Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez
Tonight we went to see the quite brilliant Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez
I’m told that babies may be calmed by hearing sounds after birth that became familiar to them in the womb, and that by now (24 weeks), their hearing is fairly developed. It’s also said that if you choose a particular music to repeat to them with the view to using it as a calming tool later on, it’ll obviously have to be something that you can stand to hear repeatedly. No question for me then, it can only be Chip and Carrie. And what’s more, if a full first set’s worth of the most pronounced and enthusiastic wriggling I’ve yet encountered is anything to go by, my girls loved it too. Yep, they were dancing in there; my little ladies like country music. Phew - I’m rearing children with impeccable taste. So far so good…
Carrie’s violin playing has me mesmerised. Since last time I saw them, 18 months or so ago, she’s playing around even more with those laid back but driving shuffles, this time more syncopated and all in bluesy double stops. This time she’s also playing an unbelievably sweet little Epiphone electric mandolin, 70s I presume, so cool, solid body, single strings. My Davidson is lovely, but an electric would be a very nice addition indeed (pause, check eBay… nothing). She says she can’t really play it. That’s what I say but she seems to have tackled some chords which I would love to achieve.
Seeing them play made me think. A lot. About my playing, my career, what next, music? No music? How can I not do music, they inspired me so much! And in the short term, how I’ll be up on the same stage (in fact many of the same stages, with the same promoter, Homespun do a very similar UK tour) in just two month’s time with my own fiddle, voice and mandolin, two month’s fatter, clumsier and (I only properly realised when Carrie asked me the question) at the time of the last date at The Cluny, Newcastle, only 5 weeks and 5 days away from my due date…
I’ll need a stool for this gig, and no pedals, and Tony is definitely carrying ALL the gear. I’m going to think of it more as a last trimester holiday/retreat, away from cooking, cleaning and washing clothes; there’ll be long lie-ins, shopping for baby clothes, and room service, oh and a quick hour on stage every night as my only commitment. That OK Dave? Good.