Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Kacey Musgraves At The Sage Gateshead LIVE REVIEW

Kacey Musgraves At The Sage Gateshead LIVE REVIEW

Monday 9th November 2015 (by Brian Clough)
The Texas native Kacey Musgraves announced a 6 date UK tour in November, and those in the North East were delighted that The Sage Gateshead was her first tour stop.

Albeit that we head into the winter months a breath of spring blew into the North East on Monday night with the arrival of country artist Kasey Musgraves who played the first date of a mini tour at The Sage Gateshead.
It also seemed as if Christmas had arrived early with a stage set of snowflake and star lights accompanied by her five piece band whose suits were adorned with static/flashing mini lights .























Resplendent in her sparkly tights and Tutu styled outfit she launched into her ninety minute set with the title track of her last album ‘Pageant Material’…and looked the part.
Hit after hit followed, from “Biscuits’ through ‘Step Off”,’Blow Some Smoke,’Family’,’High Time’, and an acoustic solo performance of ‘Same Trailer-Different Park ‘ from her first album release in 2013.

Often known for her controversial lyrics in the conservative country music genre it mattered not to the packed to capacity audience …It was plain to see that her music and awards had preceded her.

Injections of fun featured when she introduced the band members to display their other talents apart from their musicianship which was honed to perfection.

Apart from her obvious singer/songwriter talent Kasey Musgrave proved that she is a formidable entertainer who enjoys what she does which was more than appreciated by a tumultuous standing ovation at the end of a brilliant show.
A special mention must also go to the sound and lighting engineers who added a memorable lighting display and atmosphere to the show.

Top marks to the Sage Gateshead for having the insight to give the North East a chance to see a superstar of longevity.
Other shows in Birmingham and Glasgow are already sold out whilst limited tickets are available for Manchester Albert Hall (16th Nov) and London Royal Albert Hall on November 18th.

The Sage Set List:
Pageant Material, Biscuits, Step Off, This Town, Silver Lining, Mama’s Broken Heart, No Scrubs  [TLC Cover], Fine, Dimestore Cowgirl, Family Is Family, Stupid, It Is What It Is, Yellow [Coldplay Cover], Somebody to Love, Merry Go ‘Round [Solo],
High Time, Silver Lining, Blowin’ Smoke, Late to the Party, Die Fun, Follow Your Arrow,
These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ [Nancy Sinatra Cover]
Encore: Happy Trails [Roy Rogers Cover]

Available for Purchase:
Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material (Mercury Records) released June 23, 2015
14 Tracks/ Time: 46:02 (Country Music People June 2015; 4.5 Stars)
PAGEANT MATERIAL made a debut at No.11 on the Official UK Country Album Chart (7,284 sales; chart week July 4, 2015) during a 5-week chart run. 
It then fell to #29, then #40, then #63, then #100.

Related POST
Chronicle Live (By Simon Rushworth)
Kacey Musgraves's Country and Western Rhinestone Revue Tour captivates an audience at Sage Gateshead

The diminutive Texan, who was nominated three times at the recent Country Music Awards played a treat of a gig on Tyneside
Strip away the shimmering veneer and Kacey Musgraves emerges as much more than the poster girl for country music’s 21st century revolution.

On the surface the diminutive Texan’s immaculate hair, Barbie-doll dress and flashing cowboy boots scream style over substance, shallowness over depth.
However, that’s the glorious juxtaposition where this fascinating performer is concerned.
A revealing set painstakingly unearthed layer upon layer of heartfelt emotion: Musgraves made a point of thanking her British audiences for meticulously dissecting her lyrics and her words really do matter. Listen carefully and it’s likely the 27-year-old has a rhyming couplet or two just for you.

The first stop on the UK leg of the Country & Western Rhinestone Revue Tour delivered in every respect. If the staid Sage crowd initially surprised Musgraves, the accomplished musician swiftly overcame the audience’s reluctance to rise from their seats and party.

This was no ‘yee-haw’ stomp through country’s clichéd past. Far from it. Musgraves has built a reputation on dealing with the real-life issues that really matter. All wrapped up in clever word-play, her refreshing take on liberalism – she tackles same-sex relationships, religion and recreational drug use – might shock country music’s died-in-the-wool conservatives but her unique brand of biting reality worked a treat on Tyneside.

Surrounding herself with a sparkling band – the majority of whom had a trick or two up their sleeves – this was Musgraves in her element.
Flying solo on an affecting version of breakthrough hit Merry Go ‘Round, the Mineola native served up a potent reminder that less really can be more. The a cappella version of Roy Rogers’ Happy Trails reinforced the point and proved to be a fitting finale to a fantastic night.

If covers of TLC’s No Scrubs and Coldplay’s Yellow briefly threatened to break the mould, then a glorious rendition of Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots Are made For Walkin’ referenced Musgraves’ country roots in spades.
However, it’s the singer songwriter’s original material that consistently hits the mark and marks her out for future glory.

Related Post: 
Ain’t Nothing Dimestore Cowgirl About Kacey Musgraves 
Gateshead (09/11/2015) by Samantha Stanley
For the most part the crowd were quite subdued initially, something Kacey addressed after performing her first three songs by saying she could tell Gateshead were a polite crowd but they needed to get over that and asked if people could stand for at least half a song. It broke the ice and from then on she had the sold out crowd eating out the palm of her hand.....Despite the crowd being quite a mix of ages, one thing everyone loved in Kacey’s set was her unique choice in cover songs — the first being the R&B track No Scrubs by TLC, followed by a lovely version of Coldplay’s Yellow......Read More ukcountrymusic.net

Support - Sugar & The Hi-Lows

Following the release of their sophomore album, High Roller, which dropped on June 23 on Ready Set / Milkglass LLC, Nashville duo Sugar & The Hi-Lows announced a US/UK fall tour supporting Kacey Musgraves.
10 Tracks/ Time: 36:49 Indie & Alternative MP3 | UK iTunes | Amazon.com | SPOTIFY  
Sugar & The Hi-Lows might have called their album ‘High Roller’ as a more collective embrace of everyone’s idiosyncrasies, but it ultimately stands as their own self-fulfilling prophecy, a true description of what they have achieved.)
Read Full Album Review at  For The Country Record
Top Tracks: ** Morning Joy, * Graffiti Hearts

The band will ring in the new year at the Jack Daniel’s Bash On Broadway in downtown Nashville alongside Kings of Leon, The Whigs, Wild Cub, and Kelsea Ballerini, followed by a week of shows aboard the Cayamo Cruise this January. 

After hundreds of co-writes together, things clicked one day in 2012 when Nashville singer-songwriters Trent Dabbs and Amy Stroup penned “This Can’t Be The Last Time.” Already critically successful songwriters in their own right, when the two combined to form Sugar & The Hi-Lows the accolades quickly followed. After the release of the group’s self-titled LP in 2012, USA TodayRolling StonePASTE Magazine, and American Songwriter all lauded the duo’s vintage and vibrant sound. On this latest release, High Roller, Trent and Amy opened up the writing process for the first time, penning the album’s title track with famed songwriter Barry Dean (Ingrid Michaelson, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Nikki Lane, Carrie Underwood). USA Today highlighted the “High Roller” single remarking that, “The latest from this Nashville duo gives of just the kind of vintage rock ‘n’ soul vibe you want to hear when you feel like beating the house in Vegas.”

*Supporting Kacey Musgraves
UK
Thurs 12th November 2015 - The Academy, Dublin, IE (57 Middle Abbey Street)*
Sunday 15th November 2015 - O2 ABC, Glasgow (9300 Sauchiehall Street, G2 3JA) *
Weds 18th November 2015 - Royal Albert Hall, London (Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP)

Europe
November 20 / Knust / Hamburg, Germany*
November 22 / Melkweg / Amsterdam, Netherlands*
US

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