It’s Tami Neilson’s voice that fills the Great Hall and effortlessly lifts the roof. Allowing her breathing space in the rarefied peaks occupied by Cline, Parton, Wynette, Lynn, and Wells (that’s Kitty).
Neilson is technically a better singer than her idol Willie Nelson. He doesn’t ever soar like she can, he conveys his deep soul in his superlative songwriting over sixty years plus. The greatest living promo for medicinal marijuana as he has raced past ninety recently, and probably still starts the day with it. (McCartney stopped a while ago).
Tami is showcasing her current album Neilson Sings Nelson released last month. Nine songs of deep cuts and classics I give my personal spin on.
Her serendipitous surname came from birth. Her first name bestowed an expectation on her from her musical family. They’re Canadian but that sort of makes them American. Country Americana.
The show starts with Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, I Never Cared for You, and we get there just as the band are belting out Beyond the Stars.
The band is cooking with gas, and with the pedal steel and slide dobro of Neil Watson, a fair comparison can be made to the classic Flying Burrito Brothers sound of the first two albums.
Brett Adams (Come Together) guitar, Tom Broome drums, Chip Matthews bass can take equal star billing tonight. Tight and concise tonight with little minimal grandstanding, perfect session professionals.
The teardrop slide and twang and ring strings play straight to the heart. This is the best venue in the country for the warm and cavernous bass sound which is balanced.
The Sound in Your Mind is played as a country weeper, with some shades of Tex-Mex in memory of Before the Next Teardrop Falls. The young sons Charlie and Sam add some nice harmony vocals.
This is sounding like a Carter Family dynasty.
I thought About You is Country Gospel just as Neilson describes. The pedal steel combining with acoustic guitar nudges it toward classic Sixties Deep Soul with Neilson’s phrasing.
The voice is rich and powerful, sounding both personal and simultaneously all-inclusive.
Some familiar classics.
Kris Kristofferson’s Sunday Morning Coming Down in homage to the recently departed singer songwriter. Worked as a janitor at Columbia recording studios whilst trying break through into the industry and possibly met Nelson there.
Heartbreak all through the guitars and vocal. Fumbled in my closet/ Found my cleanest dirty shirt.
Neilson gets visibly emotional covering Always on My Mind. It is that sort of song. For Elvis it prefaced his marriage break-up. His and Willie’s version define the song.
Tami allows the backing music to come down to spectral and minimal. The soul is elevated as she slightly lags in the phrasing.
There is plenty of swing and arse-shaking stuff. All seated on the big floor and I don’t see any dancing.
Devil in a Sleeping Bag and Come Over is Rockabilly galloping twang.
Texas shifts to Western Swing, and the sound of the Border Radio (50’000 watts of power!)
Her contribution to the Spongebob Squarepants movie, as Sandy Cheeks, is a good Yee Hah! which ends in a yodel.
More classics and standards to finish.
Neilson got invited to sing on the Grand Ole Opry, understandably a huge honour at the mecca of Americana.
The song she sang to them is possibly the peak moment tonight. Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray from Patsy Cline. Those pipes from Tami swoop into that home on high.
Follows it up with Crazy, written by Willie and nailed by Cline.
We want a Patsy Cline tribute double album soon.
The show must end, and it seems too short. You always want more when something is near perfection.
They cover Waylon and Willie’s Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys. Typical of Country where the title tells the whole story.
Followed by a train-chugging rhythm riff to launch On the Road Again, then the ringing guitars lead it out.
Expectations are always high for a Tami Neilson show, which were delivered and exceeded.
Rev. Orange Peel
Photography by Leonie Moreland
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