Rachel Harrington and Rod Clements - Porter’s Coffee Bar, Tynemouth, September 3rd 2010

Rachel Harrington and Rod Clements

Porter’s Coffee Bar, Tynemouth, September 3^rd 2010

It has to be said that a gig in a coffee shop (capacity around sixty) in a Metro Station, was a first for me and I suspect also for Oregon born, Seattle residing, Rachel Harrington; playing Porter’s Coffee House in Tynemouth Metro Station with ex-Lindisfarne’s Rod Clements.  Having seen the duo as part of The Sage Gateshead’s SummerTyne Festival in July, I was excited to see them again, especially in a venue no bigger than a house concert space!  Needless to say, it was one of the most intimate gigs I have had the pleasure of attending!

It was obvious from the outset that Rachel was totally at ease, as she and Rod took to the floor; Rachel playing guitar and Rod, dobro.  He really is an incredible musician.  I was immediately struck once again by her beautiful voice, as they launched into a great performance of Karen Kane.  To observe her small frame, you can’t help but wonder where the voice comes from!

This was followed by Shoeless, her love song about baseball and the achingly beautiful Mississippi John Hurt song, Louis Collins; a traditional US folk song.   This song has a real Appalachian sound and something in Rachel’s delivery reminds me very much of Diana Jones. (Something in the way her voice nearly – but doesn’t quite – crack as she sings the word ‘laid,’ makes the hairs on my neck stand up.) Telling us about playing the Perth Southern Fried Festival, Rachel went on to say that she and Rod have now covered over 4000 miles in 6 weeks, quipping, ‘It’s so great to be back here in Bristol,’ which had everyone giggling.

Rod took centre stage to play us Stamping Ground, a song he wrote not half a mile from where we were sitting, in his old stamping ground, right there in Tynemouth.  This was followed by another well known song of his, Train in E Major.  As he sang and his fingers danced across the dobro, it was lovely watching Rachel watch him sing, smiling the whole time..  They have obviously become fond of each other as well as their music during the course of touring together. 

 Rachel explained some songs would be from her ‘new CD which doesn’t quite exist yet...’ – this became a running joke for the evening - before she played the beautiful Goodbye Amsterdam, possibly my favourite of all she has written thus far.  Basically it is about going back to places you shared with someone in your life, but they aren’t there anymore and seem to haunt those places.   Exquisite.   This was followed by the tongue in cheek You’ll Do, which reminded me of Elizabeth Cook’s more ‘playful’ songs.

Rod went off on a tangent saying Rachel’s accent is a cross between Mary Poppins and Dick Van Dyke as she has been learning from the Sat Nav.  This then prompted great hilarity as Rachel suddenly announced ‘Recalculating,’  before impersonating the voice of Vodafone!  They are clearly very much at ease working together.

Carver, from Rachel’s current CD, City Of Refuge, followed; based on one of fellow Oregonian Raymond Carver’s poems.  Talking about her upbringing by right wing Pentecostalists, she pondered how she ever became a folk singer, before explaining that she thinks this explains her love of Gospel music. This segued to a beautiful  Gospel song which she wrote, He Started Building My Mansion in Heaven Today, inspired by a comment her grandfather made to her.  Beautiful, and a perfect end to the first half.

Following a short break in which both Rachel and Rod mingled and signed CD’s, whilst Porter’s provided a light buffet,  the pair got things off to a rocking start with Whiskey Highway.  Bringing the song to a close, Rachel joked that they are working on their rock and roll endings, before telling us about their distillery tour in Scotland.  Moving on she teased that she seems to have ‘put all her exes’ on this new record, thus her next song has become affectionately known as Part Two of The Jerk Trilogy. Then came Rachel’s take on the slightly strange Laura Veirs song, Up The River, then a wonderful rendition of Rachel’s ‘hit,’ Sunshine Girl.  Watching her sing, it is obvious that she loves what she does.  House of Cards, another new song, followed (not to be confused with the Mary Chapin Carpenter song)  returning to Gospel, the set ended with one of my favourites, I Don’t Want to get Adjusted to This World, which became a mass, as well as compulsory, sing along; it was lovely hearing everyone singing their hearts out!  What a great way to end a great set. 

Well, not quite; after a little cajoling, Rachel agreed to play Under The Big Top, which she also told us was the story of how the parents of a friend met at the circus. As she said, that doesn’t happen much anymore, and made for a great song.

All too soon, the night really was over and Rachel was bidding Goodbye, Tynemouth, though I have little doubt she will be back next year.  At least until then, we have her new CD, Celilo Falls  to look forward to until the Sunshine Girl returns, perhaps via the Whiskey Highway?