Saturday night’s gig was lots of fun with the usual great sound and stage in O’Rileys, Hull. It was a lovely audience to play to, thanks to everyone who came to the show, supporting local music and keeping music live. And a really nice surprise to get Keith Rice’s review this morning. Thanks Keith, and to Mike Hood for the photos.
“Ever since my good friend David Burnby became their drummer 3 years ago, he’s been raving about Loudhailer Electric Company and nagging me to go see them.
So last Saturday night (19 August) I finally went to see Loudhailer at O’Rileys. (Possibly Hull’s best kept musical secret, inside what looks like a dive in one of the less salubrious areas of the city is the most wonderful small music venue with first class PA, dynamic lights system and even dry ice!)
Of course, I knew Loudhailer singer/bassist Lou Duffy-Howard had been a vital part of The Red Guitars and I sort-of knew about Dead Fingers Talk, from whence lead guitarist Jeff Parsons hailed. But little of this prepared me for the electrifying sights and sounds of Loudhailer in concert. Little of what’s on YouTube really reflects just what an astonishing performance they put on.
Parsons is simply astonishing! A virtuoso guitarist, with one of the biggest pedal board set-ups I’ve seen in a long time, he goes effortlessly from psychedelic slide to lengthy spacey workouts to playing the guitar behind his head! And he’s the first guitarist I’ve come across who can use an E-Bow properly, lengthening the sustain to somewhere between a violin and a pedal steel.
But Parsons is not the main, main attraction – great, though he is! That’s Captain Lou. A powerful voice and a nimble bassist, blowing hard and complex, going toe-to-toe with Parsons during some of the lengthier instrumental sections. Yet she also knows when not to play much and when not to play at all. This gives the arrangements a quasi-operatic feel at times.
In the background Burnby thunders away, providing a rock-like foundation and making occasional sudden sharp staccato crashes on his China cymbal. Rhythm guitarist Rich Duffy-Howard adds neat harmonica to the joyous Out To Sea and gives stately narratives in his rich barritone to The Time Traveller and Underneath The Underground.
As much as the sheer vocal and instrumental dexterity on display, it’s also important to note the quality of the original songs and arrangements which help make Loudhailer that bit special. Several melodies – Weatherbird, Barricane Beach and Samphire – sound like they could have been derived down the ages from traditional folk music. Bodie and 5 Years flirted with Americana. Dark Guitar was a psychedelic blues. Underneath The Underground has the same kind of funky punk sound that some of The Jam’s stuff had.
Worth a mention is support act Jackson D. The guitarist/vocalist, very ably backed by percussionist Zach T and bassist Frank J, delivered a strong set of originals in a vaguely Bowie-esque manner.
All in all, a great trip. Thanks for the invite, Dave!”
Photos by Mike Hood
