HOW fitting it was that California gal Laurie Lewis and her bluegrass band, The Right Hands, were the act booked when The Round (after a short life) reopened as the Cluny 2.

Sounding great with lots of drive to her music, Lewis, on fiddle and guitar, led from the front as she showed the audience what makes a top-class performer.

Generous in how she shared the load, the audience were taken to bluegrass heaven.

Lewis isn’t only a long time member of the music’s premier league, but with the swing-powered Texas Bluebonnets, Live Forever (as Scott Huffman sang lead), Johnny Cash’s Train Of Love and Irving Berlin’s Without My Walking Stick among those aired, a wide spectrum was covered – bluegrass fashion.

From first to last, there was rarely time to catch breath as the heartfelt ballad Geraldine And Ruthie Mae shared space with countless banjo, mandolin (from her long time partner/vocalist Tom Rozum), acoustic guitar and bass solos.

Some travelled a considerable distance for the pleasure, and were rewarded as the music spun gracefully around the room.

It’s not every night Laurie Lewis comes to town, or that you get to see a band walk out into the audience and sing such great four-part vocal harmonies as they did for Who Will Watch The Home Place.

Maurice Hope