Emmylou Harris at The Barbican 25.05.2104
I fell in love with Emmylou Harris after listening to the Wrecking Ball album.
Listen to her voice on the chorus of the title track. The timbre and the unearthly ghosting marked her as more than a Hall of Fame Country star, more than Gram Parsons equal in duetting, and more than the national treasure she is to American music fans.
Live on stage at The Barbican on Sunday 25th May she told us of how the production on Dylan’s Oh Mercy album had touched her soul.
“The next thing I knew I was singing Jimi Hendrix songs with Daniel in my living room”.
Daniel Lanois breathed on the production of Wrecking Ball and became instrumental in developing this other side of Emmylou Harris. The Barbican concert was a celebration of the album and at just £25.00 for my ticket I was not going to miss the opportunity to see Emmylou on stage for the first time.
Daniel Lanois opened the set and instantly the haunting sounds that pervade Wrecking Ball were circling around the hall as he soloed his pedal steel guitar sound from beneath the light of a single spot. His band joined him on two French Canadian numbers which mixed in to create a narrative set that didn’t really have a climax, but the journey was interesting enough.
From the very first notes Emmylou was right on the money. She has that voice. It has matured a good deal from when she was a young singer riding on the Greyhounds across America, but it is the voice I wanted to hear.
The band is very tight, the harmonies come together and Daniel Lanois caresses the sounds out of his guitar. More abrasive than I would have imagined, but always under control. ‘Where Will I Be’ and then the slow but breathless ‘Goodbye’.
Wear Something Pretty and White
Like any great album the songs are quickly over and it’s almost too soon to be hearing the title track. And then the chorus which sends shivers down my spine.
Wear something pretty and white
And we’ll go dancin’ tonight
Of course we will, it’s the ultimate invitation, charged with a simple promise and nobody delivers it like Emmylou does tonight.
‘Blackhawk’ is the second song penned by Lanois and one of my favourites. His lyrics create a tension but they are delivered without malice by Emmylou which adds another veneer to this song.
‘Waltz Across Texas’ pulls the whole band and audience together. We are all supporting her as she glides through the album’s closing cut.
I Want To Hear More
‘Boulder to Birmingham’ and ‘Pancho and Lefty’ allow Emmylou to stretch out a little and I want to hear more of the massive body of work she has put out there.
As great as The Wrecking Ball album is it also confines this show and I feel a little frustrated about what we did not hear tonight.
The sound was better towards the back of the hall with the vocals slightly over powering at times.
Emmylou gathered us all together for ‘Calling my Children Home’ and ‘Songbird’. The harmonies echo around The Barbican before finally descending on her audience.
Emmylou Harris had delivered everything she promised but I still left feeling like I wanted to hear more.
Come back soon.
#emmylouharris, #wreckingball