It’s a Monday night in exam season so there are fewer from the local student community here than usual tonight, but most seats are taken in the traditional wood-panelled bar area at the Brudenell Social Club.
It’s a bit like a multi-screen cinema here with something behind every door… a spacious outside drink area with picnic tables, a games room, a Community Room where Los Angeles indie band, Jawdropped, are playing their first show in Yorkshire.
I am quite tempted to nurse a pint over a badly played game of pool, watch the sun set on what turns out to be one of the warmer days this month or catch Jawdropped’s reputedly “blistering and energetic” performance, although I’m here to see The Handsome Family in the Brudenell’s main room supported by London record shop owner, Danny George Wilson.
When the time comes, Danny gingerly steps onto the stage, which is covered with wires and effects pedals as if various traps have been set. He is touring with an electric acoustic guitar – with long-time collaborator, Thomas Collison, on keys – promoting his third solo album, Arcade, released a couple of months ago.
Danny has the look of a Londoner in his brown Chelsea boots and dark blue denim jeans with two-inch turn ups and a loose blue cotton jacket – the kind that might have pockets big enough to fit a paperback book. Together with Thomas – wearing skinny fit black trousers with slip-on shoes and an Orla-Kelly-esque patterned short sleeved shirt – they appear somewhat timeless, with outfits that might have been put together at almost any point in the last 50 years.
They play a short set of five songs that begins with Talking a Good Game from a 2024 album with their band Danny and the Champions of the World, followed by Distant Seasons from Danny’s new album, Arcade. It’s not a run-through of new songs but a curation of some of the gentle, reflective and introspective music Danny is known for. Like their wardrobe, the songs have a retro feel, with Danny’s voice often compared to early Neil Young – After the Gold Rush era.
Through the use of a Novation synth, Tom creates a soundscape (much bigger than you would expect from the duo) which does not replicate but closely matches the complexity of the music Danny has recorded. Their clear comfort on stage and at this venue in particular creates a warm welcome for their label mates of thirty years, The Handsome Family.
After some attention to the stage set-up from Duncan, tonight’s sound technician, it’s time for The
Handsome Family to take the stage. Tonight, they are a group of four that includes longstanding drummer Jason Toth – currently based in the French countryside – and guitarist Alex McMahon, travelling from Albuquerque, where founding members Rennie and Brett Sparks, have lived for a quarter of a century.
The gig is well attended, with many audience members having caught the band on previous tour dates in the North of England.
Possibly inspired by stickers on the band’s instruments, an audience member shouts in support of abolishing ICE (the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and Rennie quickly responds that she has got Mexican flags on her car and is waiting to be pulled over.
So begins a generous set, spanning songs across six albums and three decades, interrupted by brief anecdotes and asides where Rennie, both sharp and witty, and Brett, in a warm, deep and at times booming voice, talk over each other freely.
From describing the origins of songs to commentary about politics and global affairs to breezy reflections on shopping, they create an air of urgency – not taking turns to talk – an uneasiness about the times we live in and yet a cosiness from their clear comfort with each other and the music. It is an unusual and compelling combination, especially in such an established band.
They are also compelling to watch owing to their selection of instruments. Brett plays a beautiful sunburst Gretsch guitar whilst Rennie alternates between a Höfner Violin Bass and what looks like a Zither.
Jason has a glockenspiel and bells set up with his drum kit and occasionally swaps cymbals mid-song or punches the air with one hand as he plays with the other… But most captivating is Alex’s stunning Mullen Guitar – if you haven’t seen one, it’s like a guitar neck on its own stand.
The resulting music, with its steady percussion and sliding guitars, brings together traditions of folk and Americana, blues and murder ballads, where their most recently written songs feel older than the 112-year-old social club in which we are standing.
The evening is dominated by songs from the band’s 2003 album Singing Bones, newly re- released, including the song that made them famous – Far From Any Road [also known as the theme song to season one of HBO hit TV show True Detective]. It’s an album of strange stories, both real and imagined, about deep lakes and bottomless holes and lost love.
Under bright white stage lights, the audience has naturally formed a half circle in front of the band as if we are standing around a fire. The stories continue … of octopii and snakes and the migration of birds,
of shoot outs in Albuquerque and controlling the weather with your mind.
Finally, after a thirteen song set, the band plays one of my favourite songs of theirs – Joseph – with very comforting and strangely familiar music alongside very sinister lyrics; rich in imagery.
The Handsome Family then leave the stage, only to return promptly following the loud demands from the audience, many of whom [including me] will now miss their last bus home.
But it is worth it to hear their soulful song based on The Giant of Illinois – a true story about a man who never stopped growing throughout his life. They also play Weightless Again from the same early album – Through The Trees (which reminds me strongly of Appalachian folk song, Silver Dagger) – before finishing
their set with a final Singing Bones song Gail With The Golden Hair.
For the encore everyone seems somehow more relaxed, even Rennie Sparks, who says her equipment is currently held together with blu-tac and superglue, with half the tour yet to go.
If you like quirky music, made with heart, and the imperfections of live music, I’d recommend you give The Handsome Family a listen. Their records and CDs are available at local record shops at a reasonable price and, based on their welcome, they will no doubt be back in town soon enough.
Learn more about Danny George Wilson here. [https://www.dannygeorgewilson.com/ ]
Learn more about The Handsome Family here. [https://handsomefamily.com/ ]
…..and see what’s coming up at The Brudenell Social Club, including their regular free gigs (if
you haven’t already) here. [http://brudenellsocialclub.co.uk/]
Photography by Johanna Populoh.
