Tuesday 15 November 2011

Alison Krauss and Union Station at the Royal Festival Hall

How fortunate for us that at the end of a long summer tour criss crossing the USA (including a stop at the Hyannis big tent on Cape Cod, long after we had left), Alison Krauss and Union Station came to the UK. Four sold out nights at the 3000 seater Royal Festival Hall shows just how popular they have become. They played a non stop two hour set of songs from their new album "Paper Airplane" intermingled with some old favourites. The band was on top form and Alison's voice was quite splendid. I was also surprised at how good is Dan Tyminski's  singing live. When they sing together, they complement each other so well.

Jerry Douglas gave the others a break with a brilliant solo, and two more musicians on piano and percussion came on for some of the numbers. The encore was even better when Alison and the band gathered around one microphone for five quiet numbers (including "When You Say Nothing At All" and finishing with a superb "There Must Be A Reason") with very little accompaniment. Fantastic. The only downside was that the sight lines are not the best at the Royal Festival Hall, and they missed out  "Doesn't Have To Be This Way" and "Let Me Touch You For A While". But we did get "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow". Thanks Dan.

No comments: