I have a number of lists of gigs/ live sets I have seen since my first concert in 1981 and according to setlist.fm this was 1000th set I have seen. This does though record sets rather than separate concerts so for example Glastonbury might include twenty sets. On my main list though this is concert 899 and so I am well on target to hit 1000 before I’m sixty (still four years away).
It’s a late one tonight with the second set not kicking off until 10pm. Such was the demand that Nadia added a Jamie Lee Curtis friendly early show at 7pm. The bonus for us is we got to see support act Lorkin O’Reilly who neatly combined funny stories with his music coupled with a distinctive voice to raise the songs above the usual folk fayre.
Next up Nadia Reid, a kiwi finding solidarity with the four others in the audience, starts off the show solo acoustic in this charming old church. Apart from the visual impact of playing in a church you also have the benefit or not of the church bells ringing at inopportune moments through the set and as Andy, my gig going companion, mentioned when the bells tolled at 11 that’s the sign of the curfew kicking in. However bells were ignored and she sneaked in a couple of additional songs.
Nadia was joined on electric guitar and key by Sam Taylor to add just a touch more depth to these enigmatic gentle songs that just lifts them a little but not too much to overshadow that wonderful voice.
It’s a lovely seventy minute set heavy on songs from her latest release ‘Out of My Province’ plus a couple of oldies and covers to complete this short outing. A second fine set this week from super talented singer songwriters, after Courtney Marie Andrews on Tuesday, and this year is definitely shaping up to be another good year for live music.
Keep on folkin n rollin’ y’all