Carmina - 28 August 2022

Gigs in Monmouth are rare so Carmina appearing in a town pub was not to be missed. This was the three member iteration of Carmina with Paul Bradley on guitar joining Pippa and Rob. The gig comprised a familiar pattern with original songs such as 'Bird of Paradise', 'Landmarks', 'Song for Pepper' and covers including 'Killing the blues', 'Into the Mystic' and as a final track 'Heroes'. There was also a rendition of 'Lord Franklin' which is a favourite of mine that they do, a Sioned O'Connor cover and a new song they had written to be a bit darker after a reviewer called them 'unremittingly mellow'. The encore was 'Big Yellow Taxi' an appropriate response to current times. Always worth a trip out - I think this must be the sixth gig I have seen of theirs.

Gretchen Peters - 25 August 2022

Another much delayed gig landed at last in St Georges. The support was as in 2018 Kim Richey who delivered a half hour of excellent songs good vocals and some strong rhythym guitar accompaniment. Always a pleasure. Gretchen's band was also familiar with hubby Barry Walsh on Paino and Accordion, Culm McClean on lead guitar and Connor on Bass. The gig was largely a selective trawl through the back catalogues with a few covers thrown in. She has so many classy songs that the selection is always different. Pretty much standard are 'Five Minutes' and 'Idlewild' which maybe her two best songs. I particularly like 'Disappearing Act' so was glad to see that included and her rendition of 'Independence Day' sung with just her on Piano was a highlight. An old song that I hadn't heard before 'Love and Texaco' was memorable. Other than that it was another tour de force from Gretchen. I am grateful we have tickets for her final tour next year and also pleased that she has just released a live album from her 2019 tour including several songs from when we were sitting in the exact same front row seats as on Thursday. She said that the live album audience noise was from St Georges even on the tracks recorded elsewhere.