Music > Live Reviews
The Stray Birds
Norwich Arts Centre
18/10/16
This was one of those gigs I came to as someone not all that familiar with the band knowing only a few songs by The Stray Birds. They caught my attention when scanning the listings recently and in another example of these endless coincidences of late I learned that Hope in High Water, who I caught once again at last week's Grapevine would be providing support at the following night's gig. Tonight however there was no support and on the first really autumnal, wet and windy night of October it took an extra push to head out on the bike for a Tuesday night gig but I was well-rewarded for doing so.
The seats were out for this gig, I generally prefer standing ones, not that my knees don't sometimes scream for the chairs! There were a handful of familiar faces in the good-sized audience but not many I recognised, and a surprising lack of younger people to see this young Americana quartet from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania but who are now mostly Nashville-based, I believe and I wondered if this might be one of those gigs that went under the radar of many of those who'd have enjoyed it.
Stray Birds came onstage just after 8pm to nice welcoming applause and went straight into my best known song of theirs, Best Medicine. Plenty of smiles and a warm, full sound from guitar, violin, upright bass, drums and sweet, sweet harmonies as they gathered around a single vintage-looking mic. They were tight, the songs were good and the engagement with the audience between songs was open and very funny but for a band with such a reputation for their live gigs I felt something, somewhere was perhaps slightly missing and quickly realised that it was us, we were just being a bit too polite and respectful, and maybe a bit too "Norwich". Of course the audience adored and respected the band and music and showed loud and prolonged applause but The Stray Birds were fresh from some lively Scottish dates and sometimes a band and even some like me in the audience are inwardly crying out for some whooping and hollering to get that exchange of energy going between the band and audience, that is when the magic happens. This is a band who thrive on interaction. That duly arrived in bucketloads for the second set though with an audience suitably refreshed after the interval and the welcome catalyst being the noisy appreciation of a couple of young girls who in their own way were also stars of this show, allowing everyone to follow their lead and to loosen up and remember it is OK to get a bit noisy sometimes. The band visibly enjoyed themselves more and the party began in earnest.
The second set was the most memorable but The Stray Birds themselves were excellent throughout and ticked all the right boxes for me. The majority of their songs are originals but when their occasional covers reference Townes Van Zandt, Doc Watson, and Jimmie Rodgers and they have a lead vocalist whose voice brings to mind Gillian Welch then that is more than alright by me. Everyone took a stint on lead and there was some switching of instruments too, they are clearly highly talented individuals.
If you love your country blues and bluegrass beautifully played, with authentic storytelling and some sumptuous vocals and harmonies then you'd have loved this. On their third visit to the Arts Centre they said how much they love it here, promising to return on the next tour. I'll do my bit to ensure their fourth visit is full of new faces so that we can show them how Norwich can really party to this old time music. The queue for albums and the repeated trips to the van to replenish the merch table stock tells you all you need to know.
Special mention to NAC for wonderful sound, once again.