Pearl Charles at The Slaughtered Lamb

Pearl Charles

The Slaughtered Lamb, 16 April 2024

How lucky am I to see the fabulous Pearl Charles in such a tiny, warm venue as The Slaughtered Lamb? Not only was it incredible to finally hear her beautiful voice live but she had a kick-ass band to boot.

Kelsey Waldon at The Slaughtered Lamb

Kelsey Waldon

Jess Thristan

The Slaughtered Lamb, 6 February 2020

I always picture walking into the old, creaky pub in the classic horror film An American Werewolf In London when I hear the name the Slaughtered Lamb. I don't know if it was actually named after the movie's famous boozer but there's certainly a nod to it with the fluorescent pentagram hung at the back of the small stage. It's certainly a lot more cozy than its cinematic namesake though and apparently has become something of a hotspot for country and folk types to appear, so it certainly seems appropriate for Kelsey Waldon to play her first headlining UK show here.

Mark Olson at The Slaughtered Lamb

Mark Olson + Ingunn Ringvold

Dean Owens

The Slaughtered Lamb, 7 December 2010

When I heard Mark Olson, one of the voices of under-appreciated alternative country pioneers The Jayhawks, was playing The Slaughtered Lamb, I pictured some old creaky pub, filled with work-hardened men nursing their beers, much like its namesake in the horror film An American Werewolf In London. The truth is, while the name is a homage to that film (check out the pentagram on the wall in the picture above, as in the classic pub scene), it's really a trendy bar with a small living room-like venue in its basement. In fact as I first walked in people were sitting comfortably in the large sofas filling the room, facing the stage, and listening to suitably soothing acoustic music fitting the coffeehouse atmosphere.