Just Passing Through- Serious Sam Barrett Pays a Visit
In the midst of a grey and cold February, one can be hard pressed to find better plans for a Sunday night than hanging out in a small, dimly lit room with a beer and a live band. This past Sunday saw Yorkshire songsmith Serious Sam Barrett travelling through with his guitar for a gig at The Green Note pub in Camden; a mere two minutes’ walk from the tube but tucked away and easily missed.
My original discovery of this great place was actually because of Sam. At the time, he was playing with Jamie Barrier of the Pine Hill Haints. This evening however, it was just Sam, his 12 string guitar and a suitably mellow end-of-weekend crowd. We arrived at just gone 8, before the music started and with time to catch up with friends and grab a pint of organic lager (the result of which has been a surprise hangover-free Monday).
When Sam takes the stage, he wastes no time grabbing the attention of the house with his blend of folk, blues, country and rock n roll. The love of Americana that can be seen in his faded Coors t-shirt, Cajun and country-flavoured songs and a Haints cover is balanced out by a clear love of Yorkshire, which comes across in his lyrics. Songs of love, skateboarding, booze and travelling are all placed within the context of roots, bringing the personal element to the fore.
The crowd is attentive during the performanc and loudly hyped afterwards, which is fed off and reciprocated in the telling of tales and playing of songs not often heard live – a particular highlight turned out to be a cover of traditional number The Nightingale.
Good music and a good crowd made the pints go down smoothly and as I sat back and soaked in the atmosphere the idea of a sober Sunday seemed laughable.
Alongside the aforementioned covers were songs taken from his entire back catalogue. There was the folk of Tongue Tied Blues or Lay a White Rose to the rock n roll of Livin’ on a Shoestring onto other reimagining’s of traditional American songs like Mole in the Ground.
All of these influences and more swirl throughout the evening’s sounds. They came through clearly and individually without clashing. As the evening came to a close we drink up our beers, knowing that the majority of people spending their Sunday night around Camden had just missed out.
The Pine Hill Haints and Sam Barrett tour later this year can’t come quick enough, bring on the beers and skate folk!
Jono Coote
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