Sunday 11th February. The Borderline, London. Jaime Wyatt with Beth Bombara. On a chilly February Sunday night it’s a small but enthusiastic audience to welcome the double bill of US female country with both artists making their first visit to these shores.
I knew nothing about Beth before the show but given the excellent set and the steady stream of punters buying merch afterward she is one to look out for in the future. She’s described of having a folk singers head and a rockers heart and that is certainly borne out tonight. She looks a bit like Micki Steele from the Bangles and some of her songs have similar hooks. A great warm up for the main set tonight.
Jaime Wyatt is new on the scene with a 7 song EP Felony Blues to her name. Recorded after a brief stint in an LA correctional facility, Wyatt is definitely wearing the t-shirt when it comes to her outlaw country style and many of the songs draw from that experience. It’s not a woe is me album but generally upbeat filled with some great country songs.
Cutting a striking figure in her blue suit Wyatt is an arresting (no pun intended) presence on stage. She is backed by two brits on guitar and bass and Kit Hamon on the sticks who doubles up for both Beth and Jaime. It’s a communal feel to the night with band members being shared between both artists throughout but special mention to Joe Coombs, a young British guitarist who nailed it without being too flashy or overshadowing the two women at the front of the stage
All tracks from the EP are played tonight along with covers from Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard. It’s a perfect set, rockers to ballads, delicate and moody to foot stompin rockin and its all killer and no filler with Jaime providing witty asides between songs to keep things moving along. It’s all over in a flash but this has whetted the appetite, after a couple of new tracks are performed too, for a swift return to these shores with new album in tow.
On a night when the music is of such high standard to pick a highlight is difficult but ‘Stone Hotel’ is a favourite of mine on the album and so it delivers tonight too.
At a time when there is so much new American female country talent with the likes of Margo Price, Angaleena Pressley, Nikki Lane, Nicole Atkins and Lillie Mae to name a few we can now add Jaime Wyatt to the list.
Looking forward to record two and a longer set next time.
Keep on outlaw country rockin’ y’all
MICO
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