VENUE OF THE WEEK: Double Whammy
- Posted on June 15, 2007 9:37 AM
- 0 comments
The Troubadour, Earls Court:
Tuesday 12th and Thursday 14th June
By Peter Coulston
It has been a while since I visited the Troubadour in Earls Court, so I decided to go twice in one week to make up for it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this venue, it has history and then some. Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, to mention a few, all played here in their early days and this little basement club continues to be a springboard for new talent. Upstairs is a coffee house/restaurant of some renown and something of a place to be seen. Travelwise, you are well advised to use the tube to West Brompton on the District Line or the better served Earls Court, which is also on the Piccadilly. Parking is difficult as the adjoining streets are mostly residents only and the wardens are out at night to enforce it. To make matters worse, the single yellow line outside the venue has been changed to a double, which leaves a few pay and display bays and single yellows nearby which fill up early in the evening.
My main reason for the concentration on the Troubadour this week is that they are featuring some of my favourite artists who have not been around for a while. One of these is Zena, who opened the proceedings on Tuesday. I have not seen her since her album launch in Clapham some months ago and it was good to hear her in such good voice. Backed by her excellent guitar man, Joe Hurst and an equally competent keyboard player we enjoyed a mix of old and new. “Nothing I Do” and “Invisible” sounded better than ever, and the new stuff showed her going into some new and interesting directions. Check her out on myspace/zenamusic and zenamusic.com.
Joe Janiak has a good voice and a cello player, and provided an enjoyable second act. “All I’ve Got” was good, and the Whitney Houston cover and the banjo song were fun. Tom Wilman has a terrific voice, but, by his own admission, his songs are complicated, uncommercial, but entertaining. “Midnight Dreamer” livened things up a bit, and he managed to keep the audience on track, which is difficult at the Troubadour. In my experience, this venue has the rudest, most inattentive punters of any venue, and is consequently a hard gig to play, especially as the evening wears on.
Last but not least was the fantastic Phil Campbell, an incredible singer songwriter from Scotland. The songs get very personal and are beautifully crafted and performed. “Should’ve Stayed Home” had the audience enthralled and he unfortunately did not heed our calls for more at the end of his set. Official site: www.philcampbellmusic.com
Thursday night was rather different as it was very much Americana. The evening opened with, Viarosa, a duo which performed mostly rather dark songs very competently. There was mandolin, lap steel and a little banjo involved and very solid vocals. The Webb Sisters have been very successful in California and it was good to hear them again. They mix rock and folk beautifully and are always a joy to hear. Charlie and Hattie’s vocals are impeccable and Hattie’s harp and mandolin give them a unique sound. They have added a slide guitar to some numbers, which gave them even more depth. Check out their album “Daylight Crossing” on Universal and on their website.
The last time I saw Hey Negrita they were a piano led country rock trio. They are now a harmonica and guitar led country rock quintet. Once I got over the shock, I settled into a great set of old and new songs. This band have also been big in the States and have toured here with the Alabama 3, who were there last night to lend moral and musical support. 
Every gig with Hey Negrita is like a party and last night was no exception. With extended encores added to an already long set, I did not leave the venue until nearly midnight, and I was one of the first to go. If you like good time country rock with a searing harmonica then these guys are for you. Check out their website and their new album “The Buzz Above” as well as their first one “Are We Catfish?” It was quite an evening and quite a week; I must visit the Troubadour more often.
Were you at the gigs? Is the Troubadour your favourite venue? Leave your messages and reviews in the comments section. For all Troubadour listings, check out their programme.
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