And so the train rolls on and on and on. And woe betide those who miss a night because those that missed last night, missed a very special night indeed. Probably the liveliest of nights we’ve had at The Leap Sessions and certainly the first time we’ve had two bands on the same night. We don’t want to make comparisons with any other night so just looking at this one in it’s own light will only bring back happiness.
For all performers on the night it was their first appearance at The Leap Sessions so everybody was on relatively new ground.
Opening proceedings was Ian N Brennan. Such songs! Ian recently released his new EP, ‘Keep The Tape Rolling’ and treated the locals to a resounding performance. It is available to buy on iTunes. Ian’s brand of acoustic rock is energetic, melodious and what choruses!
The Mockler Sisters followed with an instant change of pace. Immediately holding our audience with such an intimate, fragile set. Using beautiful harmonies – obviously stolen from somewhere divine – our audience sat forward and hung to every note. Orla and Niamh are about to release their debut EP and we cannot wait to get our hands on it.
Another change of dynamic to last nights show was then entrusted to Sarah Something ‘And Her Amazing Loop Magic’! – (We added the last bit – Ed.) Using this technology as a solo performer is something that I have shied away from because it’s just easier not to bother learning the jigs and reels of how to record And layer while you are trying to engage an audience And remember your own lyrics and song structures at the same time. But Sarah’s performance was so much more than a technological masterclass. Her songs were wonderfully conceived and performed with polish and control.
The Black Overtones, including an injured Paul Ames (what a soldier!) were our penultimate performers at last night’s Leap Sessions. These guys are a died in the wool Rock outfit and given the limitations of our own set up The Black Overtones brought along what can only be their Acoustic A Game! Highly energetic, full of passion, transferring an ‘electric’ set to an ‘acoustic’ set and still make it meaningful is not an easy job yet if you were there last night you would struggle to understand that that is exactly what TBO did. Strong vocal, strong musicianship and granite songs. Still excited thinking about this set.
Marks Carcas And The Trail Gang, I would not have known if it weren’t for my good friend Koach Kenny who just happens to be one of the Trail Gang. After The Black Overtones had finished, as the facilitator of this wonderful evening I must admit I was wondering (quite hard, actually) how could anybody ‘Follow That’! Well, well, well. Made up of three solid, bearded men, two acoustic guitars and a cajun, chatting with Bob who controls the cajun (I use the word loosely) he said he could only describe their brand as “Mountain Music” and I couldn’t agree more. This was like listening to the soundtrack of ‘Oh, Brother Where Art Thou’ induced with a cacophony of illegal substances and various mycological matter. We will be having MCATTG back very soon and as said at the outset – Woe betide you who dare to miss this event!
Watch this space!!
