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I've been in Bristol little over a week, but a trip to the Bristol Ticket Shop has already left me feeling pleasantly overwelmed at the sheer quantity (not to mention quality) of live music going on here. They tell me that Bristol is the acoustic music capital of the UK, and from the extensive gig listings I've already seen I can well believe it.
My first gig in my new city was a chance encounter as I browsed the listings over the weekend - long time favourites Old Crow Medicine Show playing at Thekla. Which seemed like far too good an opportunity to miss.
Thekla, an old ship in the Mud Dock and now used as regular music and club venue, seemed like the perfect choice for OCMS and right from the opening swagger of "Down Home Girl" it wasn't hard to imagine that they were playing a run down Mississippi paddle steamer. Performing in front of an intimate crowd of what can't have been any more than 200 people, the Old Crows put in an hour and forty five minute set concentrating on material from O.C.M.S and Tennessee Pusher, although occasionally dipping into material from Big Iron World.
While all members save double bassist Morgan Jahnig contributed lead vocals, charismatic fiddle, banjo and harmonica player Ketch Secor is undoubtedly the de facto front man, he and guitarist Willie Watson both engaging with the crowd and the rest of the band with such good natured humour that by the end of the show it felt like an extended family gathering rather than an audience watching a band.
Highlights included a rousing rendition of "Wagon Wheel", which had the audience singing along with every word, a breathless tear through "Hard To Tell", and a celebratory "Tell It To Me", but to be honest there were no weak songs. Not even the tender if ragged performance of "Take 'em Away" in which the audience had to provide several forgotten lyrics. The Old Crows played with fire, passion and outstanding musicianship, and left every member of the sweat drenched audience in no doubt as to the benefits of good old time Americana.
My first gig in my new city was a chance encounter as I browsed the listings over the weekend - long time favourites Old Crow Medicine Show playing at Thekla. Which seemed like far too good an opportunity to miss.
Thekla, an old ship in the Mud Dock and now used as regular music and club venue, seemed like the perfect choice for OCMS and right from the opening swagger of "Down Home Girl" it wasn't hard to imagine that they were playing a run down Mississippi paddle steamer. Performing in front of an intimate crowd of what can't have been any more than 200 people, the Old Crows put in an hour and forty five minute set concentrating on material from O.C.M.S and Tennessee Pusher, although occasionally dipping into material from Big Iron World.
While all members save double bassist Morgan Jahnig contributed lead vocals, charismatic fiddle, banjo and harmonica player Ketch Secor is undoubtedly the de facto front man, he and guitarist Willie Watson both engaging with the crowd and the rest of the band with such good natured humour that by the end of the show it felt like an extended family gathering rather than an audience watching a band.
Highlights included a rousing rendition of "Wagon Wheel", which had the audience singing along with every word, a breathless tear through "Hard To Tell", and a celebratory "Tell It To Me", but to be honest there were no weak songs. Not even the tender if ragged performance of "Take 'em Away" in which the audience had to provide several forgotten lyrics. The Old Crows played with fire, passion and outstanding musicianship, and left every member of the sweat drenched audience in no doubt as to the benefits of good old time Americana.