The Jayhawks at the Electric Ballroom

The Jayhawks

Dave Fidler

Electric Ballroom, 16 September 2016

It's been over ten years since I last saw The Jayhawks live but this year they are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their debut album as well as releasing their twelfth record, Sanctuary Park, so I knew I had to go to this special show at the Electric Ballroom, probably the smallest venue I've seen the band since their Camden Dingwalls show in 2003!

The Jayhawks at Shepherd's Bush Empire

The Jayhawks
Shepherd's Bush Empire, 18 July 2014

I got a cool surprise today when I found out that not only had I won signed copies of the new reissues of The Jayhawks' albums Sound Of Lies, Smile and Rainy Day Music, but I had also won two tickets for their show tonight. I wasn't planning on going to this gig and even though it is officially the hottest day of the year (so far), I couldn't turn down seeing The Jayhawks for free and as you can imagine it was worth suffering the heat for.

The Jayhawks at the Barbican

The Jayhawks

Chuck Prophet

Barbican, 8 February 2012

"This song is about unrequited love, that's when someone doesn't love you back," Californian singer-songwriter Chuck Prophet amusingly explains to us. "My wife told me that saying that is patronising. That's when someone speaks down to you. I never do that," he grins.

The Jayhawks at The Forum

The Jayhawks

Mark Olson & Ingunn Ringvold

The Forum, 5 August 2011

Of all the bands that emerged from the so-called alternative country scene The Jayhawks always seemed to be the most under-appreciated. It's particularly crazy given that during the 90s they released two albums that equal, and maybe even better, anything Uncle Tupelo ever made. But in the mid-90s one of the band's main songwriters, Mark Olson, decided to leave the band and although they carried on making great records those special harmony vocals between Olson and fellow frontman Gary Louris were sorely missed. I saw Olson-less Jayhawks twice before they split and they were always fantastic but when Louris teamed up with Olson for a duo album there was no doubt that these two guys were meant to sing together. I guess it was only a matter of time before the whole classic line-up of the band got back together, lucky for us, and the gig tonight to finally see and hear the chemistry between these five guys and gal really was worth the wait.

Two nights of Olson & Louris at the Jazz Cafe

Mark Olson & Gary Louris
Jazz Cafe, 11 & 12 May 2009

I was never lucky enough to see The Jayhawks back in Hollywood Town Hall/Tomorrow The Green Grass days, after discovering them in the mid 90s the first chance I got to see them live Mark Olson was long gone and Gary Louris was very much the frontman. Don't get me wrong, post-Olson the band took on a new life and were still great but I can't deny I missed that particular magic that happened when Olson's rootsy country vocals mixed with Louris' smoother, rock voice and those amazing harmonies were born. So of course I was particularly thrilled when the pair joined forces for the first time in 13 years for the album Ready For The Flood and, in support of that album, finally I got to hear them sing together live for the first time at the Union Chapel, one of the best venues in London for acoustic shows.

My Favourite Albums Of 2008

I thought I may as well start off with a list of my favourite albums from 2008, because it probably best sets the scene for what will be on this blog. In order to compile my astonishingly brilliant list I am using this foolproof equation to calculate the perfect top 10: my most played albums on last.fm + the albums I think I like best + whatever ones are the coolest. It's an incredibly mathematical, painstaking process that obviously has taken me weeks to perfect, which is why I'm only posting it now. So at long last, here it is: