Billy Bragg and Joe Henry
It is freezing cold, and the queue to get into a sold out OPEN stretches a few hundred yards when Billy Bragg and Joe Henry's Shine A Light tour stops off tonight. The stage is bare but for two mic stands, a table, four guitar stands complete with guitars (of course) and some lights. Is this enough to get us warmed up? Oh yes.
For those that don't know, the duo's Shine A Light: Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad album is a collection of American railroad songs recorded at various stop-offs on the pair's journey from Chicago to LA aboard the Texas Eagle and the Sunset Limited. Tonight's show is based heavily on the album. The duo kick off the first of the two sets with Railroad Bill and run through The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore, John Henry, In The Pines, Waiting For A Train and Early Morning Rain. There's plenty of sometimes rambling, often humorous but always interesting storytelling between songs.
The first set finishes up with Joe Henry alone on stage. Despite having released thirteen albums in his own right and produced many other artists, I know little about him, which may be my loss. Muhammad Ali tribute Shook Up The World (For Ali) and an Alain Toussaint cover stand out in a short set of Americana with hints of the style of the Great American Songbook. It is decent enough but not great and, whilst most of the audience are receptive, some start getting restless.
After a short intermission, the second set starts with Bragg solo. From the audience response, it is clear that this is what most are here for. And what we get is a mix of new songs, old songs, songs freshly rewritten and cover versions. Dylan's The Times They Are A Changin' has a 'Back' added to the title and is directed at Trump. Whilst there may be no A New England or The Milkman Of Human Kindness it is always good to hear Accident Waiting To Happen and Between The Wars.
It has been a good few years since I last saw Bragg and this (admittedly short) solo set is obviously a very different beast to the angry force of nature he was back in his 80s heyday. In those days, the voice was a blunt instrument - an effective blunt instrument but a blunt instrument nonetheless. Now, it is more rounded. In the Shine A Light sections of the show, there's some pleasing baritone and even a spot of yodelling - if you can believe that! The politics are still in place but now Bragg is more considered, less hectoring. And you know what? That may just be far more effective.
Rejoined by Joe Henry, it is back to the Shine A Light show with Railroading On The Great Divide, Lonesome Whistle, Rock Island Line and Hobo's Lullaby before winding up with The Midnight Special followed by three song encore climaxing with Woody Guthrie's Ramblin' Around.
For me, Shine A Light is a great album, based on a smart idea. The show tonight doesn't quite do justice to the album but Henry and Bragg work well together to deliver a fine evening's entertainment.
