Venue:
Water Rats – Kings Cross
Date: 05/05/2024
Slight admission, it’s been 16 years since I last saw Kimmie Rhodes live, that was at the now defunct Luminaire with a full band.
Last night she was solo in London. The night was billed as singing songs and telling stories and that’s exactly what we got. she’s not doing many of these so grab the opportunity if you get it.
Her voice, amazingly, doesn’t seem to have changed a bit.
The first half was a run through some old songs with stories to go with them. With lots of the stories are about famous friends and colleagues, it could have felt like heavy duty name dropping but it never once did. The second half was a selection of tracks from the new album, her first for 9 years and the reason I got a ticket.
Kimmie was relying on two things for backup, the audience, who excelled especially on the new song, album highlight, ‘No Tom Petty’, and also, for 5 or 6 songs, she was joined on Dobro by Slide royalty, BJ Cole who regularly played with Kimmie in the UK back in the early 90’s.
The audience:
A fairly limited age range. There were some under 50 but I guess the majority was over 60.
It made me think..
I’ll certainly stand at the next gig I go to – that wooden bench was hard!
I loved her “West Texas Heaven” album and played it to death. I lived in Paris at the time and she was billed to appear at our local roots music club so we all went….to discover for reasons unexplained she wasn’t appearing and we had some Godawful Spanish female folk singer who emptied the place in about half an hour. I utterly love her singing in French.
Gorgeous.
Gutted that I didn’t see this advertised. She has always been a fun performer. I was fortunate enough to see her with her late husband Joe Gracey, way back when. I’lll take a listen to that new album.
I am really annoyed with myself – I saw this advertised some time ago and had intended to buy tickets. For some reason I thought she wasn’t playing until next month.
I’m glad you enjoyed her anyway.
Where did you see it? I’m always missing nice little gigs.
This was a Green Note gig… But not at the Green Note. I’m on their mailing list but I’m fairly sure I had a Spotify notification as well as I’d downloaded the new album.
…I think I may be on the water Rats mailing list too. It’s a fine venue and always easy to park nearby.
As JohnW says, through the Green Note mailing list.
On the subject of which, Amanda Ann Platt is doing a solo gig there on August 23rd.
She may be doing a tour, but the last time I looked on her website, she was only advertising US dates. She might be playing nearer you.
I also recommend Julian Taylor, a Canadian artist whom we saw last year. As before this is a Green Note promoted gig at Water Rats. on Sunday 25th August.
It’s so annoying how often gigs cluster like that.
I can’t see their mailing list on the website.
Julian Taylor is pretty good, to be fair; he was at Cambridge Folk last year. Didn’t harm having Michele Stodart in his band!)
That all women band JT had backing him (I can’t remember the names of the other two) was magnificent.
Better than pretty good. My wife rated the gig, also at Water Rats, as one of her top five of all time.
One other member will have been Rae Husbandes, on lead guitar. From the Moulettes, and a member of Levellers Collective. Big hair!!
Yes, now you type the name, I can confirm it was she.
I think the drummer may have been Australian, if that helps point anyone to her name. On the other hand she might have been from anywhere else and my imagination is working overtime.
It’s at the bottom of the menu just above the picture frame. “Join Email List”
Yes it was a phone screen thing. Perfectly clear on the tablet.
I subscribe to it, but often find the Green Note mailing list annoying.
At least a couple of gigs each time will be already marked “Sold Out”.