LARKIN POE + RYAN McMULLAN – CHALK, BRIGHTON 6.5.22
Larkin Poe finally got to play the much-delayed Brighton concert (at Chalk) and UK tour. Postponed several times, as it was originally to promote their ‘Self Made Man’ album released in 2020. Their joy at being able to tour the UK after such a long wait was obvious.
I have to admit that Larkin Poe and their Blues/Roots Rock is not a musical style I usually listen to or see live. On recommendations from several friends, I thought I’d give Larkin Poe a listen and catch them live. Their advice was well worth acting on. It was a very good gig.
Fronted by two sisters, Rebecca and Megan Lovell, who grew up listening to Blues and Roots music in Georgia and Tennessee, and their love of this music adds a passion to their quality musicianship. The quality and power of Rebecca’s vocals were matched by the brilliance of the slide guitar playing by her sister Megan. This was the foundation of a great set.
The stage set was simple but striking with the additional large searchlights. The drummer (Kevin McGowan) and bassist (Tarka Layman) entered first followed by the two sisters.
Their set kicked off with the lead track from the ‘Self Made Man’ album ‘She’s A Self-Made Man’, which instantly set the tone and tempo.
By the third song, ‘Trouble In Mind’, Rebecca encouraged the audience to join in with the singing. Given the quality of her own singing, she didn’t need any help, but it does add to the atmosphere and audience participation.
The set was part performance (thankfully the vast majority) and also a lesson in Blues and Roots music history. There were three cover versions within the set, which were introduced with the context of the song and its place in the genre and their own musical education when the sisters were growing up. Megan’s slide guitar was a highlight throughout the set, and especially its prominence on ‘Preachin’ Blues’ a Son House cover.
Among the loud upbeat blues rock n roll numbers, ether was a very personal song about the sister’s grandfather and mental health, with a slower number ‘Mad As A Hatter’. This was sensitively introduced to highlight mental health issues in general, and dedicated to anybody affected by it. The vocal harmonising between Rebecca and Megan shone on this track in particular.
As I said this was supposed to be for a tour for their ‘Self Made Man’ album released two years ago. The band have not been idle in those years, and they announced their new album due out later this year ‘Blood Harmony’. The track off the album, ‘Bad Spell’, which they played suggests that this could be an album well worth checking out.
After a short break to rearrange the instruments on stage, the band returned for an encore. After a roll call of many blues and roots greats, the band played a song that they introduced “predates anybody in the audience, unless there is somebody about 130 years old in tonight”, a Robert Johnson cover ‘Come On In My Kitchen’. Early in the set, lead singer Rebecca Lovell mentioned her husband, Tyler Bryant, was in the audience and hinted he may appear on stage later. True to her word, he appeared on guitar for the encore.
Larkin Poe’s gig shows it pays to go and see other musical styles or genres, which you may not usually consider. It was a band on top form, full of energy and passion, with a great atmosphere.
Larkin Poe are:
Rebecca Lovell – lead vocals, guitar
Megan Lovell – harmony vocals, lapsteel, dobro
Tarka Layman – electric bass
Kevin McGowan – drums
Larkin Poe setlist:
‘She’s A Self-Made Man’
‘Keep Diggin’’
‘Trouble In Mind’
‘Bleach Blonde Bottle Blues’
‘Preachin’ Blues’ (Son House cover)
‘Holy Ghost Fire’
‘John The Revelator’ ([traditional] cover)
‘Back Down South’
‘Summertime Sunset’
‘Mad As A Hatter’
‘Bad Spell’
‘Black Echo’
‘Blue Ridge Mountains’
‘Wanted Woman – AC/DC’
(encore)
‘Come On In My Kitchen’ (Robert Johnson cover)
Find out more about Larkin Poe by visiting their ‘linktree’ HERE as well as visiting their website www.larkinpoe.com
Larkin Poe were supported on their UK tour by Ryan McMullan, a singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland.
The support started late, as Ryan admitted he thought the start time was 8 rather than 7:30, and got a call while in a nearby pub. This would explain the odd start, as he rushed on stage and started playing. Many people didn’t realise his set had started.
Three songs in he did introduce himself. Ryan McMullan performs as many singer-songwriters do with just an acoustic guitar, similar to Ed Sheran. He was accompanied on stage by Danny Ball on keyboards, who was playing his second night of the tour.
Much of the subject matter of his songs is from his personal experience of living and growing up in Belfast (where apparently, it’s always raining) about his parents, friendships and leaving and memories of home.
While having a very good voice and can craft good guitar tunes, his set for all its musical quality lacked variety. As he’s just about to release his debut album ‘Redesign’, that variety may come as he develops as an artist. Definitely talented, and it could be interesting to see how he progresses.
Find out more at www.ryanmcmullanmusic.com
