Nashville Live Review

During the summer of 1992 if you'd walked past our house the chances that you'd hear Billy Ray Cyrus's debut album 'Some Gave All' blaring from my mum's stereo.  She was obsessed with that album and played it every opportunity she got, in the car, while doing the housework, even in the shower. 

That cassette was the bane of my existence, particularly 'Achy Breaky Heart', with its irritatingly catchy melody and inane lyrics ('it might blow up and kill this man', what does that even mean?). Fast forward 27 years and I'm at Perth Concert Hall with my mum clapping and singing along to that damnable song.  How did it come to this? 

The implausibly monikered Lars Pluto is entertainment personified in multiple roles.There is something really fun and infectious about the performances in 'Nashville Live' that in the words of the dearly departed Robert Palmer is 'Simply Irresistible'. 

The implausibly monikered Lars Pluto is entertainment personified in multiple roles as diverse as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and of course Hannah Montana's dad, Billy Ray.

I've had mixed experience's with tribute acts in the past and I can be pretty wary about reviewing them, however 'Nashville Live' is right up my alley.  Although ostensibly a tribute show it is not too OCD about slavishly apeing the sound of appearances of the country legends it emulates. 

Don't get me wrong, oftentimes the vocal performances are uncannily close, Sam O' Hanlon does a great Hank Williams, Laura Evans an astounding Dolly Parton (especially on 'I Will Always Love You', and Helena Gullin (who also absolutely shreds on the fiddle) does a very passable Patsy Cline.  

Lars does an astounding job as Johnny Cash, I'd say he even rivals Clive John from The Johnny Cash RoadshowHowever, unless they're Joe Longthorne, it's impossible for one man to sound exactly like both Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash.   Lars does an astounding job as Johnny Cash, I'd say he even rivals Clive John from The Johnny Cash Roadshow but his Willie Nelson lacks the reedy vulnerability of Shotgun Willie.  This doesn't hamper my enjoyment of 'Crazy', 'On the Road Again' or 'Always On My Mind' one iota as I felt he captures the spirit of the songs perfectly.

I also really like how 'Nashville Live' plays out like a live recording of an episode of the classic 'Grand Ol' Opry' radio show at the Ryman Auditorium replete with 'applause' and 'silence' signs and live commercials.  These little jingles and sketches add a degree of authenticity and humour to the show that is a lot of fun.  On the downside, I now have a fifty-year-old jingle for Pepsodent toothpaste ('You'll wonder where the yellow with Pepsodent') rattling around my subconscious.

Country music is a genre where musicianship is very much at a premium and under the watchful eye of musical director and guitarist Luke Thomas the 'Nashville Live' band don't put a foot wrong.  The rhythm section of Luke Barrett on drums and Dominic Toad on bass are as tight as the bark on a tree and the extremely talented Jo Richelle has a lovely touch on keys.  Personally, I would have loved the addition of a pedal steel player as it would have lent the production a bit of country glamour.

It's great fun, pretty much the whole auditorium is on their feet by now and singing along. The show ends with the slightly incongruous image of Lars Pluto still in his Billy Ray Cyrus outfit of skintight leather trousers and a leather vest top singing 'The Circle Will Be Unbroken' as Johnny Cash.  He's less 'Man in Black' and more 'Transformer' era Lou Reed.  It's great fun though, pretty much the whole auditorium is on their feet by now and singing along. 

It's been a remarkable evening of entertainment that even made me forget that I hate Billy Ray Cyrus ... at least for a couple of minutes.

Colin was gifted two tickets for Nashville Live Saturday 21st September at Perth Concert Hall, in return for his honest review of the show.  Nashville Live played Perth for one night only.