Margo Price at Scala

Margo Price
Andrew Combs
Scala, 1 September 2016

I've seen Andrew Combs before supporting Caitlin Rose, which makes sense because one of the songs on Margo Price's superb debut album is co-written by Rose so I suppose they are part of the same group of singer-songwriting friends in Nashville. Combs, like before, stands alone with his acoustic guitar and the obligatory Nashville attire of blue jeans and cowboy shirt. He's smaller than I remember but just as baby-faced which contrasts with the world-weary gravel in his voice. I think I said this before but he reminds me a lot of Ryan Adams in his more stripped down, lonesome moments and the crowd responds well to his earthy, country style, in fact he even plays a song (Too Stoned To Cry) because someone requested it "on the way to the bathroom".

Caitlin Rose at Camden Dingwalls

Caitlin Rose
Steelism
Andrew Combs
Camden Dingwalls, 27 February 2013

There's a show on TV right now called Nashville focusing on a seasoned country diva and a hip new starlet. But it's the smaller musicians frequenting the intimate and infamous Bluebird Cafe that are the most likeable and talented and watching Caitlin Rose's superb opening acts, Andrew Combs and the instrumental group Steelism, I can definitely imagine them in those legendary settings being discovered by the DJ/producer played by JD Souther.