FRONTED by Po’Girl founder member Allison Russell, the popular Canadian act opened Newcastle’s Evolution Festival with their appearance on the stage at the Cluny.

Russell was joined by fellow multi-instrumentalists Awna Teixeira and Benny Sidelinger, plus drummer JJ Jones, to play roots-based music utilising a great many influences.

Russell and Teixeira shared the role as lead vocalist as they showcased not only a bunch of songs from their new album, Deer In The Night, but also earlier material.

The music was always inventive and thrilled the audience, with the girls playing banjo, guitar, glockenspiel, clarinet, accordion, gutbucket bass and bicycle bell, coupled with Sidelinger’s sterling work on dobro and keyboards.

There was so much happening on stage as musicians exchanged instruments and, in the case of the smoky-toned vocalist Russell, did a spot of flatfooting to the delight of the audience.

I preferred the stripped down material, as in Deer In The Night, a banjo-aided Old Mountain Line and a tune only just completed, Kiss Me At the Door, but just seeing Po’Girl is always a treat.

With their music ever evolving, the hard-working front-of-stage trio had Russell’s sultry blues/jazzy nuances and the equally interesting Teixeira unveil an abundance of fine textures.

Prior to Po’Girl, Norwegian Thomas Dybdahl turned heads with his wonderful voice. With some fine songs in his locker, there’s no reason why he can’t emulate fellow singersongwriter Ray LaMontagne to break into the UK market.

Maurice Hope