Live Review: Wagons, Joseph Liddy & The Skeleton Horse, Emma Swift

Romance. It’s about the night, the dark, the tunes and – very likely – the alcohol. Henry Wagons offers encouragement: “See that person across the room? Go talk to them. At least you know by being here, you share great taste in music.” Fair point well made.

The romance of the night came in different forms. Emma Swift, with guitarist and second voice Chris Pickering, is plaintive and acoustic, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris the touchstone, covering that star-crossed duo’s Wheels – snug among Swift’s own songs like the ideally-named Bittersweet.

You then go from 1971 cosmic Americana to 1972 phat funk. Despite the country-esque name, the stage-crowding Joseph Liddy & The Skeleton Horse bump through the soul of Bill Withers’ Who Is He (And What Is He To You)?. Double drums, double female backing vocals, much jamming on the groove, maaaan.

Henry and his eponymous Wagons offer a varietal range of lust, love, loss – and drinking about it. On the final dates of the ‘promote the bejesus out of the latest album’ tour, they are tight and loose. There are frequent delves into back catalogue favourites, although the last record’s Why Do You Always Cry and fine ode to home-imbibing, Beer Barrel Bar, go well.

What throws you is Wagons can then offer serious business. Never Been To Spain might be of the “Fat Elvis era” as Henry announced, but it soars on his croon. Swift gets called back to duet Give Things A Chance To Mend, another audience-husher.

Into the home stretch with the audience participation of The Gambler’s ebb and flow, Goodtown’s trap, and the ideal raucous final sing-along of Willie Nelson. Audience and band then adjourn to the bar, as is only right and customary.