First gig back, after the Covid nightmare, at one of my favourite venues Base Camp in Middlesbrough. A quaint venue with huge potential. The tables where laid out with candle burning for what is to be a special night of gentle country rock courtesy of local lass Elaine Palmer and American country girl Anna Ash.
First under the spot light is Elaine Palmer riding high after releasing her best album to date. She re-creates tracks that had a full band on from that album and her previous one with just her gorgeously toned voice and guitar. Palmer has this wonderful ability to go within herself when performing and you can see the passion and the joy that music and especially playing live is to her. Her new tracks really shine tonight
Headliner is Anna Ash all the way from America but due to covid it wasn’t so easy to bring a full band over with her so she stands under the lights alone looking small and fragile. An impression quickly dashed as she opens up with an a-cappella song that had the audience transfixed. Her sweet and hugely powerful voice with a Karen Carpenter vibrato means she can simply rely on just an acoustic guitar to back her up. Playing a mixture of her tracks, new and old and they blend seamlessly together as she quickly gets comfortable on this intimate stage.
The evening is the perfect relaxed affair with the audience sitting down on tables and remaining silent while the two ladies performed. A silence very much down to the great music on display in this wonderful venue.
Have a listen to What The Light Can Do by Anna Ash, below:
Ash’s music can be purchased here
Check out Elaine Palmer’s track Just One, below
Palmer’s music can be purchased here
