Live Review: Shovels & Rope, Shakey Graves, Ruby Boots

Several embroidered, country and western-style shirts are spotted at Corner Hotel tonight; even Ruby Boots herself wears one while singing country tunes with the perfect mix of sweetness and twang. Middle Of Nowhere is a highlight thanks to the Americana touch provided by Lee Jones’ lap steel guitar.

Shakey Graves, aka Alejandro Rose-Garcia, bounces out next looking cute in a suit and tie. With an almost Springsteen-like quality to his voice, Rose-Garcia impresses vocally while still offering a pleasing amount of cheeky facial expressions. Jumping on his signature suitcase kickdrum for Tomorrow, Rose-Garcia mocks himself as he sings his own ridiculous lyrics written as a 16-year-old “shithead”. Telling a cheeky mid-song story about doing drugs and not paying attention to the people you should, Rose-Garcia’s eyes twinkle as he says, “You can fuck up anything you really put your heart and soul into, I can guarantee you that”. One desperate punter calls out, “Bully’s Lament, please! I’ve come all the way from Canada!” With a smile, Rose-Garcia sings it just for this requester, catching her eye bashfully throughout the song. Finishing with the hit Dearly Departed, Rose-Garcia rocks out manically enough to bust a few strings in closing.

Shovels & Rope impress as a sassy Southern couple with accents to match. Cary Ann Hearst looks just like a buxom, shaggy-haired Bette Midler, while guitarist and hubby Michael Trent looks like the “bible salesman” Hearst calls him. Starting with Keeper, Hearst cuts a forceful figure sitting at the snare drum slapping away singing while Trent plays guitar by her side. Hearst asks if we’re ready to experience “a little old-time religion” while playing a morbid, church-organ style intro to The Devil Is All Around – amen, sister! Rollicking boot-scooting number Kembra’s Got The Cabbage Moth Blues issues a less-religious invitation to “Come to Carolina, your drinks are on me”. Shank Hill St gets down and dirty thanks to a seriously smoky guitar riff before finishing up with the pair’s haunting, harmonised wails. Hail Hail brings the swing-dancing rock vibe while Save The World sees cutest-couple-ever Heart and Trent wail and spit happily into the same mic. Massive fanboy Rose-Garcia (“It’s Shovels & motherfucking Ropes!!” he cries gleefully) joins them for an encore performance of Neil Young’s Unknown Legend, workshopped last year at a Newport Folk Festival aftershow, Heart explains. Punters howl as they walk off stage. Ya’ll come back soon now, ya hear?