After taking 20 years to get Americana award winning singersongwriter James McMurtry over here, he was back within six months and looking trim and relaxed in the company of his band, The Heartless Bastards (Darren Hess, drums, and Lonnie Johnson, electric bass and harmony vocals).
He cranked it up as a generous slice of his compositions were aired before an appreciative audience.
He sported his black felt hat covering only half his bushy hair but it wasn’t for his looks or reserved and possibly shy demeanour we’d come for, but his amazing songs.
Through his lyrics McMurtry took the songwriting and storytelling to a new level through his observations of street life.
Not too many people are able to make a viable song about shop and road signs but McMurtry has in the near tenminute epic, Choctaw Bingo.
His music soaked in American rock as Hess and Johnson stood behind to fuel the likes of Just Us Kids, Bayou Tortue and arguably his finest piece of commentary, Hurricane Party.
As his set got into full swing, McMurtry hooked up with his guitar tour manager Tim Holt, who stepped up to add his striking blend of electric guitar.
Maurice Hope
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