Roaming Roots Revue present Born To Run - Springsteen at 70

Bruce Springsteen, AKA The Boss, turned 70 in September 2019. This landmark birthday inspired Roddy Hart to arrange this years Roaming Roots Revue in Springsteen's honour.

The annual bash, a real highlight in the Celtic Connections calendar, celebrated its 8th birthday by selling out their usual haunt at the Royal Concert Hall

For the first time in the events history, a second night was added, in the stunning Old Fruitmarket in the Merchant City area of Glasgow.

Reports from night one were euphorically emphatic and I was thoroughly looking forward to celebrating my birthday with family and friends to the sounds of Springsteen.

What a show!

The setting, song choices, artists, band and performances were just perfect. And we squeezed in right down the front at the side to have a brilliant up close view of performances.

Roddy Hart and The Lonesome Fire were on fire. I think the all standing venue made a difference and perhaps they were looser after playing the night before.

The guests who joined them on stage were exceptional; The Rails, Ryan Bingham, Phil Campbell, Lisa Hannigan, Karine Polwart, Jonathan Wilson and Craig Finn. They all brought something a little different, all teased something out of Springsteen's catalogue that made you appreciate his work as a songwriter and performer a little more and every artist showed their appreciation for the songs and artist that will make me go back and revisit songs and albums over the weeks to come.

Roddy Hart used the first half of the show to introduce his guest singers, with each performing a song or two. Phil Campbell chose to play a song called Western Star from Springsteen's latest album - it was stunning and will ensure I check the album out later in the week.

Roddy Hart and Phil Campbell

After the interval the show didn't let up. The tech team ensured swift changeovers and the show flowed like ... well like a Bruce show should!

The evening was one long beautiful feel good highlight. Although I guess I should note that the 4 songs I played first thing this morning were I'm On Fire, Brilliant Disguise, Hungry Heart and The Rising.

Lisa Hannigan's take on I'm On Fire was jaw droppingly beautiful. You could have heard a pin drop in the Old Fruitmarket. What a voice! 

Roddy Hart and Lisa Hannigan

Phil Campbell has an incredible voice and an infectious energy to his performances. He blew me away at the Abbey Road Roaming Roots Revue in 2019 and he did so again last night. I look forward to checking out his new band The Byson Family. His raw, rasping, soulful vocals were perfect for Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Campbell threw himself into the performance.

Karine Polwart led a charing version of The Rising that really got the place going. I found it really interesting to hear her singing in this way, I guess with more ferocity in the music behind her, it really suited her.

I loved the interaction between James Walbourne and Kami Thompson, AKA The Rails. Walbourne tore into his guitar and their harmonising was glorious. 

Craig Finn from The Hold Steady is a huge Springsteen fan and his love shone through, he looked super happy to be on stage and taken aback by the audience response. 

Look at the setlist below - stunning. Roddy and his band worked the set (see below for full setlist) order brilliantly, building to huge anthems Born To Run, Dancing In The Dark and Badlands. By this point everyone was on stage, playing guitar, singing lead or backing vocals, or just enjoying themselves.

It was fitting that Roddy Hart, the curator of these fantastic annual events, took to the stage with two of his band on piano to deliver a spine tingling encore of Thunder Road. Hart's voice was magnificent, strong and soulful, possibly the best I have heard him.

Last night left me buzzing all day. A truly fitting tribute to Springsteen.

I do hope that the demand for tickets in 2021 will ensure Roddy's Roaming Roots Revue keeps a second night at the Old Fruitmarket. I have to confess that earlier on today I was thinking of ideas what they could do. I thought of Carole King, she'll be 80 in 2022 so that is one to pipeline as a potential for then.

My friend Ian went both nights and nabbed a setlist from night 1. Ian noted that the set list had 3 changes on the second night (which, incidentally he said was best): Ryan Bingham and Lisa Hannigan did different tracks, and Land of Hope and Dreams was dropped. But what a show

Abbey Road at 50, Celtic Connections

Glasgow discovered a fantastic way to banish the January blues many years ago - the city decided to launch a festival called Celtic Connections to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of music our small country is blessed with (and other music we enjoy too!). As many cities pubs and restaurants experience their quietest month of the year, Glasgow keeps on going as pubs, venues and restaurants are packed with people out to enjoy music and banter. It's the Glasgow way, we are a social bunch and like nothing better than to watch talented musicians with our friends and a beer.

Roddy Hart's Roaming Roots Revue has become a staple of Celtic Connections. Roddy and his excellent band The Lonesome Fire, become host and backing band for a string of artists to pay respect to great artists like Dylan or Petty, or scenes like the West Coast of America, or, in the case of last night, an album.

Abbey Road was the last album The Beatles recorded and it was released in 1969, 50-years ago. It's a nice round number, definitely an excuse for a party.

And what a party Roddy Hart conjured up. He's quite the host and knows how to choose guests that will get a crowd going. Last night, as well as being joined by a capacity crowd at the fabulous Royal Concert Hall, Roddy was joined by his outstanding band The Lonesome Fire, a forty (yes 4 0 ) piece orchestra and stunning artists; KT Tunstall, Lomond Campbell, Phil Campbell from The Temperence Movement, The Staves and new band You Tell Me (Sarah Hayes from Admiral Fallow and Peter Brewis of Field Music).

I did wonder how they were going to fill up a whole evening with one album, Roddy quickly informed us that each artist would come out to play 2 or 3 of their own songs with The Lonesome Fire and then they would move on to The Beatles.

Each artist was fantastic, Roddy is clearly a fan of Lomond Campbell and I'm sure he will have won a number of new fans after a heartfelt performance. The debut album by You and Me is literally just out, so this was a perfect opportunity for them to get the word out - the album has been picking up excellent reviews. Sarah Hayes beamed from behind a huge piano and he voice was sweet and soulful, combining beautifully with Peter Brewis.

Phil Campbell is not someone I was aware of prior to last night. I've heard of his band The Temperence Movement but have never checked them out, I will be after last night. This guy oozes cheeky charm and charisma (more on this later). His short set allowed him to display a raspy early 70's Rod Stewart style voice and he bounded around like a cross between Steve Marriott from the Small Faces and vintage Jagger. Oh and he melted hearts when his young daughter shouted Daddy when the crowd was quiet and he said he loved her.

The Staves are three young sisters who I will be checking out. Roddy introduced them by highlighting their classic songwriting and 3-part harmonies were winning fans everywhere - no wonder! They were spellbinding.

And lastly, KT Tunstall bounded on looking pretty cool in stripes flares and a vest top, playing 3 great songs and also giving us some great between song banter ranging from a drunken night at karaoke with her friends when she found that two of her songs were on the list - she played Suddenly I See - and also talking about playing in the pouring rain to two ladies giving it laldy at the opening of the new Queensferry crossing - the Queen had left and after that so had everyone else. The two left were her Mum and Nicola Sturgeon.

On to Abbey Road.

Roddy and friends made full use of the space and sound quality by getting a 40-piece orchestra to back them up! The sound quality last night was utterly brilliant - sonic goodness of the highest order.

My money was on Phil Campbell to sing Come Together, but it was KT Tunstall who came out and channelled the urgency, soul and humour of Lennon, setting a high bar for the rest of the guests.

Lomond Campbell accepted the challenge and his version of Something was beautiful, the way the song flows is sublime and the 40-piece orchestra took it as high as they possibly could and it soared during the you're asking me where my love goes, I don't know, I don't know section.

You Tell Me arguably drew the short straw with McCartney's Maxwell's Silver Hammer, but the melodies and humour carried the song and it actually made more sense live than on record. This is a song that Lennon famously refused to play on.

When I think of Abbey Road Macca I think of side 2. I'm not massively fussed about the above song or Oh Darling. My opinion of both changed last night, especially the latter as Phil Campbell took the song to another level with an astonishing vocal performance, whipping himself and the band to sensational heights. The look on some of the faces of people playing in the orchestra was priceless as Campbell shared, shimmied and cajoled himself to get every ounce of soul from the song. This was a stunning vocal and frontman performance and he received an extended ovation that was very richly deserved.

I love Octopus's Garden. There I've said it. I love the melody, the dreamy charm, the fact my kids love it and I love that Ringo wrote it (allegedly -I still kind of think McCartney might have had a hand in it!). It was nice of Roddy to hand it over to his drummer, Scott McKay, to sing. Scott had never sung a song in front of an audience, so when Roddy told us that, Scott had everyone on side. And he had everyone helping him out, it was a lovely moment.

Then we had Tunstall and Phil Campbell duetting on a powerful and sexual I Want You (She's So Heavy) that was a joy to hear and witness. The guitars were superb.

Then we had that spell binding side 2 which quickly developed to almost everyone being on stage. You and Me had the joy of Here Comes The Sun with a Spectoresque number of guitars helping the orchestra.

We had The Staves with a breathtaking performance of Because, we had You Never Give Me Your Money into Sun King, the romp through Mean Mr Mustard and Polythene Pam into the uplifting She Came In Through The Bathroom Window. Lomond Campbell, KT Tunstall and Phil Campbell all coming and going with remarkable fluidity. The ooh's and aah's delivered by The Staves were truly beautiful

Then it was into McCartney's stunning finale - Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight and the most beautiful of closing numbers The End.

Only it wasn't, as per the album Roddy Hart played Her Majesty after the applause had finally died down.

What a performance, what a show! Top marks to all involved.

There was a little encore, as Roddy said, why waste the opportunity of a 40-piece orchestra! You Tell Me were at their best on She's Leaving Home and Penny Lane was a riot with every singer taking lines.

What will Roddy come up with for 2020?