s sparking efforts, a la countrified Fleetwood Mac, on the fret. With a hugely appreciative welcome it’s clearly apparent that The Globe crowd have instantly warmed to this happy trio.
Rolling into the captivating soulness of ‘High Time’ – an award-winning track at this year’s UK Americana Music Awards – we are treated to sumptuous, pin sharp harmonies courtesy of Housley, Dibb and accompanying bassist Mark Lewis. This triumvirate is the core nucleus of what is at full strength a six-piece band; like Bywater Call last year the reduced ranks leave me wanting to see a full lineup. There’s an emotional directness to the tracks that proves wholesomely inescapable.
‘What’s Troubling You Child?’ is pure ‘Tango In The Night’ era Fleetwood Mac, a summery air breezing through the cornfields. Housley’s vocals bring more than a touch of Elles Bailey to the proceedings. Eyes closed with the most expansive of smiles, if it were as wide as Cardiff Bay this singer couldn’t be happier, Housley is lost in the moment of ‘The Waiting Game’. It’s pretty straightforward to understand as to why this is one of her favourite tracks to play live, simply musically beautiful in all imaginable ways.
Little Feat’s ‘Willin’’ receives a stripped back despatch before the Bob Harris approved slice of Americana ‘Stay Awake To Dream’ oozes gentle soulful laments. “[We] Played this one in Bob Harris’ garden underneath his apple tree” informs a proud Housley. Apparently, the legendary broadcaster has been championing the band ever since.
The country boogie of ‘This Ain’t The Life’ encourages the hips to sway. Playlisted by Tesco and Home Bargains (who knew this is a thing? I didn’t) it’s catchy and sure to have you dancing in the aisles with its hooky infections. Bright and, most certainly, bubbly ‘All You Need Is A Friend’ gets The Globe singing along heartily. Bringing an enthralling three quarters of an hour to a shimmering conclusion Housley and her compatriots have muscled into my musical heart.
Attention now turns to the evening’s headliners Bywater Call, a Canadian seven-piece whose core aesthetic is one of soul-drenched blues harnessing the strengths of the greats and immersing them in a modern-day setting. With crowd numbers swelling the seven constituents of the band get stuck in with zero messing and a complete absence of thrills. When the quality of musicianship is this high then there’s no requirement for gimmicks.
‘Sunshine’, with its nod to Hill Street Blues in its funked up bluesy overtones gives room for the full expressiveness of the band to illuminate from the off. Meghan Parnell’s powerhouse vocals, full of bliss, are truly resplendent. She proclaims, at track end, “It’s great to bring the whole band this time!” Looking about at a sea of smiling faces I would estimate each and every soul here agree wholeheartedly.
‘Let Me Be Wrong’ shimmers gently with emotive, sensitive guitarwork from Dave Barnes, a touch of local six-string hero Chris Buck resonates. Drummer Bruce McCarthy brings in ‘As If’ with a rock-steady beat, joined in turn by bassist Mike Meusel and keyboardist John Kervin. Each element adding an extra weave to the bluesy fabric. Within the expressive dynamic Barnes faces off to trumpeter Stephen Dyte in a memorable ‘midnight jam’.
The tightly coiled kinetics spill over into ‘Sweet Maria’, Barnes’ slide guitar springs forth Southern comparisons whilst Kervin’s keys reverberate in honky-tonk realms. “Y’all know what to do” expresses Parnell, stepping away from her mic to appreciate the Globe choir in fine voice.
The Band’s ‘The Weight’ is winched willingly into the 21st century, the first of three covers in the set alongside the surprise inclusion of Stephen Stills’ ‘Love The One You’re With’ which brings down the curtain in emphatic style and the smoky barroom appeal of Sly and the Family Stone’s ‘If You Want Me To Stay’. Bywater Call possess an inherent knack of taking another’s song and melding it into one of their own, such is the talent abounding.
The ‘Albatross’ themed ‘Bring Me Down’ brings coruscant shivers to the spine, ghostly imagery flickers as Kervin’s keyed notes enwrap Parnell’s vocals with an unteachable empathy. The bells of a hundred cathedrals chime out such is the inherent refinement. Barnes’ sparking slide is to behold, a powerful evocation of the great spirits of the likes of The Eagles and Skynyrd.
The plains, shrouded in nighttime, are the next destination as we’re hauled there by the southern blues rock of ‘Holler’ whilst the serious industry of ‘Left Behind’ is offset with the brass section of Dyte and saxophonist Julian Nalli alternatively ‘trespass’ into the percussive realms. In what feels like an extended despatch of this backwater countryana Meusel steps forth into the spotlight.
Simply stunning is about the sum of what I scribbled in my notepad for ‘Colours’ so immersed in the moment. A pin dropping would have proved troublesomely invasive such is the reverence offered. Barnes’ hummingbird slide hovers busy and delicate in its own captivating allurement.
The rocking blues of ‘Silver Lining’ triumph upon unseen zephyrs before the band kick out a swampy foot stomper in the form of ‘Everybody Knows’. This would have proven an emphatic set closer, but the ranks are ‘tempted’ to return to belt out an extended ‘Love The One You’re With’ in a frenetic, blustering finale. Extreme gratitude to Barnes and Parnell for keeping their expressed promise and returning with the full band!
Photography by Kelly Spiller for MPM
