Ross Stewart and Band - Sells Out Voodoo Daddy's Showroom

Brown Horse Take The Reins

Red Rooster 2024

30th May 2024

If you investigate the success of the first Brown Horse album, Reservoir released in January 2024 you will be impressed by the reviews it received: Mojo gave four stars; UNCUT awarded 9/10; The Sunday Times and The Times slapped four stars on it; The Scottish Daily Express five stars; Wall Of Sound wrote, 'This album, put simply, is really, really lovely and well worth a listen.' These views were heartily endorsed by the people I know who have heard it. Thus encouraged, I made my way to the big top.

I had not seen the band before its main stage appearance on 30^th May at Red Rooster 2024.  There’s six of them and they seem quite shy. It feels like I am back in the pre-punk days of the long-haired musos doing very little except play their instruments, letting the paying audience appreciate them through a process of osmosis. 

“Hello. We’re Brown Horse.” was all the assembled were met with at the end of a pleasant enough, jingle-jangle of the first number.  By the third song we knew that Patrick Turner was pleased that the weather had driven the numbers up in the big tent, but were none the wiser about the song titles.  We were then left to listen to a tune that suggested significant musical similarities to the root of Knocking On Heaven’s Door.  And on they went, enthusiastically whooped, whipped and hollered along by their Norfolk associates in the crowd. 

 

Each member of the band contributes songs to their repertoire and the sound is indeed ‘lovely’, but as a live set, I found it a little dull.  Were Patrick and his fellows trying to recreate the album on stage, or out to engage and entertain, which is a proven way to build a following and shift product.  As the set progressed the chatter amongst the assembled punters grew as they gradually lost interest in the half-hour of sounds from the stage.  Another band who have a multi-layered sound, Byrds-style are The Hanging Stars who were to feature on the Friday evening of the festival.  

I admit, my attention too, began to wander.  The way the drummer, Ben Auld, held his sticks was a bit different.  I wanted to hear more of the pedal steel work that was being so intensely worked at stage-right by Emma Tovell.  Did every instrument have to play at the same time, I wondered.  Could some variation for the live performance allow for a softening of the mix, so that one player might, from time-to-time stand out from the predominantly low-key jangle?

 

When I got home, I streamed Reservoir and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of hearing all ten tracks on offer in one sitting.  For a cosy listening experience from the warmth and comfort of my own sofa it was indeed a ‘really lovely album’.  On a cold, damp day in the middle of eleven thousand acres of mixed-use agrarian land, I needed a little more.

Spencer Ide

Red Rooster, Euston Hall

30th May 2024