Venue:
Hamer Hall, Melbourne, Australia
Date: 29/01/2025
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings have toured Australia 3 times in the last 21 years.The first time they travelled extensively in a van playing at smaller towns and venues as well as the capital cities. Second time they played bigger venues and with Willy Watson on the tour. This time they have played the top venues in Sydney – the Opera House and Hamer Hall in Melbourne, plush, classy venues. And they did 4 shows at the former and 5 at the latter. They are very popular down here. The crowds are almost fawning.
Even though their records sometimes include additional instrumentation it was just them, a simple spotlight, their guitars, occasional banjo and the occasional addition of double bass compliments of Paul Kowert of the Punch Brothers. So, in a big auditorium a lot rides on their songs, their delivery and their personalities.
The show had 2 sets and for the first set I was often bored. Disclaimer here, at interval I complained they weren’t loud enough only to discover my hearing aids were turned off. So not only not assisting my hearing but undermining it! However, Mrs Wells had the same view. It just sounded a bit samey. It might seem odd to make this observation but I think my problem was Gillian’s voice. I lack the musical language to adequately describe what I mean, but here goes, Too often she lacks modulation, vitality….personality. It’s note perfect and the harmonies wonderful but after a while I got bored. And with such a spare set up on stage that was a problem.
OK. So that’s the boredom covered. Now the ecstasy. Rawlings guitar playing is highly regarded and on each tour he has played a thirties Epiphone Olympic archtop. It has a different sound to any other acoustic guitar I have heard. It looked like it has had a makeover, certainly seemed newer than I remember, but I am probably wrong on that. Maybe he has different strings. It sounded louder, crisper. And the playing. Blimey. Long sinuous, melodic, connected and dexterous solos. Dave is a fairly low-key sort of bloke but his body was shaking as he extended these solos, bouncing on his toes. The crowd burst out in applause regularly at the marvel of his playing -except my mate who said they clapped too much. But he was grumpy coz he had blokes in caps in the seats in front blocking his view.
The second set built up momentum with all the classics you’d expect including a singalong with I’ll Fly Away.
So, overall a good show with the highlight being the guitar playing of Dave Rawlings. But I won’t be going again unless it is in an intimate venue or they bring a band with them.
The audience:
Mainly older but plenty of people youner than us.This music has wide appeal.Very quiet and attentive and no phones in sight. This was probalby due to the very many staff walking around the auditorium before the show and after interval with illuminated screens saying absolutely no photos or filming
It made me think..
1. They would be making a ton on money. No stage crew just them and anhired bass player , minimal stage set up and 9 concerts in just 2 towns.
2. What would Rawlings sound like on an electric guitar?
I’m a bit confused about Dave’s guitar. Has he had multiple versions of this 1930’s guitar?
https://www.retrofret.com/product.asp?ProductID=11541&name=Epiphone-Olympic-Previously-Owned-by-David-Rawlings-Arch-Top-Acoustic-Guitar-1935
Looks like Clive Langer has got one of those guitars too-
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jan/29/bowie-madonna-madness-dexys-dave-grohl-clive-langer
Thanks for the review. I saw a friend of a friend play old-timey jazz on a similar arch top and I immediately thought ‘David Rawlings’. Said friend kindly gave me a go on it during his break – the ‘floating’ bridge and trapeze tailpiece mean the strings don’t attach to the top at all, which give it that particular sound. If I had more room I’d buy one.
Thanks for that TrypF
Great review. Refreshingly honest. Made me think of Charles Hawtrey & The Deaf Aids! 😉
Now that’s a band I’d go and see
I can appreciate that Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are superb, but their music just doesn’t move me at all. I find the same with Diana Krall, and, to an extent Kate Rusby (or perhaps it was just her endlessly explaining the lyrics to every song both times I saw her).
I just like a little more grit. My loss, I know. I think I’ve been ruined by pop music.
I like Welch/Rawlings myself, but I can see what you might not enjoy about them.
But Diana Krall? Big chunk of my listening for the last few years (but then, I also listen to Ella Fitzgerald…). I mean, it’s not ACR – but in the right setting? Aural balm for the senses.
Edith: not enough GRIT?
As the years go by I get more and more convinced this is the finest piece of pop music ever.
Yebbut the best bit is the second half, and that’s a cover.
As is the first
Some very old friends came over from NZ just for the Sydney show (or one of them). So Mrs M and Daughter No 1 and a bunch of other pals went along too. I did not. “Why not?” I kept getting asked. I just knew I’d be bored. And yes I’ve heard them on record, and they are very good, and Dave’s a great guitar player. But not enough for me. Good to hear someone else feels the same way.
Of course this is not say that I wouldn’t have been blown away, gobsmacked, in seventh heaven if I HAD gone to see the. But I wasn’t cos I didn’t.
I saw a very early show at Dingwalls after Revival came out and they were fantastic. I’d love to see them again
As mentioned in my review I have seen them 3 times. And to be fair the reception at all of their shows has been very positive. So my view is an outlier.
Rawlings’ guitar playing would have your jaw drop @Twang.
When I saw them it did indeed! What a player.
Silly me, shoulda posted this